A ceremony at the White House to return "trophy skulls" to Vietnam is interrupted by a bomb. The president's body disappears--has he been killed? This is just one of the questions facing Alex Blake, a military pathologist who is restoring the skulls, and whose father was killed in Vietnam. Coleen Marlo's rich voice compels listeners to stay tuned to a quasi-believable plot. The story adapts well to audio--Asian accents and African-American intonations are credible, as well as the dialogue of a hearing-challenged adolescent, an emphysema victim, and a nearly strangled Alex. Marlo confidently portrays Alex's crusty colonel of a boss and glides through tongue-twisting Vietnamese names and places. Several suspenseful scenes culminate in a surprise ending.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2007
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
