Ruth Rendell is known for expanding upon her characters' personas, interrelationships, and intimacies, and this mystery is no exception. Its detailed and perceptive character development urges the listener to invest in the novel's many players. Narrator Carole Boyd delivers the human diversity this novel requires—achieving unique voices that range from the imperious tones of a "princess" to the babble of a baby and the lilt of a Pakistani. Rendell delves into the thought processes, grievances, and observations of a group of domestic servants in London's posh Pimlico area. As they gather at a pub named for their patron saint, an unfortunate accident spirals into psychological suspense and murder. Boyd's expressive range is entertaining throughout the lengthy building of the upstairs-downstairs connections, although the auditory fluctuations in the plethora of asides and whispers hinder ideal listening.
Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781442349810
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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