This is not your average thriller. Its plot concerns a modern-day conspiracy against the Catholic Church by a group of Manichaeans, followers of early Christians who threatened the church's power and its hold over Christian doctrine. Narrator Arthur Addison reads with a deliberate, nasal-tinged voice that morphs into numerous characters and accents. The problem is that his normal reading voice is not strong enough to carry the story. He reads in a slow monotone, taking great care to enunciate every word, but in doing so he sacrifices continuity and feeling. At times it's difficult to follow the plot because he hasn't brought us along at a steadier pace. Addison seems miscast for a book that needs a more supple, nuanced voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 16 hrs, 30 mins
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
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