Bethan Rose Young carries listeners into a vivid Victorian world and the persona of 12-year-old Myrtle Hardcastle. Young's narration moves at a brisk clip, increasing the tension in this mystery and representing the quick intelligence and wit of its heroine. Myrtle is certain her neighbor, cranky Miss Woodhouse, has been murdered, and she's determined to discover the killer. Myrtle is encouraged by deep dives into scientific queries by her governess, Miss Judson. Young's portrayal of the intelligent, loving governess is matched by that of Myrtle's adoring father, a prosecutor. Red herrings abound, and Young's cameos of minor characters are on point, especially the unlikable American niece of the victim, who flirts with Myrtle's father. Young creates an enticing foundation and an intriguing heroine in the first installment of this historical mystery series.
. (Historical mystery. 10-12)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781980085461
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.
Dan Bittner gives a polished performance of Stine’s middle-grade horror novel, narrating with melodramatic flair and dramatic pauses at the end of each cliffhanger chapter. When the Ferber family moves into a creepy old house on Nightmare Street, Joe’s parents are oblivious to the scary things happening in the house. In a parallel story, the Hannigan family moves into the same house, where Shawn has different creepy experiences. Both Joe and Shawn have nightmares in which they encounter horror tropes—headstones, a creepy rag doll, a looping camera, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and masked teachers—in their house and at school. Bittner’s pacing works well, and fans of the Goosebumps series will enjoy the familiar shivers and tongue-in-cheek humor.
A not-too-scary horror audiobook.Pub Date: April 18, 2026
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228588288
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2026
Past and present come together seamlessly.
Casey Holloway and Emily Eiden perform alternating chapters of this audiobook about two girls connected through time. In the present day, 13-year-old Penny Marks is angry and resentful about her parents’ decision to move their family to Paris for her mother’s museum job. In 1943, 13-year-old Marie Bonnet and her sister live alone in Nazi-occupied Paris. Holloway depicts the curious, determined, artistic Penny, who pursues the mystery of a painting hidden in a wall and a letter written 80 years earlier. With an accented narration, Eiden reveals Marie’s entry into the French Resistance and her commitment to hiding French art from the Germans.
Past and present come together seamlessly. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 42 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063321816
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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