The setting of Greenwood’s series, 1920s Australia, and the character of Phryne Fisher—noble and naughty, soft and tough—are favorites of listeners. Narrator Stephanie Daniel captures Phryne’s personality as well as the diverse international cast that surrounds her. In addition to being selected Queen of the Flowers for St. Kilda's summer festival, Phryne must search for her runaway daughter and chase a gang of criminals who are part of a carnival. An added treat is Daniel’s interview of the author, in which Greenwood talks about her sumptuous descriptions of Phryne's wardrobe, examples of which grace her books’ covers. The interview also demonstrates the wonderful chemistry between author and narrator.
Pub Date: May 1, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Bolinda Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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