If Jazz Age sleuth Phryne (rhymes with shiny) Fisher is new to you, prepare to be delighted. Here she gets involved with a Melbourne Gilbert and Sullivan company whose leading men keep dropping from poison in the middle of performing RUDDIGORE. Phryne is ably assisted by the beautiful, young Chinese man she rescued from thugs on her way to the theater. Stephanie Daniel is a riot performing the scenery-chewing members of the company, endlessly self-dramatizing even in genuinely dramatic situations, such as orphaned babies with birthmarks, hauntings by the malevolent ghost of a long-dead actress, and a trap meant to kill Phryne that squashes the stage prompter instead. Daniels is light, deft, and perfect in this champagne froth of a mystery.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2006
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Bolinda Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, Kinsey is hired by an aged, wealthy man to retrieve his daughter from prison, where she has served time for embezzlement. Kinsey quickly figures out that the girl isn’t an embezzler but instead has done time for her money-laundering boss. All heck breaks loose. Judy Kaye has a warm, rich voice that seems just right for Grafton’s P.I. Her delivery mirrors the smart-aleck tenor of much of Kinsey’s dialogue. Strangely though, when Kaye is interpreting a male character (and there are many), she raises her voice to a higher register, so that many of the men sound like adolescents with changing voices, or worse, like chipmunks. It may be Kaye’s subtle social comment, though. For once the listener adapts, this odd gender reversal seems natural.
Pub Date: July 13, 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Benedict Juliard, forced from steeplechase racing, becomes increasingly involved in politics and protecting his father's life. Prebble's relaxed but masterful command of characters allows an easy flow during conversations, as well as the sudden transformations from narrative to action scenes. His clear, precise speech; polished style of delivery; and sense of timing give a steady consistency and excellence to his reading. Prebble carries the main characters with ease, but he seems to delight in performing the secondary characters, who feature a great variety of accents to match their roles. Another polished performance by a master of reading.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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