Fans of the late crime novelist P.D. James will be delighted to learn about this quartet of historical murder mystery short stories. Each one occurs during Christmastime in 1930s England. The listener is drawn into each story through the expert telling of two narrators, Jenny Agutter and Daniel Weyman, who evoke the formal setting of England in wartime through their in crisp British accents. They create an atmosphere of radio theater as they juggle multiple crime scenes, characters, and investigations. Weyman switches believably between male and female characters, which is a testament to his experience. Listeners will be left guessing the identity of the killers up to the last minute.
Pub Date: Oct. 25, 2016
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781524708078
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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