When the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, the baseball world was turned upside down with sports journalists, fans, and players alike declaring an end to the curse of the Bambino. But what if the curse was never broken at all? What if the Red Sox won only because the games were fixed? This appears to be the case in Rick Shefchik's latest novel, part noir mystery, part all-American sports story. Much praise goes to narrator William Hughes for making this story more believable than the notion that Roger Clemens has never taken steroids. By mixing fact and fiction, Shefchik weaves a plausible tale of deception for which Hughes’s hard-nosed vintage tone is perfectly suited. The result is a classic mystery that engages listeners, whether they’re baseball fans or not.
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2008
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone 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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