A bad flu bug is sweeping through Department Q—home of cold cases and lost causes. That creates an extra challenge for narrator Graeme Malcolm, who must voice Detective Carl Mørck and his staff with occasional stuffed noses. Adler-Olsen is a master at humanizing his characters, and Malcolm capitalizes on that skill, avoiding clichés, for example, when voicing Mørck’s assistants, the Syrian, Assad and the multiple-personality-afflicted Rose. Villains are also spared any stock qualities, so much so that the listener often sympathizes with them. The overall production is pristine and, like other translated mysteries, applies United Kingdom accents to differentiate characters. In general, Malcolm navigates the book convincingly, and this installment of the Department Q series excels in audio and literary talent.
Pub Date: Dec. 31, 2013
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Penguin 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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