Sandra Burr lends credible Hispanic and British accents to the characters V.I. Warshawski encounters as she investigates a factory fire. Burr's characterizations are true to the author's direction; discount store heir-apparent Billy the Kid sounds even younger than his years, and the disapproving grunts emitted by Billy's grandfather are amusingly believable. As V.I. and other characters face exhaustion, fear, and illness, Burr adapts her reading to vocalize weakness, terror, and pain. Her pace is in step with the harrowing moments in which V.I. confronts a surprising killer. The only weakness is that the large cast of characters is a bit difficult for listeners to differentiate.
Pub Date: June 28, 2005
Duration: 15 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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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