This gargantuan collection of Block short stories--nearly 50 hours' worth--will test the patience of even his most fervent fans. The stories--most concerning murder, as befits this premier mystery writer--are uneven. Too often listeners know what's coming long before Block takes them there. What is satisfying is the richness of Block's characterizations, which are often arch and always discerning. A voluminous body of work such as this one obviously taxes the range of any narrator. It's not enough to say that Alan Sklar is up to the challenge. He certainly is, especially with his seemingly endless characterizations. But Sklar brings something more to the reading, something that becomes ever more apparent as the hours elapse: He's clearly enjoying himself in this marathon production, and his pleasure is infectious.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 24 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Sound Library
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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