Wry suspense is enhanced by dramatic ensemble narration.
Nothing goes according to plan during an ill-fated literary retreat. Author Faye Wader tries to upstage her nemesis by throwing an elaborate author’s weekend for her fans. When events take a turn, narrator Carol Monda reveals Faye’s tensions and contradictions in rasped exclamations. Faye’s assistant, Jade, the “cool green stone,” is voiced by Emily Lawrence. Jade’s inner monologue is often at odds with the assumptions of her unsuspecting boss. Not quite as smooth as the stone, Jade’s voice comes across as snide and sometimes grating. Joel Froomkin and Gabra Zackman provide more agreeable performances, with Froomkin voicing Faye’s agent, Hal, and Zackman enlivening Merry, Faye’s stoic editor.
Wry suspense is enhanced by dramatic ensemble narration.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798228330474
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 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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