When "Mad Annie," a black woman who suffers from Tourette's syndrome, dies in a gutter in West London in 1978, it changes the lives of everyone in the neighborhood. Particularly affected is Ann Ranelagh, who, convinced that Annie was murdered, spends the next twenty years trying to prove it. Is this a righteous crusade or a vendetta? And just why does she care so much? Frances Barber uses a wide range of voices, accents, and inflections to highlight the class distinctions and racism that propel this tale by one of Britain's most lauded contemporary crime writers. Judiciously, Barber does not attempt to deepen her voice for male characters, but concentrates on their personalities and nationalities to create memorable aural portraits. Barber is particlarly adept at voicing the violent emotions that drive the story without resorting to verbal excess.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
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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