The discovery of a body that turns out to be a mannequin jump-starts an investigation headed by 62-year-old Hazel Micallef, a Canadian detective recovering from back surgery at the home of her remarried ex-husband. If this seems an unlikely scenario, it is, nonetheless, typical of the entire plot. Bernadette Dunne does her best with it, reading suspense into scenes where it’s called for; tension into conversations between Hazel, her family, and her police colleagues; and urgency into the hunt for a mutilated hostage whose hours are numbered. Likable characters are rare; certainly Hazel can be prickly, profane, and headstrong. Overall, Dunne’s performance is better than the bizarre and ghoulish story itself.
Pub Date: July 15, 2010
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781602839625
Publisher: AudioGo
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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