CRIMINAL PARADISE starts off sounding like an unusual story about the workings of a small-time criminal's brain. Soon we realize that Robert Rivers may be a thief, but he's also a pretty good guy, a hero. Patrick Lawlor sounds a little young for the 40-something lead character, but he's suitably menacing as the real villain and totally convincing as the "hero's" two henchmen. Lawlor does justice to Thomas's story of conscience and crime, lending a solid storytelling style to a disturbing tale. In a case of a semi-bad guy versus a really, REALLY bad guy--guess who wins. This is one of those books for which a happy ending seems impossible, but the author pulls it off.
Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2008
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
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
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