Listeners are taken back to 1915, to a poor neighborhood in Chicago. Through the sympathetic, versatile narration of Carol Monda we hear the voices of its multiethnic residents, and we feel the fragility of their lives. This is a historical thriller with multiple murders, violated girls, chases, and political skulduggery. Monda gives each character-- whether victim or aggressor, male or female, child or adult--a voice that is appropriate and authentic. She narrates the story in a manner that builds excitement and anticipation. A feisty girl named Pin is beset by many very real threats. Her mother is a weak, unsupportive figure working as a gypsy fortune-teller giving readings in the city's famous Riverview Park. Monda presents her as flawed but worthy of forgiveness. This story is plot driven, suspenseful, and filled with a sense of impending evil.
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549142765
Publisher: Hachette 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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