Tension should be excruciating in this romantic WWI spy v. spy story, which begins on the doomed Lusitania and boils along from there to Istanbul, but it isn't. Ray Chase plays the narrator as so laid-back and hard-boiled that he flattens, dismissively, how frightening it was when the ship was torpedoed, when he had to kill or be killed, in the many moments when he didn't know if he would survive. Instead, he seems to be saying with his laconic tone, "Oh sure, we got our hair mussed, but never let them see you sweat." Fun for him, but not for the listener. The action-packed plot has plenty of fresh twists and surprises. It's a shame that Chase's blasé tone takes out all the excitement.
Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2013
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781622311811
Publisher: HighBridge 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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
