Listeners will be charmed by narrator Davina Porter's lovely Italian accent as this usually London-based series takes a sojourn to Lucca, Italy. Sergeant Barbara Havers is the main character in this lengthy untangling of the kidnapping of Havers's appealing young neighbor, Hadiyyah. Porter gives the cast of familiar and new characters distinct portraits, and the vocal clues for each add to the listening experience. As the story winds on--more than 28 hours-- Porter helps to keep listeners focused. The descriptive Italian details add to the enjoyment, though the untranslated Italian phrases are slightly more confusing than they might be in print. Fans will be pleased with this inventive turn in the 18th entry of the Lynley-Havers series.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 28 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Novelist Benet Archdale and housemaid Carol Stratford are two young, single parents who have no reason to know each other. They become tangled in a nightmarish spiral of kidnap, fraud, family violence and death. Ruth Rendell creates psychological suspense in thrillers that are compulsively readable or, in this case, listenable. British actress Imelda Staunton's reading is perfectly paced, and the characters are well defined. You'll have a hard time turning it off.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emerson and Peabody are at it again! Uncovering antiquities takes a back-seat as the romantic archaeologists track down the master criminal who is stealing Egypt's ancient treasures. With the help of their precocious son, Ramses, the intrepid pair unravel this mystery in crowded bazaars, desert camps and the heart of the Black Pyramid. Barbara Rosenblat's reading fully measures up to the tale. She is a master of timing and nuance. Rosenblat's power for character interpretation has grown with each book in this amusing series. This is the best one yet.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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