Dame Stella Remington, the first female director general of MI5, provides a peek at the workings of British counterespionage through the character of Liz Carlisle. The covert operator becomes ensnared in a convoluted plot of implanted spies targeting Russian oligarchs— millionaires living the high life in London. Landor's Russian accents vary nicely with the array of ex-pat Russian characters. But when she overlabors the bass of male voices, volumes change, and clues are dropped. Landor's females capture Remington's portraits of women battling their way in a man's world. Tension, suspense, and confrontation are also well portrayed. So once reading glitches—in particular, excessive sibilants—are overlooked, the story moves along.
Pub Date: July 1, 2008
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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