Narrator Nan McNamara’s homespun approach is perfect for this light domestic noir. She deftly channels Mina, the spunky 91-year-old heroine whose curiosity and verve fuel the mystery. Fiercely independent, Mina is trying to stay out of the clutches of various scoundrels, most notably her avaricious nephew, Brian. Her only ally is Evie, the much younger daughter of her dying alcoholic neighbor. Despite their differences in age, the two women bond, and McNamara succeeds in delivering convincing portrayals of both of them. She doesn’t do quite as well with the men in the book, who are almost all skunks and tend to sound the same. Still, her playful delivery hits the mark with the author’s clever wordplay and sly humor.
Pub Date: 2014
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062353863
Publisher: Harper Audio
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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