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HOUR OF THE CAT

On the eve of WWII, PI Fintan Dunne investigates the wrongful imprisonment of a man convicted of killing a nurse. As he investigates, Dunne crosses paths with a deadly German spy. Ned Schmidtke reads this thriller with the uninflected delivery of a 1950s’ hard-boiled detective. As the writing is flat, in the mode of film noir, the narrative style works pretty well. Schmidtke's pacing, though, could use some fine-tuning; he tends to pause when the text doesn't lend itself to a break. And his American male characters sound rather alike.

Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005

Duration: 15 hrs

Publisher: Blackstone Audio

Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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    THE TREE OF HANDS

    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

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      THE MUMMY CASE

      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

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