Detective Inspector Peter Diamond of Bath's fictional career has won for his creator the coveted British Crime Writers Association's Lifetime Achievement Award. In his eighth case, a part-time profiler is found strangled on a beach. At the time of her death, Diamond discovers, she was investigating The Mariner, a serial killer of celebrities. The crusty, no-nonsense Diamond teams up with the cigar-smoking Inspector Henrietta Mallin. The police procedural boasts intricate plotting, suspense, witty humor, complex relationships, fascinating characters, and snappy dialogue, all brought to life by gritty-voiced Steve Hodson in his second Diamond outing. Impressive as his skill with regional accents is, it's nothing compared to his brilliant way with characterization. Though he sounds as if he's doing nothing in particular to limn the dramatis personae, he has bored beneath superficial mannerisms to get to their essence, which he plays with the same assurance he gives the superb, lean narrative.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
