David Thorpe's narration is sublime in this first installment of 23 mysteries featuring Matthew Bartholomew, who teaches medicine at Cambridge University in the fourteenth century. Thorpe masters the accents of the scholars, townsfolk, and servants. Bartholomew discovers an insidious plot between Cambridge and Oxford--each attempting to discredit the other--at the same time as the outbreak of the Black Death. Striking descriptions enhance each scene as Bartholomew tries to save lives and understand the murderous plot. It's painful to hear the suffering of those afflicted with the plague and their agonizing treatments. Listeners can almost see and smell the town due to the sharp historical details. Bartholomew is a sympathetic character who will have listeners cheering for him.
Pub Date: April 1, 2017
Duration: 13 hrs
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books /Soundings
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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