In a London lodging club for single women, life after the blitz is a struggle, yet this novel opens like a 1945 version of chick-lit as residents trade gossip and ration coupons. Several of the eponymous girls are so slender they can slither through the gap in a lavatory window to sunbathe and cavort with boyfriends on the roof—but their hip measurements, and their climbing skills, will come to have more than passing significance. Listeners who appreciate MEMENTO MORI and THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE will enjoy this, with one proviso. The sheer number of young female characters challenges the narrator—the very fine Nadia May—who wisely chooses a straight read. The resulting recording is transparent and effective, but not particularly variable in tone or dynamic range.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2008
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Reader Michael Prichard delivers a convincing rendition of Archie Goodwin, the burly right hand of the portly Nero Wolfe, world-renowned gourmand and detective. Prichard preserves the 1970s setting and 1950s origins of the story, bringing listeners a well-paced narration of murder and politics--a combination of elements that usually guarantees an exciting listen. This audio entertainment is as well formed and fragrant as one of Wolfe's hothouse orchids (the stout sleuth cultivates them by the hundreds in his town house greenhouse) as Goodwin walks us through an explosive murder investigation and political wheeling and dealing in a tough yet intelligent read.
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2006
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Partners
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This collection of eight short stories contains gentle tales of fantasy and magic--not the magic of wizards and wands, but of wishing mats and enormous cats and gifts brought by the winds. In a lovely English accent, Lizza Aiken quietly narrates these stories in which magic and good fortune often come to those who deserve it. Although her pitch changes little, she registers a range of emotions--from the sadness of a girl whose necklace of raindrops has been stolen to the joy of a child who moves from a hard life and a ramshackle trailer to a happy home amid the clouds. A NECKLACE OF RAINDROPS would make a soothing choice for a family car trip after a long day.
Ages 6+Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Duration: 1 hr, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101915721
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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