In the second Inspector Cutter/Sergeant Bliss mystery, the mood is bleak, and Charles Armstrong's performance is irresistible. After a murdered civil servant is found clutching a child's bone, Cutter, Bliss, and journalist Octavia Hillingdon begin an investigation that shakes their faith in humanity. More brutal murders of civil servants occur, seemingly connected to an asylum fire that killed 36 children years before. With careful objectivity, Armstrong delivers stories of hideous abuse and murder at the asylum. When needed, his rich baritone morphs into the softer, whispery voice of Nightingale, a survivor who experienced it all firsthand. Armstrong's handling of the final stream-of-consciousness revelations is outstanding. Series fans won't be disappointed.
Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696607902
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
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
Sir Derek Jacobi and Joe Jameson's stellar performances add sparkle and verisimilitude to this delightful locked-room mystery. The first adult book by Montgomery, an award-winning children's book author, is set in a Cornish manor house during the 1910 passing of Halley's Comet. Jacobi sets the semiserious tone with resonant action updates and intense performances of yesteryear news reports. Jameson remarkably personifies everyone. He broadens his vowels to inhabit our jailbird hero; pinches his voice into an octogenarian lady; puffs into an officious butler; and lightens into a young maid. The plot, involving death by crossbow, is crazy fun. The upstairs/downstairs subplot is moving. The writing is clever and witty. Jameson and Jacobi deliver a captivating performance that celebrates the tale's mix of drama and farce.
Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063458741
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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