The second of Rendell's Chief Inspector Wexford police procedurals, from the 1960s, has the Kingsmarkham force investigating the disappearance of an artist’s beautiful sister. Period details—long hair, mod clothes, loosening sexual mores—and the reactions to them date the book or provide added interest, depending on the listener. The late Robin Bailey's slightly dark timbre and cultured tone deliver the story with controlled pacing and dynamics. He varies character voices fairly well, though people of a particular class tend to sound more alike than class alone would determine. His Wexford has less of a local accent than other narrators give him, a reasonable choice for a well-educated character. Overall, a tip-top reading of a solid entry in a popular series.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2008
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
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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