William Trevor's 1998 novel is set in contemporary rural England, where Thaddeus Davenant has just lost his wife, only a few months after the birth of their daughter. When Thaddeus interviews prospective nannies for the child, one of the girls is smitten with him, and her obsession leads her to threaten the family. It's a plot that might be described as a thriller, but Trevor's prose is entirely unlike that genre--it is spare, low-key, and deeply emotional, though never florid. It's a style well suited to Simon Prebble, whose restrained delivery and nuanced voices don't overpower the writing. Rather than forcing an interpretation on Trevor's characters, he allows them to speak for themselves.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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