This undemanding mystery set in California in 1895 is enhanced by proficient storytellers Meredith Mitchell and Mark Peckham. Both handle their characters in a way that leads listeners to respect the two detectives who inhabit the somewhat predictable stories of a flighty debutante and a missing Wells Fargo fortune. As these parallel cases are pursued separately by partners Sabina and John, the listener expects them to converge. To add to the intrigue, Sherlock Holmes is in San Francisco despite the fact that he’s presumed dead in England. Incognito, he contributes to the investigations with the understanding that he’s to remain secret. Although Sabina is left with a trite ending and John is aggrieved with his outcome, the narrators shine.
Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2013
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
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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