Two story lines converge in Larson’s latest nonfiction. One follows Guglielmo Marconi and the development of wireless telegraphy. The other traces the life of Hawley Crippen, a patent medicine salesman who gruesomely killed and dismembered his wife. When Crippen fled to North America, Marconi’s transoceanic wireless led to his arrest. The celebrated murder case did much to promote wireless telegraphy. Bob Balaban is solid as narrator. He has a clear, easygoing style. However, Larson writes for the eye rather than the ear. This means some of his intricately constructed sentences are difficult to read aloud. Balaban is left wondering where to pause. Also, Balaban himself sometimes pauses at awkward moments. But these are minor flaws that don’t interfere significantly with listening pleasure.
Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2006
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780739339664
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Impressive research and a mound of evidence reconstruct a tawdry French scandal.
French actor Alain Delon died in 2024 at the age of 88, which makes this a now-it-can-be-told story. In October 1968, the body of Stevan Marcovic, a hanger-on of Delon’s, was found dumped outside Paris. The crime has never been solved, but Chisholm has reconstructed the case with a sharpness of detail worthy of an eyewitness. Narrator Orlando Wells sounds like he could have been that eyewitness, and he delivers Chisholm’s packed narrative with grace and flourish. What’s fascinating here are the vivid recreations of people, scenes, and an atmosphere where only the famous and rich—and criminal—can thrive.
Impressive research and a mound of evidence reconstruct a tawdry French scandal.Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 31 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349171581
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2026
A fascinating look into the beginnings of true-crime writing.
In this audio original, author Dawson (American Sherlock, 2020) turns her attention to a series of brutal crimes that led to breakthroughs in crime-solving using forensics. With a serviceable and intelligent narration, Dawson focuses on two horrific crimes known as the Ratcliffe Highway Murders. In 1811, two families living five blocks apart were slaughtered in their homes. These senseless, apparently motiveless murders not only inspired new methods of police investigation, they also piqued the imaginations of notable writers. Dawson connects the Ratcliffe Highway Murders to Poe’s “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet.
A fascinating look into the beginnings of true-crime writing.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217355594
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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