This mystery is ostensibly about the disappearance of a 6-year-old girl from a country estate before WWI, but it quickly turns into a larger story. After the war, former infantry officer Laurence Bartram gets wrapped up in the many mysteries of a crumbling estate in the oddly named village of Easton Deadall when he is asked to help recreate a hedgerow maze. Despite narrator Matthew Brenher's considerable skill, the story moves at an incredibly slow pace. Brenher has a pleasant voice and successfully evokes more than a dozen characters, giving each a distinct voice. But the novel is hampered by its unfamiliar setting, both time and location, and the author's tendency to go into unnecessary detail.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2012
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781611207439
Publisher: Dreamscape
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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
