In this rich and complex thriller about the sources and uses of power in America, Lemaster and Julia Carlyle, leaders of an African-American elite, are involved (but how, exactly?) in a murder that rattles the Yale-like university, of which Lemaster is president, and the highest office in the United States, of which Lemaster’s college roommate (Squinchy to his intimates) is president. Bahni Turpin’s voice is gorgeous, and her vocal acting is over-the-top superb. With a flawless ear, she makes the most of the accents, subtle jokes, and speech tics with which Carter peoples a broad canvas full of colorful characters. Her pacing is perfect as the plot, constructed like a dark high-stakes treasure hunt, ricochets from academia to Harlem to the White House. A sensational performance.
Pub Date: 2007
Duration: 22 hrs, 30 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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