John Lee at his best is about as good as it gets in audiobook narration. Jo Nesbø in top form is a showstopper, and when they’re together, perfectly in sync as here, you may need a Valium to get through the final chapters. Nesbø’s specialty is gore-filled serial-killer puzzles. If that’s your meat, you’re in it for the bizarre imagination and plot twists, so be fair, you can’t also expect Sinclair Lewis social realism. But then add John Lee, who is such a perfectionist that when a character gets his nose broken, Lee plays the man’s dialogue in all the rest of his high-octane scenes as if he had his nose stuffed with bloody cotton. Bravo to both of them for this thrill ride.
Pub Date: May 9, 2017
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781524735135
Publisher: Random House 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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