Best George Baker Audiobooks

The best audiobooks narrated by George Baker — 6 titles spanning Mystery, averaging 3.69 ABR stars.

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George Baker was a distinguished British actor and audiobook narrator whose voice work brings particular authority to classic British crime fiction. He is best remembered for his television portrayal of Inspector Wexford in the long-running Ruth Rendell Mysteries series, and it is his narration of Ruth Rendell's own Inspector Wexford novels that stands as his most significant audio legacy. Baker voiced A New Lease of Death, Wolf to the Slaughter, A Guilty Thing Surprised, Murder Being Once Done, A Sleeping Life, and Put on by Cunning, among others — narrating the very character he made famous on screen with a familiarity and depth that few narrator-character pairings can match. His voice carries the weathered authority and quiet moral seriousness that define Wexford, and his narration of Rendell's richly atmospheric Sussex settings is deeply evocative. Baker's recordings are considered essential listening for Rendell fans and a model of how actor-narrator and literary character can become one.

Where to Start with George Baker

  1. 1
    A Guilty Thing Surprised cover

    A Guilty Thing Surprised

    Inspector Wexford • Book 5

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.81 ABR Score (3.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.85 Goodreads (3.7K)
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    Elizabeth Nightingale's peaceful woodland walks near Myfleet Manor turn fatal in this atmospheric mystery. George Baker returns as Wexford, investigating death among the English gentry with his trademark thoroughness.

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  2. 2
    A Sleeping Life cover

    A Sleeping Life

    Inspector Wexford • Book 10

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.77 ABR Score (3.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.82 Goodreads (3.4K)
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    Inspector Wexford investigates a mysterious woman whose past twenty years remain completely unknown to everyone. George Baker brings his classic touch to this puzzle of identity.

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  3. 3
    Put on by Cunning cover

    Put on by Cunning

    Inspector Wexford • Book 11

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.70 ABR Score (2.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.76 Goodreads (2.8K)
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    Wexford investigates when a young woman's mysterious death connects to her troubled relationship with an older composer. The case's psychological complexity unfolds through layers of deception and family secrets.

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  4. 4
    Murder Being Once Done cover

    Murder Being Once Done

    Inspector Wexford • Book 7

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.67 ABR Score (3.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.87 Goodreads (3.8K) ★ 5 Audible (1)
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    Chief Inspector Wexford, ordered by his doctor to avoid investigations, finds himself drawn into a brutal London murder case set against the backdrop of a graveyard.

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  5. 5
    Wolf to the Slaughter cover

    Wolf to the Slaughter

    Inspector Wexford • Book 3

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.60 ABR Score (3.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.65 Goodreads (3.7K)
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    When a woman vanishes with only an anonymous letter as evidence, Wexford must investigate what headquarters refuses to call a murder. George Baker's measured delivery perfectly captures the methodical detective work.

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  6. 6
    A New Lease of Death cover

    A New Lease of Death

    Inspector Wexford • Book 2

    by Ruth Rendell

    Narrated by George Baker

    ★ 3.58 ABR Score (3.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.63 Goodreads (3.6K)
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    Wexford's fifteen-year-old murder conviction gets challenged when the killer's daughter plans to marry into respectability. George Baker's measured delivery suits the methodical unraveling of assumed guilt.

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How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →