Michael Hayden is a convincing monster in this famously misanthropic mystery. Highsmith's Tom Ripley is frightening, not simply owing to his murderous actions, but also because he exists totally without conscience. The chameleon-like Tom is sent by a rich American to retrieve his dilettante son, Dickie Greenleaf, from Italy. When Tom cannot win Dickie over, he kills him and assumes his identity. Hayden gives vivid internal life to this sociopath. The fascination of the performance is that Hayden has you marveling at the character's perception and intelligence while you are at the same time repelled by him. The experience is like watching a spider move toward his helpless prey. You can hardly bear it, but you cannot possibly turn away.
Pub Date: 2000
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Random House 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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