The setting of this dark novel is an unnamed country in Eastern Europe in 1956. It’s a fictional composite of all the enslaved nations of the period. The primary plot concerns the investigation of a murder. The subplots derive from the psychological baggage that accrues to people who live in such surreal environments. When cruelty is commonplace, the victims become cruel--or the message may be that everyone is a victim. This book poses some difficulties for a narrator. The characters represent various countries and social backgrounds. The atmosphere is so Kafkaesque that joy is unimaginable, and being tortured isn't so different from normal life. Robertson Dean struggles with all this at times but does a creditable job at representing the dark mood while keeping the listener engaged with the plot.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2004
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
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
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