Through no fault of the narrator, the audiobook as a whole isn’t that compelling.
This investigation into the rise and fall of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) is detailed but less than thrilling. The author, a sociologist and journalist, thoroughly describes ELF’s targeted acts of arson, which began in the mid-’90s. ELF members' motivations to save Western forests from the death spiral of logging andgeneralconsumption of the natural world are well explored. Dan John Miller’s voice is arresting, and his pacing keeps the audio moving briskly. But the ELF members’ backstories aren't interesting or memorable, and their eventual capture by law enforcement isn’t dramatic. More salient is hearing how the group’s arson attacks led the Department of Justice to begin prosecuting any act of environmental protest as terrorism. Wolfe narrates the epilogue with heartfelt dejection, cataloging current environmental catastrophes that ELF members were so impassioned to prevent.
Through no fault of the narrator, the audiobook as a whole isn’t that compelling.Pub Date: June 23, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 22 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217338771
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2026
Impressive research and a mound of evidence reconstruct a tawdry French scandal.
French actor Alain Delon died in 2024 at the age of 88, which makes this a now-it-can-be-told story. In October 1968, the body of Stevan Marcovic, a hanger-on of Delon’s, was found dumped outside Paris. The crime has never been solved, but Chisholm has reconstructed the case with a sharpness of detail worthy of an eyewitness. Narrator Orlando Wells sounds like he could have been that eyewitness, and he delivers Chisholm’s packed narrative with grace and flourish. What’s fascinating here are the vivid recreations of people, scenes, and an atmosphere where only the famous and rich—and criminal—can thrive.
Impressive research and a mound of evidence reconstruct a tawdry French scandal.Pub Date: today
Duration: 12 hrs, 31 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349171581
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: today
A fascinating look into the beginnings of true-crime writing.
In this audio original, author Dawson (American Sherlock, 2020) turns her attention to a series of brutal crimes that led to breakthroughs in crime-solving using forensics. With a serviceable and intelligent narration, Dawson focuses on two horrific crimes known as the Ratcliffe Highway Murders. In 1811, two families living five blocks apart were slaughtered in their homes. These senseless, apparently motiveless murders not only inspired new methods of police investigation, they also piqued the imaginations of notable writers. Dawson connects the Ratcliffe Highway Murders to Poe’s “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet.
A fascinating look into the beginnings of true-crime writing.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217355594
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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