Ploddingly paced, frustratingly contrived, and beyond implausible, this Indiana Jones knockoff sets a British Egyptologist and an American rock climber on a path toward an ancient treasure secreted in the legendary hidden oasis of the title. The pair are pursued at every turn by a psychopathic Cairo arms dealer and an American embassy official with an uncertain agenda. The heroine’s American accent gives British reader Gordon Griffin serious trouble. However, he also does his best to keep things moving and is reasonably adept in the roles of the other characters, particularly those of the sinister arms dealer and the taciturn Bedouin who provides aid to our heroes.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2009
Duration: 20 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books/ Clipper 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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