Narrator Rachael Beresford engagingly introduces the English village of Pipley in 1941. Residents --including the Bright family--want to do their part for the war, so they raise pigeons. Listeners meet daughter Olive, who is delighted when Captain Jameson Aldrich comes to evaluate their pigeons as possible messengers. Lively descriptions of the countryside and concerns about food shortages for the birds add to the unusual atmosphere. Beresford's Olive, an Agatha Christie fan, is a mix of innocence and persistence as she prepares the pigeons for their essential work while searching, Poirot-like, for the murderer of Miss Husslebee, a village busybody. Olive's budding romance with Aldrich, meeting the diverse and memorably rendered townsfolk, and learning about pigeon care and training make for a pleasurable listening experience.
Pub Date: Dec. 29, 2020
Duration: 13 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781705284667
Publisher: Tantor Media
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
An absorbing and exciting listen, and historical fiction at its very best.
Sanjeev Bhaskar makes wonderful work of this brilliant, funny, and thought-provoking thriller. What happens when you mix those classics of Edwardian fiction, Sherlock Holmes and A.J. Raffles, with a mysterious character from the African jungle and recast the story’s narrator as law student Balvinder Singh? Add Winston Churchill to the mix, along with spirited suffragette Maud Adler, and you have the perfect cocktail of narrative delight, brought effortlessly to life by Bhaskar. Set in 1905, the high-water mark of the Edwardian empire, the story centers on the discovery of a grisly murder, which leads to the uncovering of a fiendish plot to attack British society. But which side will Singh be on?
An absorbing and exciting listen, and historical fiction at its very best.Pub Date: July 14, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781511388740
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
