Versatile narrator Lucy Brown plunges listeners into the intrigue of the Roman Empire under Domitian. Brown delivers this complex mystery in a multitude of voices, each one distinct. Flavia Albia, the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, has taken her father's place as spy and intelligencer. She must uncover the identity of the third Nero, an imposter who threatens Domitian's empire. Brown's strong performance makes the eternal city of Rome come alive. She imbues the Roman characters with British accents and the foreigners, particularly the Parthians, with exotic tones. Flavia Albia travels from the Forum to the Capitoline, from infamous prisons to luxurious houses, interviewing anyone who is likely to know or help the imposter. With each journey and interview, Brown brings this ancient world to life.
Pub Date: July 11, 2017
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781504791847
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
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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