P. D. James constructs an intricate mystery wound about the labyrinthine politics of the English law office of Middle Temple Chambers. Commander Adam Dalgleish uses his finely tuned instincts to sort out the suspects in the baffling murder of the ambitious, uncompromising barrister, Venetia Aldridge. Narrator Michael Jayston's brilliant narration is a mastery of understatement finely tuned to the nuances and shadings of James's characters. Listeners are never aware of a "narrator," yet he unfolds the story deliberately with each twist and turn carefully laid out. Jayston subtly distinguishes the clerks, police officers and lawyers, making the author's careful scrutiny of the characters keenly felt. Jayston rivets listeners' attention from the opening passages. This unabridged recording, available simultaneously with the hardcover print edition, is a sign of the maturing audiobook market.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 15 hrs, 36 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
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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