The fifth installment in the Magic Men series is neatly handled by narrator James Langton. Magician Max Mephisto returns from the U.S. to his home in England for a funeral. There he reconnects with many old friends and his estranged daughter, Ruby, now a British TV personality. It's the '60s, complete with mini skirts, Beatlemania, and celebrity-crazed teenagers, and DS Edgar Stephens, DI Bob Willis, and PC Meg Connolly are investigating the disappearance of three young women. Langton's thoughtful performance offers credible accents that cross social classes, and his women's voices are completely believable, especially that of Edgar's wife, former policewoman Emma Holmes. Emma finds marriage and motherhood a challenge, and misses police work. Langton adds gravitas as well as wit and sparkle to Elly Griffiths's first-rate mystery.
Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2019
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780358172147
Publisher: HMH Books
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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