Two mysteries, one current, one set in the 1930s, are skillfully woven in this second series entry featuring Episcopal priest Clare Fergusson and her unrequited heart throb, Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne. Unfortunately, this production makes for painfully slow listening, in part due to Spencer-Fleming's highly detailed prose. It takes three hours of setup before the plot kicks off. A bigger problem is Suzanne Toren's reading style; too serious and proper, it fails to capture the fun, irony, or flirtatiousness of the well-written dialogue. Many of Toren's characterizations tend toward stereotypes--the women sound indignant, the men gruff and disgruntled. If you're patient to get through the early part of the story, the end is riveting and rewarding. If not, read this one in ink.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 15 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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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