While listening to this with me, my daughter asked why I thought the particular reader had been selected, and, without thinking, I said: "Because he has a fat voice." That about sums up Michael Prichard's presentation of Nero Wolfe, the obese detective and gourmand who raises orchids and hates to leave his brownstone. Prichard isn't so good with the other characters, although he does vary the pitch of his voice to distinguish them. Essentially this is an uncomplicated reading of a good detective book. The story has to do with the struggles of a mistress and family over the legacy of a murdered man.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1999
Duration: 6 hrs, 18 mins
Publisher: Audio Partners/Audio Editions
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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