Bestselling novelist Kunihiko Hidaka is found murdered shortly after a visit from his best friend, Osamu Nonoguchi. Police detective Kyoichiro Kaga investigates the case. As the story is told in alternating first-person narratives by Kaga and Nonoguchi, narrator Jeff Woodman expertly differentiates the two so there is never any confusion for the listener. Kaga is portrayed as calm, soft spoken, and steely. Nonoguchi is more outgoing and manipulative. Although the murderer is exposed early on, Kaga continues to hunt for a motive and explores multiple theories, including plagiarism and bullying in Japanese schools. Woodman’s narration is compelling and clear throughout this twisty puzzle. He never hesitates with the Japanese names and lends an authentic air to this “whydunit,” translated from Japanese. A.B. 2015 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2014
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781427244321
Publisher: Macmillan 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
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