Henning Mankell is a master of using the bleak landscape of Ystad, Sweden, to illuminate the temperament of his depressed and cautious detective, Kurt Wallander. Here Wallander is confronted with the murder, execution style and with no apparent motive, of a young realtor and pillar of the Methodist church. Wallander soon finds himself in a confusing tangle involving a ruthless ex-KGB agent and racist South Africans determined to prolong Afrikaner rule. Dick Hill translates Mankell's minimalist narrative style without flashiness and generates tension at the same time, an impressive feat. Hill seamlessly switches viewpoints and accents among Swedish, Russian, and South African characters with absolute believability, despite the clunky plot.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2006
Duration: 17 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone 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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