Shake Hands Forever

Ruth Rendell is in fine form in this classic murder mystery, and Nigel Anthony is a perfect match for her. First published in 1975, the story features a corpse whose husband is the prime suspect for her death--except that he seems to have loved his wife to distraction. Red herrings abound; I was sure I had the thing wrapped up early but should have known better. Inspector Wexford is vamped by a beautiful witness and maddeningly balked by his pompous boss, and Anthony makes a meal of both of them. So skillfully does he produce the cello speech of the seductress that it comes as a shock to remember that the voice is a man's. It's great fun; the production is flawless, and Anthony's performance pure magic. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine


Angela Hathall is dead, and her husband claims innocence. Yet InspectorWexford has his doubts. Nigel Anthony's Wexford uses a broad country accent to lull the guilty into underestimating him. Listeners will love listening to him solve this murder. Anthony renders both the quiet surface of the story and its troubling subsurface, and leaves the reader wanting to spend more time in Wexford's thoughtful company. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine