Happily, the extraordinary richness of P.D. James's characterizations exactly coincides with John Franklyn-Robbins's strength as a narrator. His reading skillfully explores the essential traits of each character whether acidic, pompous, generous or--as is true of everyone in a P.D. James work--needy. What's more, with a change of inflection or pacing, Franklyn-Robbins illuminates the understated ironies and humor always embedded in a James mystery. You can almost see Franklyn-Robbins's raised eyebrow. In this outing, Commander Adam Dalgliesh sorts through the death of the ruthless director of an august London publishing house and its crosscurrents of love, ambition and malice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1995
Duration: 17 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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