Part of the appeal of a first-person novel is learning about the main character's true personality--not just what he or she presents. In this audiobook, Stella is at times annoying, maddening, intriguing, and sympathetic, and narrator Cassandra Campbell voices all these shifts wonderfully. Campbell can sound serious or snide, earnest or sneaky, with just an artful adjustment of her voice and delivery. Set largely within a large New York City art museum, the plot--which is billed as a mystery but does not quite deliver on that label--veers off course often and at length. Campbell's narrative skill keeps the listener engaged, but the details weaken the story more than adding to its verisimilitude. Nevertheless, a solid beach listen.
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781524777005
Publisher: Penguin 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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