Get the Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective Popular Authors

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Title: The Circle

Author: Peter Lovesey

Narrator: Simon Prebble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 105 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Widowed van driver Bob Naylor is prodded into joining the Chichester Writers' Circle by his teenage daughter. Bob writes limericks and jingles, and fears he will be out of his class amongst the literati. But the members of the circle come from all walks of life and practice many forms of writing, from fantasy to household hints. There seems to be nothing about any of them to incite a serial killer. However, there is an arsonist in their midst, burning his victims to death, and Bob becomes a suspect. To clear himself, he must cooperate with formidable Detective Chief Inspector Henrietta Mallin.

Members Reviews:

improbable but very entertaining

Would you listen to The Circle again? Why?

Another entertaining book by Peter Livesey. Though the solution is quite convoluted and improbable. Prebble is terrific as ever. An amusing nod to Agatha Cristie was a nice touch

Clever and very amusing.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Circle to be better than the print version?

Absolutely. I've read all of Lovesey's Peter Diamond and Hen Mallin books and loved them, but hearing them read by a talented performer is the tops.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Circle?

Naomi and Zach's collaboration on the e-book, probably. Her no nonsense approach and his private thoughts are priceless.

What does Simon Prebble bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I confess that I look out for audio books narrated by Simon Prebble. He does a great job distinguishing between the characters with his vast arsenal of "voices". He uses accent, inflection, tempo, volume etc., to the best advantage. A wonderful performer!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Oh my, yes. I laughed a lot. Mr.Lovesey is hip to the vernacular. The characters and dialog are priceless!

Nice mystery--witty and a bit old-fashioned.

What did you love best about The Circle?

I liked the dry, sardonic wit with which Lovesey writes. His characters may sometimes be caricatures but rather deliciously so. Bob Naylor, one of the primary characters, is particularly effective.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Circle?

I liked the illustration of aspiring authors and their sad franticness.

What about Simon Prebbles performance did you like?

He has an excellent voice--I love British accents.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I carefully allocate my Audible reads to when I am working out at the gym. This one motivated me to work out longer, which is always a plus.

Any additional comments?

I am a rather old-fashioned lover of the Golden Age of Mystery novels. I believe that Lovesey writes in that style. I will be buying more of his books.

Interesting plot

Mr Lovesey has introduced some interesting characters involved in a plot that

leaves you guessing till the end.

One of Lovesy's best

Very taught storyline, suspenseful with sly humor and a nod to Agatha Christie. I was flummoxed until the very end.

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Title: Wicked Fix

Author: Sarah Graves

Narrator: Lindsay Ellison

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

For ex-Wall Streeter Jacobia Jake Tiptree and her teenage son, Sam, September promises tranquil days winter-proofing their rambling handyman's special of a home in Eastport, Maine. But there's nothing idyllic about this Down East autumn.

For starters, the return of truly vicious native son Reuben Tate stirs up the town. And when somebody slits Reuben's throat and hangs his corpse on the cemetery gate, the police trace a bloodied scalpel to surgeon Victor Tiptree - Jake's former husband. Yet Jake knows her troublesome, trouble-prone ex is capable of just about anything except murder. Proving that, though, will involve nailing the real killer.

Members Reviews:

Meet the neighbors.

Lots of background info about the townspeople. Suspenseful, not just who the murderer is but if the heroine can stay in town.

Good book, a great continuance of the series.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Any one looking for a series of mystery stories to follow would enjoy this series.

Wickedly Good

This is one of my favorite series. The characters are realistic, the story is well plotted and the pacing is always good. I have to say that this book takes a turn to the dark side. There is a lot going on and Jakobia and Ellie are drawn into the mystery to save Victor of all people. This is a solid good mystery and I would recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries as well as someone who like darker mysteries. This book walks a fine line.

Great Narration

Any additional comments?

Narrator does an excellent job at reading story! Definitely a good book to listen to.

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Title: The Devil

Author: Ken Bruen

Narrator: Gerry O'Brien

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-16-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 49 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

America - the land of opportunity, a place where economic prosperity beckons - but not for PI Jack Taylor, who's just been refused entry.

Disappointed and bitter, he thinks that an encounter with an over-friendly stranger in an airport bar is the least of his problems. Except that this stranger seems to know rather more than he should about Jack.

Jack thinks no more of their meeting and resumes his old life in Galway. But when hes called to investigate a student murder connected to an elusive Mr K he remembers the man from the airport. Is the stranger really is who he says he is?

With the help of the Jameson, Jack struggles to make sense of it all. After several more murders and too many coincidental encounters, Jack believes he may have met his nemesis. But why has he been chosen? And could he really have taken on the devil himself?

Members Reviews:

If Stephen King were Irish, he'd have written this

Author Ken Bruen's crime noir novels featuring Jack Taylor are wickedly funny -- Irish wit at its absolute darkest. His protagonist is an antihero disgraced former cop turned private detective, always ready with biting phrases and usually fighting a losing battle with booze and drugs. But he's also extremely well read, philosophical, loyal and even loving sometimes -- and does good despite his best efforts at undermining himself. I highly recommend the entire series, which starts with The Guards. But this particular volume, The Devil, can stand on its own for everyone unfamiliar with the others. Because in this one, Bruen turns supernatural ala Stephen King, where Jack Taylor literally is fighting for the forces of good.

Great reader!

Good story, but not your typical Ken Bruen who-done-it. The reader captures the flavor perfectly.

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Title: Body Work

Subtitle: A V. I. Warshawski Novel

Author: Sara Paretsky

Narrator: Susan Ericksen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 192 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Doctors take days off why not PIs? V.I. Warshawski demands. But when Americas hardest-working private eye goes clubbing, a stranger is shot and dies in her arms.

V.I. has been visiting Club Gouge, Chicagos edgiest nightspot, where a woman known as the Body Artist turns her naked body into a canvas for the audience to paint on.

The show attracts all kinds of people, from a menacing off-duty cop to Ukrainian mobsters and Iraq war vets - and V.I.s impetuous cousin, Petra. A tormented young painter shows up, too, and the intricate designs she creates on the Body Artist drive one of the vets into a violent rage.

When the painter is shot, the cops figure its an easy collar PTSD vet goes off the rails, stalks then kills young woman. But the vets family hires V.I. to clear his name, and the detective uncovers a chain of ugly truths that stretches all the way from Iraq to Chicagos South Side.

Critic Reviews:

"Paretskys superb 14th novel featuring PI V.I. Warshawski (after Hardball) delves into Chicagos avant-garde art scene.... Scenes with her aging neighbor and a new love interest give a much needed balance to the serious plot. This strong outing shows why the tough, fiercely independent, dog-loving private detective continues to survive." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

VI Grows Up

In this book, a soldier suffering from PTSD after three tours of duty in Iraq/Afghanistan, is accused of murder. VI is hired by the parents to clear him. What follows is highly entertaining, another well woven tale in the series. There's just enough wry humor to be satisfying.

What interested me most is VI's self-assessment. She's 50ish, no longer young, a point driven home by almost every other character. She's questioning her vocation as a private investigator, and asking what she has to show for her life. If there's another book in the series, it will be interesting to see if it's the last, and if so, how VI retires.

Sad for Sara

Well, I hate to say it, but Sara Paretsky has really lost her touch. It's been a long time since I've read a V. I. Warshawski, and I wish I had passed this one up. I don't know if would have been any better if I'd read it instead of listening to it. The story line was a good idea, but it just seems like it was tritely done. Practically everyone in the story was mean, argumentative, pissy, and any other adjective you can think of. Wow, even Vic's best friends and relatives were mean and argumentative. Really disappointed, wish I hadn't wasted one of my monthly credits. Sad.

Body Work

Paretsky has done a good job with her new book. Susan Ericksen was great reading the story. I think she did better job than the other narrator of prior books. The idea of body art was interesting and different. Always enjoy the description of Chicago. Feels like I just took a trip there for a visit. Paretsky always has a fast pace with lots of action. Appreciated the comment about wishing that she had Abbie P. from NCIS to help her track a cell phone. But did feel there was a few times in the book she repeated her self. Can not wait for the next book.

Back to top form

I have always loved the VI Warshawski books, but there were a couple that seemed not to be up to Paretsky's standard. This one, however - loved it! The narrator is excellent, as well.

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Title: Bad Boy

Subtitle: An Inspector Banks Novel

Author: Peter Robinson

Narrator: Simon Prebble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 257 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Acclaimed internationally bestselling author Peter Robinson delivers a fast-paced, nail-biting thriller in which Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks must face his most challenging and personal case yet....

A distraught woman arrives at the Eastvale police station desperate to speak to Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. But since Banks is away on holiday, his partner, Annie Cabbot, steps in. The woman tells Annie that she's found a loaded gun hidden in the bedroom of her daughter, Erin: a punishable offense under English law. When an armed response team breaks into the house to retrieve the weapon, the seemingly straightforward procedure quickly spirals out of control.

But trouble is only beginning for Annie, the Eastvale force, and Banks, and this time, the fallout may finally do the iconoclastic inspector in. For it turns out that Erin's best friend and roommate is none other than Tracy Banks, the DCI's daughter, who was last seen racing off to warn the owner of the gun, a very bad boy indeed.

Thrust into a complicated and dangerous case intertwining the personal and the professional as never before, Annie and Banks - a bit of a bad boy himself - must risk everything to outsmart a smooth and devious psychopath. Both Annie and Banks understand that it's not just his career hanging in the balance, it's also his daughter's life.

Members Reviews:

Who can beat a Peter Robinson-Simon Prebble combo?

Any additional comments?

As always, this was a great listen.Sure wish Simon Prebble had recorded ALL of the Inspector Banks series.

Detective and Father Helps His Daughter

Alan Banks is off to America while his daughter Tracy gets involved with a really "bad boy" and Annie gets shot. As always, a good mystery, and I like the characters. Simon Prebble's reading is top notch.

Very Enjoyable

This isn't one of those few "must reads" but it certainly is a good book that holds the interest. Love the English accent of the reader, not too overbearing. The story line is exciting though because American gun laws are not the same, at the beginning American readers might wonder what the fuss is all about and avid gun owners might even be a little taken back. Simply accepting that this is/was the law in Great Britain will get you past that part.

The first half of the book is interesting but not particularly thrilling to the point you can't put the book down. The excitement happens further into the book with the ending sort of petering out. I think most people who enjoy a good book will still enjoy this one.

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Title: Whiplash

Subtitle: FBI Thriller #14

Author: Catherine Coulter

Narrator: Paul Costanzo, Renee Raudman

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-19-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Yale professor Dr. Edward Kenders father is undergoing chemotherapy when the supply of a critical accompanying drug, Culovort, suddenly runs out. Unwilling to accept the drug manufacturers disingenuous excuse of production line problems, Dr. Kender hires private investigator Erin Pulaski to prove that something more sinister is going on at Schiffer Hartwin.

Meanwhile, in Maryland, married FBI agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich are investigating a rather unusual case: Senator David Hoffman is experiencing a ghostly apparition with possible malicious intent. The case is baffling, and Sherlock and Savich are not sure what to believe, even after witnessing the disturbing specter for themselves. Theyre no closer to cracking the case when a call comes in from Connecticut: A top foreign Schiffer Hartwin employee has been found murdered behind the drug companys U.S. headquarters.

Unbeknownst to the FBI, Erin Pulaski had uncovered a bombshell in her investigation: The Culovort shortage is set to bring in a windfall profit in excess of two billion dollars. Upon learning of the murder, Erin is certain it has something to do with her findings, but she risks exposing herself by coming forward. As the feds move in, the case becomes even more complicated for Erin, since the murder of a foreign national on federal land can mean only that the pharmaceutical house has a secret of epic proportions one it would do anything to keep hidden.

Members Reviews:

Hard to follow

Very hard to follow the story. It's not until the very end that all of these events are pulled together. Not at all suspenseful.

Great Audiobook

What made the experience of listening to Whiplash the most enjoyable?

It is the type of book ,you do not want to put it down,

Who was your favorite character and why?

Erin was my favorite character, because she was the crusader of the book

Kept my interest

What made the experience of listening to Whiplash the most enjoyable?

Listened while gardening and it really kept my interest. Sherlock & Savage are always interesting characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

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Title: Death on the D-List

Subtitle: A Hailey Dean Mystery

Author: Nancy Grace

Narrator: Kate McIntyre

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-10-10

Publisher: Hyperion AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The brutal slayings of a string of her patients in New York and a horrific attempt on her own life leave Hailey Dean down, but not defeated. After a yearlong respite back home in the Southland, former violent-crimes prosecutor Hailey Dean finally returns to her apartment in the sky overlooking Manhattan. Haileys determined to rebuild a normal life and settle back into her growing practice as a therapist. But in a twist of fate, Hailey agrees to follow her heart and fight crime once again, this time in a new arena, in front of a camera! Under the hot lights of a TV studio, Hailey learns the TV industrys not so glamorous. In fact, its downright deadly!

Waning celebrities, all stunning actresses, each one a shining star turned has-been now struggling to get off the D-List and back into the limelight, meet with a bloody stage exit...murder! Haileys archenemy, Lieutenant Ethan Kolker, the NYPD cop who hunted Hailey down for the murders of her own patients, now wants the past forgotten and reaches out for Haileys help to solve the murders. In a race against the clock, Hailey has no idea that TV can be murder!

In best-selling author, attorney, and TV personality Nancy Graces second Hailey Dean thriller, life on television is no less dangerous than life in the courtroom!

Members Reviews:

THE NARRATOR RUINED THIS BOOK

This audio book has the potential to be a good book, however, as we all know when it comes to audio books the narrator either makes or breaks the book. The narrator on this one broke it. I will make sure never to purchase another one that she has narrated.

Way better than the first

I thought Nancy Grace told a fair story in the first book. I sometimes had trouble understanding how the story tied together. Boy did she fix that in this book. Good cohesive story and great characters. I want another book like this one and hope that the next book brings romance for Hailey.

D - For Disgusting Language

Overall I really like the book. Kept you guessing who the murderer really was. The performance was done quite well. But often the language was just really bad. I hear enough of that in every day life. I certainly don't want to hear in my entertainment. My Reading time is when I try to get away from that sort of thing and relax. This would keep me from recommending the book to my friends. Clean up the language and I would love to read more of these books!

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Title: McNally's Dare

Author: Lawrence Sanders

Narrator: Boyd Gaines

Format: Abridged

Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-09-10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The dowager duchess of Palm Beach dies, leaving behind a fabulous fortune and a handsome young heir - and Archy McNally is left trying to figure out who's who.

When a young waiter working Malcolm "Nifty" MacNiff's annual Tennis Everyone! benefit is found dead in Nifty's otherwise pristine swimming pool, it's Archy McNally, south Florida's most famous Discreet Inquirer, who rushes in to salvage the town's reputation and solve the unfortunate crime. Palm Beach is already in a tizzy over the arrival of its newest millionaire, Lance Talbot, just in from Switzerland to claim his inheritance after the demise of his grandmother.

Poor Jeff Rodgers has barely been pulled from the water when Palm Beach's rumor mill goes into overdrive. Why has Dennis Darling, crack reporter for Bare Facts magazine, descended on the fair island? Just how did handsome Lance escape that avalanche that took his mother's life, and brought him back to his Florida family? And just who is the alluring Baroness Holga von Brecht, the well-preserved woman on Lance's arm whose ageless features have Palm Beach matrons lusting after her beauty secrets? When an old school chum of Holga's is made redundant, Archy works overtime to snare a double murderer.

Members Reviews:

McNally's Dare (The Archy McNally Series)

The dowager duchess of Palm Beach dies, leaving behind a fabulous fortune and a handsome young heir-though Archy McNally has his doubts about the boy's bona fides. â When a young waiter working Malcolm "Nifty" MacNiff's annual Tennis Everyone! benefit is found dead in Nifty's otherwise pristine swimming pool, it's Archy McNally, South Florida's most famous Discreet Inquirer, who rushes in to salvage the town's reputation and solve the un-fortunate crime. Palm Beach is already in a tizzy over the arrival of its newest millionaire, Lance Talbot, just in from Switzerland to claim his inheritance after the demise of his grandmother. There are those who believe Lance an imposter, and who he is-and was-becomes more of an enigma as Archy traces Lance's progress from the snowy Alps to the sands of Palm Beach. If he isn't the true heir, who is he? And who is the alluring Baroness Holga von Brecht, who is old enough to be his mother but claims to be his lover? When an old school chum of Holga's is made redundant, Archy must make some daring choices to snare a double murderer. "A madman thinks he has the perfect crime. He has done it before and no one has stopped him. He can do it again, or can he? Very good book. A real page turner". Worth the time.

really enjoy this authors use of English

I have read all the Archy books and as I have mentioned in another Sanders review, really enjoy this authors use of English. His character building and tight style makes his books a joy to read. I am now getting through the Commandment series, Also well worth a read but it is of concern that at the rate that I am consuming these books - there will one day be a void; that will be a sad day.

Fantastic fun.

Few writers are as insightful about how an inquisitive mind works while managing to entertain and amuse you. Too bad he's gone.

I love spending time with Archy

This was just as fun as all of the previous books.

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Title: Wife of the Gods

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Kwei Quartey

Narrator: Simon Prebble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-03-10

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 189 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Detective Inspector Darko Dawson, a good family man and a remarkably intuitive sleuth, is sent to the village of Ketanu - the site of his mother's disappearance many years ago - to solve the murder of an accomplished young AIDS worker. While battling his own anger issues and concerns for his ailing son, Darko explores the motivations and secrets of the residents of Ketanu. It soon becomes clear that in addition to solving a recent murder, he is about to unravel the shocking truth about his mother's disappearance.

Kwei Quartey's sparkling debut novel introduces readers to a rich cast of characters, including the Trokosi - young women called Wives of the Gods - who, in order to bring good fortune to their families, are sent to live with fetish priests. Set in Ghana, with the action moving back and forth between the capital city of Accra and a small village in the Volta Region, Wife of the Gods brings the culture and beauty of its setting brilliantly to life.

Critic Reviews:

"Engrossing.... Quartey...renders a compelling cast of characters inhabiting a world precariously perched between old and new. (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Engrossing Mystery in a Fascinating Setting

What initially drew me toward this book is that it is read by Simon Prebble, one of my favorite narrators. My expectations for the book were really only that it would provide a reasonable diversion. Having read the McCall Smith Ladies No. 1 novels, I suppose I anticipated something similar. I was very happily mistaken. While I enjoy the AMS novels, they are light, frilly reads; Wife of the Gods is a substantial novel.

While the setting in Ghana is fascinating enough to provide an engrossing reading experience on its own, the mystery is deftly enough plotted to satisfy any mystery lover. After I was hooked on the novel, I looked up the author to discover that he is himself from Ghana, although now living in the US. His intimate knowledge of his setting shows in how quickly the reader is drawn into this--for most American readers--quite foreign world.

The main character, detective Dawson, is a fully-realized and realistic character. He is presented as a flawed individual coping at times not very well with difficult situations. As the mystery unfolds and clues are doled out, one can speculate on the outcome of this classical whodunit along with Detective Dawson. There's enough meat in this novel to discuss it endlessly, but suffice it to say whether you want a good mystery, a book about an exotic locale, or a book with significant social commentary, this is a good choice.

Finally, while I did enjoy hearing Simon Prebble read this book, I'm not sure he was the best choice as a narrator. His lovely British accent is always a pleasure to hear, but I can't help but wonder why someone who could have given the novel the added flavor of a lyrical African sound wasn't selected to read this novel which is about Ghana as much as it is about the mystery. Again, this isn't really a complaint--no star subtraction; Prebble brings life to each character skillfully as always.

Great Story. Wonderful New Author.

This is well written detective story that takes place in Ghana.

I love that this story is set in Ghana just like a Michael Connelly book is set in California or a Steig Larsson book is set in Sweden. It's the setting where the author is comfortable and the best place to tell a particular story.

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Title: The Babes in the Wood

Subtitle: A Chief Inspector Wexford Mystery, Book 19

Author: Ruth Rendell

Narrator: Nigel Anthony

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 208 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

For her 19th Chief Inspector Wexford mystery, Ruth Rendell tells a story that is as taut and atmospheric as anything she has ever written. Ruth Rendell has won many awards, including the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger.

Critic Reviews:

"The plot....marches efficiently to its unguessable dénouement while demonstrating Rendell's grasp of the psychological dynamics of seduction and exploitation which lie at the heart of the case." (The New Yorker)

Members Reviews:

as good as anything Rendell has written

If you appreciate mysteries -- of the more traditional "cozy" variety rather than edge of seat potboilers with formula violence and sex-- this is a perfect listen. Rendell's characters, setting detail, plot, and atmosphere in this are right up there with P.D. James.

Rendell's charaters age well, so rather than a vintage listen, Wexford and company reason their way through the Internet age as smartly as they did in early 60s England. But this listen builds soldily on the traditional English cozy.

Interesting and exciting

The two characteristics I look for in a detective novel are interesting and exciting. Both are present in this book. Not only is the text interesting but the excitment is greatly enhanced by the wonderful rendering given by Mr. Anthony. If you like whodunit books, this is one for you. I particularly liked the last two chapters. Wait until you hear them. It is quentisential Rendell

A Very English who done it.

Where does The Babes in the Wood rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Ranks up in top 10% of my listens as that includes authors PD James, Wentworth, & Elizabeth George.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Very English in style, as in more a talking rather than action mystery. Surprisingly modern in the matter of the crime motivation.

What does Nigel Anthony bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The proper accents for characters' class in English society. Well done narration.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"An Inspector Wexford mystery" might say it all.

Good book, really annoying reader

I've read Ruth Rendell for decades. Her stories are well written, engaging, with unusually good character development. And this one is no exception. It's just so difficult to listen to narrator Nigel Anthony who will turn the simplest sentence into an uppity, affected question.... Or, even more annoying, let the most mundane statement trail into deep, personal, and fading introspection. I wish I had paid better attention to the audio sample.

No match for the Inspector

Well the Inspector had it worked out long before me if thats possible on audio cd!

Another fabulous mystery with characters you can see in your head as you listen.

I felt I could disappear into the book and need not try to imagine the scene or the people, I was just there.

Excellent narration, difficult I imagine with so many female parts. Great book.