Stephen Thorne is on familiar ground here with this twelfth installment of the Brother Cadfael series. And no one brings the details of medieval life so luminously alive as Ellis Peters. Brother Cadfael, Benedictine monk and herbalist, has had another life. Before entering the monastery, it appears he fathered a son he knew nothing about. When he receives news that this son is being held in the civil war raging between King Stephen and Empress Maud, his vows to God are put to the test. Many wonderful things have been said in the pages of AUDIOFILE, and elsewhere, about Stephen Thorne's exceptional voice and marvelous performances. I can only add that he narrates this series with perfection; it's subtle, fluid, and flawless.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Audio Partners
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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