Bill Wallis's powerful characterization of Owen Gareth, head of Cairo's secret police, gives an authentic flavor to this exotic Middle Eastern murder mystery. With his versatile range and skill, Wallis accurately depicts both genders, as well as multiple accents and nationalities. When a body is found at the new electric railroad construction site, a territorial dispute turns political and pits new Egypt against old Egypt. Wallis matches voice to mood as tensions rise when Owen's superiors, foreign investors, and local Islamic leaders demand an investigation that Owen considers to be outside his jurisdiction. The murder is linked to the mysterious fig tree believed to be the Tree of the Virgin. Wallis’s capable performance gives authenticity to Middle Eastern religious and societal tensions as they impact the investigation.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2008
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
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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