Las Vegas is the place, and Tony Valentine is the man hired by the owner of a busy casino to catch big-time gambling cheats. Formerly a cop, he knows all the villains and their ways, but his own way is muddled by a near suicide and the discovery that his own son is enrolled at a card-counting school. Paul Boehmer's reading fails to provide a human slant on these characters and their fears. He portrays the women as airheads who speak in high tones that deprive them of the listener's empathy. The males, too, have distinct voices, mostly of stereotypical gangsters. Boehmer's interpretation grates on the ears, ultimately making this light novel better for reading than listening.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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