Block's semi-comic Burglar series features a habitual New York City thief named Bernie who always blunders into bigger difficulties, usually murder. He is forced to detect his way out of the jams he gets himself into, most often with the help of the "best cop money can buy" and a lesbian acquaintance named Carolyn. Richard Ferrone is an effective reader but an odd choice to portray Bernie. His gravelly, sinister presentation would be outstanding for Chandler's Philip Marlowe or Hammett's Sam Spade. Something lighter might be more appropriate for the hapless Bernie; yet Ferrone is so subtly expressive that his performance grabs the listener anyway.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 6 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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