As one who has followed the Spellman series from the start, this reviewer was at first put off by narrator Christina Moore’s voice. It’s not as youthful, energetic, or high-pitched as one imagines of the protagonist, reluctant private detective Isabel (“Izzy”) Spellman. Further, Moore’s accent reveals a provenance far from the Northern California setting. But soon enough, her commitment to the material completely wins one over. Each of the characters comes alive in Moore’s reading, especially Izzy’s prying mother, who blackmails her daughter into weekly blind dates with eligible lawyers. As with all of the Spellman books, there are multiple plotlines, and the book is filled with hysterical footnotes that Moore delivers without breaking the flow of the narrative.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2010
Duration: 10 hrs
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
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