This entertaining mystery is set in the French countryside. The story features Bruno, a gourmet cook who also serves as municipal police chief. (He’s its only policeman.) Martin Walker’s story has something for everyone, including a summit on terrorism and PETA attacks on the foie gras producers. Despite a detailed plot, the story is engrossing as it offers charming glimpses of French culture. Narrator Robert Ian Mackenzie ensures that the audio production is pure pleasure. Whether it’s a French phrase or name gliding off his tongue or a moment when a pause allows the listener to savor Walker’s delightful dialogue—Mackenzie is terrific. No matter the subject, Mackenzie deftly handles each moment, delivering each of the story’s surprises with ease.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2012
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781464023415
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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