In the fifteenth “case history” of Edinburgh’s toughest cop, Bob Skinner gets embroiled in a power struggle with the First Minister, an MI5 sting gone wrong, pursuit of Albanian terrorists, marital woes, and the abduction of colleagues’ children. As in the other books in the series, this one boasts strong characterization, irreverent humor, carefully convoluted plotting, and, of course, suspense. All these qualities are ably delivered by James Bryce, whose mature, masculine, listener-friendly voice suggests a robust pub life and whose handling of accents is thankfully transparent for us Yanks. His impersonations are particularly convincing and well differentiated, a good thing since the bulk of the plot develops through conversation.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
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
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