What are a few murders to the man who unraveled some of the greatest mysteries of the universe? Sir Isaac Newton and his assistant, Christopher Ellis, are Holmes and Watson--two hundred years earlier. As warden of the Royal Mint in 1696, Newton uses his powers of observation to thwart a plan to murder thousands of Catholics by uncovering a counterfeiting ring and a conspiracy intended to rekindle war with France. Almost as an afterthought, he solves four murders with Ellis's clumsy support. John Lee's performance brings to life an era when streets overflow with sewage and much of humanity wallows in swinish depravity. Lee fleshes out the primitive entertainments, perversions, and gruesome executions of the seventeenth century. Kerr's language abounds with archaic syntax and usage, which Lee absorbs and makes utterly believable.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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