by James Sallis ; read by Alan Nebelthau ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 2008
A retired homicide cop from Memphis, now living in a cabin outside a small Southern town, is asked to help investigate the ritualistic murder of a drifter. The main plot practically captures the listener unawares amid the low-key prose that recounts the cop's own back story of a shooting and imprisonment. This plot's complexity is not easily rendered in audio because of the frequent flashbacks. Alan Nebelthau provides a good narration, but his delivery of the rich story line is limited because of the constant movement in time and place without adequate transitions. More character voicing would certainly have helped. The frequent tracks allow the listener to sort out the confusion that sometimes arises by making it easy to back up. Overall though, this is still a good listen for mystery, cop, and crime-story lovers.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2008
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Sue Grafton ; read by Judy Kaye ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2004
In the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, Kinsey is hired by an aged, wealthy man to retrieve his daughter from prison, where she has served time for embezzlement. Kinsey quickly figures out that the girl isn’t an embezzler but instead has done time for her money-laundering boss. All heck breaks loose. Judy Kaye has a warm, rich voice that seems just right for Grafton’s P.I. Her delivery mirrors the smart-aleck tenor of much of Kinsey’s dialogue. Strangely though, when Kaye is interpreting a male character (and there are many), she raises her voice to a higher register, so that many of the men sound like adolescents with changing voices, or worse, like chipmunks. It may be Kaye’s subtle social comment, though. For once the listener adapts, this odd gender reversal seems natural.
Pub Date: July 13, 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
by Dick Francis ; read by Simon Prebble ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 22, 1998
Benedict Juliard, forced from steeplechase racing, becomes increasingly involved in politics and protecting his father's life. Prebble's relaxed but masterful command of characters allows an easy flow during conversations, as well as the sudden transformations from narrative to action scenes. His clear, precise speech; polished style of delivery; and sense of timing give a steady consistency and excellence to his reading. Prebble carries the main characters with ease, but he seems to delight in performing the secondary characters, who feature a great variety of accents to match their roles. Another polished performance by a master of reading.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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