Narrator Simon Prebble's skill makes this story ripped from today's headlines fascinating--and alarming. Yorkshire's Detective Superintendent Alan Banks is occupied with drug wars (locals against an Albanian mob), sex trafficking, and anti-Muslim activities. Listeners will be shocked when a harmless, old druggie, and a young Syrian boy are found murdered. Robinson's usual engaging characters are mostly absent, while a new person, Zelda Melnic, takes center stage. But even Prebble's superb Moldovan accent and impressive descriptive skills of this super recognizer (one who never forgets a face) fail to make her likable. Prebble excels with raw emotion and soulless thugs but adds levity when Banks questions 85-year-old Mrs. Grunfeld, a witness who sets him straight about the reliable observations of the elderly.
Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2020
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062987716
Publisher: Harper 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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