Patrick Tull's baritone voice and oratorical delivery work well for a story set in 1144, for surely people sounded grander then. This is the nineteenth of Ellis Peter's famed Brother Cadfael series. An unusual series of abbey visitors, from a Benedictine monk who may not be who he appears to a French troubadour, bring unexpected trouble, including death. Cadfael steps in with his usual mix of wisdom, humor, and sharp sense of justice. Tull gives several of the main characters distinctive voices, although conversations with more than two characters can be confusing to follow at times. Nonetheless, he reveals personality marvelously well. The only serious quibble is Tull's noticeable intakes of breath before reading the narrative portions of the story. Otherwise, a good listen.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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