Simon Tolkien reads his second novel in the upper-crust tones one might expect of the grandson of the author of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. In his prologue, the author explains that his classic country-house murder mystery is set in 1959, before capital punishment was abolished in England. Tolkien introduces, but wisely does not maintain, vocal inflections as he characterizes a pompous prosecutor, an impatient judge, and a raspy throat-cancer patient. He’s more consistent with the accents of French witnesses of a wartime atrocity. The listener may need some time to get used to the peculiarly long pauses before dialogue tags, but early breath control issues are soon resolved.
Pub Date: April 15, 2010
Duration: 12 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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