Audiophiles appreciate the medium's enhancement of a text, typically finding it to enrich an author's story, meaning, and use of language. But audio also can shed glaring light on poor dialogue, mediocre character development, and cliché-filled description. Given that, Eliza Foss gives a strong reading of TV news reporter Diane Mayfield's coverage of abductions in a coastal town. Foss's characterizations emphasize emotion; strangely, however, Mayfield sounds less like a TV personality than do some of the town residents. Foss lends genuine feeling to the dialogue of the kidnap victims and long list of suspects. As several townsfolk fear that circumstantial evidence may lead to their arrests, Foss's reading sparks images of nail biting, pacing, and nervous tics.
Pub Date: 2005
Duration: 7 hrs
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
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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