Paul Thornley narrates Billingham's ninth Tom Thorne police procedural with excellent pacing and characterizations. Thornley's bevy of cop voices is tough and on target. Even better are his female characters, such as ex-con Dawn (recently released from a term for her husband's murder) and her hardened prison lover. They contrast nicely with the soft-spoken novice private detective whom they hire to track the husband, who faked his own death. There's also a criminal gang on permanent vacation in Spain--or so they believe. The Brit accents are much better than the mostly missing Spanish ones. And the action scenes, from opening to closing murders, are well paced, as is the ongoing hunt for evidence.
Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781622312856
Publisher: HighBridge 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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