The notorious Black Hand, an early version of Sicilian organized crime, is spreading throughout the wharves and warehouses of 1880s London, and the authorities can do nothing. But fear not. Scottish-born ace enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his Welsh assistant, Thomas Llewelyn, are on the case. With a good mix of English reserve and theatrical bravado, narrator Antony Ferguson takes on a plethora of Scottish, Welsh, English, French, American, and, especially, Italian accents to tell this energetic story, which includes the detectives having to convince Cockney Londoners to cooperate with Irish laborers. This novel is the fifth in the series but can stand alone. One hears a little extra pathos when Llewelyn discovers some clues to his mentor's closely guarded personal history.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2017
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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