This entry in Cornwell's long-running series cedes Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta's spotlight role to her fiery crime-busting niece, Lucy, and Marino, the opinionated Richmond detective. Kate Reading's low, comfortable voice and good impersonations are a perfect fit for Cornwell's wild plot twists and calculating psychopaths. Reading convincingly renders each of the characters, male and female, sane and insane, with an appropriate frisson of fear. Listeners will find themselves compelled to hear the gruesome details even when repelled by the Hannibal Lecter-like Jean-Baptiste or his even scarier handsome twin, Talley. Dedicated fans may be disappointed, but Scarpetta is still changing and growing. S.C.A. 2004 Audie Award Finalist
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Putnam Berkley Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, Kinsey is hired by an aged, wealthy man to retrieve his daughter from prison, where she has served time for embezzlement. Kinsey quickly figures out that the girl isn’t an embezzler but instead has done time for her money-laundering boss. All heck breaks loose. Judy Kaye has a warm, rich voice that seems just right for Grafton’s P.I. Her delivery mirrors the smart-aleck tenor of much of Kinsey’s dialogue. Strangely though, when Kaye is interpreting a male character (and there are many), she raises her voice to a higher register, so that many of the men sound like adolescents with changing voices, or worse, like chipmunks. It may be Kaye’s subtle social comment, though. For once the listener adapts, this odd gender reversal seems natural.
Pub Date: July 13, 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Benedict Juliard, forced from steeplechase racing, becomes increasingly involved in politics and protecting his father's life. Prebble's relaxed but masterful command of characters allows an easy flow during conversations, as well as the sudden transformations from narrative to action scenes. His clear, precise speech; polished style of delivery; and sense of timing give a steady consistency and excellence to his reading. Prebble carries the main characters with ease, but he seems to delight in performing the secondary characters, who feature a great variety of accents to match their roles. Another polished performance by a master of reading.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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