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Harm: Rina Walker Book One: 5 Stars

Saturday, 10 December 2016

Written by: Hugh Fraser

Narrated by: Annie Aldington

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 14/07/2016

Publisher: Audible Studios

Source: Own copy

Publishers Summary

Acapulco, 1974: Rina Walker is on assignment. Just another quick, clean kill. She wakes to discover her employer's severed head on her bedside table and a man with an AK-47 coming through the door of her hotel room. She needs all her skills to neutralise her attacker and escape. After a car chase, she is captured by a Mexican drug boss who exploits her radiant beauty and ruthless expertise to eliminate an inconvenient member of the government.

Notting Hill, 1956: Fifteen-year-old Rina is scavenging and stealing to support her siblings and her alcoholic mother. When a local gangster attacks her younger sister, Rina wreaks violent revenge and murders him. Innocence betrayed, Rina faces the brutality of the postwar London underworld - a world that teaches her the skills she needs to kill….

Review

I loved this story!

It isn’t often that I get so deeply immersed in a story so quickly. Half-way through the first chapter I knew I’d find it hard to stop reading, or, in my case, listening ….

Rina, beautiful, strangely compelling Rina, discovered that the reason for her abduction was because the drugs lord needed her to kill an enemy. His logic for choosing Rina was because of her ability to attract men and, of course, her job skills. Her pay off would be generous but would she live to collect?

From then on there follows an amazing adventure made all the more hairy by Rina not knowing who she can trust …

The story moves between 1974, Rina’s adult years and 1956, when Rina was fifteen years old and caring for both her siblings and her incapacitated mother, they were living a desolate and demeaning hand to mouth existence. People did what they had to do in order to make life a little more tolerable, Rina, at fifteen years old, committed her first hit.

The story is utterly compelling from the very beginning to the very end, the characters are vibrant and diverse, and the writing style is clean, uncluttered and flows beautifully.

The vivid descriptions of the living conditions endured by the poor are quite moving: the over crowding; the unsanitary conditions and the ever present fear of eviction.

It’s the use of the parlance of those times and the inclusion of little details which adds both authenticity and flavour to the story. Not many people have to “pull the chain” in the lavatory these days, and certainly nobody has to deal with the old telephone kiosks with their button A and button B.

The story stayed with me long after I finished it, wondering how Rina came to be that person who kills for money, the bigger question though is how on earth did the author get me to be rooting for her!

Narrator

Narrated by Annie Aldington, a renowned British actress and voiceover artist. Her talent is obvious from the very start of this high quality recording. For me, one of the most important qualities of a good narrator is the ability to produce well differentiated and consistent characters, a talent that Annie has in abundance. I also admire her ability to portray emotion - or lack of - in her characters, there no overacting here. Excellent job which added to my enjoyment of this book.

Source: Own copy purchased from Audible Australia

The House by the Lake

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Written by: Ella Carey
Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-29-16
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
3 STARS
Anna leaves her business in San Francisco to undertake a mission for her elderly grandfather. Seems he came from a wealthy family who owned a large estate in Prussia. They lost everything and were forced to leave during World War ll. Grandfather Max left something behind, he wants Anna to retrieve it
Off she goes to Germany to find the precious possession, but getting access to the old house is proving difficult, everywhere she goes she is met by a cold unhelpfulness. She finds out that her beloved grandfather is certainly not loved in his home town, nobody though will tell her why.
Eventually finding some help, Anna finally gains access to the house and to the secrets of the past, in doing so, she makes makes a new friend and ally.
Review
An interesting enough story, but I thought it was a bit lightweight. I don't feel I got to know Anna very well at all, her character could have done with a bit more back story to make her less one dimensional. There were a couple of moments when it seemed she might become interesting but those moments passed.
The story is told by switching between the time periods and I enjoyed Max's era more so than Anna's. The characters seemed stronger and more vibrant, these periods had emotion and impact and were well written. One part in particular sticks in my mind, something I really wasn't expecting!
At the end, everything fell into place very quickly and, I must say, a tad conveniently.
I'd liken this to reading two stories, one is interesting, the other is not quite so interesting.
Narrator
Excellent narration by Teri Schnaubelt who injected life into the somewhat dull parts of the story. Teri mastered so many accents, flowing from one to the other in seamless fashion, making it seem easy. I would guess that the "Max" period was quite a challenge, so many accents, age and gender changes, those emotions! All beautifully delivered. Great job.
Audiobook provided by the producer, author or narrator in return for an unbiased review.

The Strings of Murder

Saturday, 28 May 2016

Written by: Oscar de Muriel
Narrated by: Andy Secombe
Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
Series: Frey & McGray, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-12-15
Publisher: Penguin Books Limited
4 STARS
Publishers Summary
Penguin presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel, read by Andy Secombe, including musical interludes recorded by the author himself.
Edinburgh, 1888. A virtuoso violinist is brutally killed in his home. But with no way in or out of the locked practice room, the murder makes no sense. Fearing a national panic over a copycat Ripper, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Ian Frey to investigate under the cover of a fake department specializing in the occult.
However, Frey's new boss, Detective Nine-Nails McGray, actually believes in such nonsense.
McGray's tragic past has driven him to superstition, but even Frey must admit this case seems beyond reason. And once someone loses all reason, who knows what they will lose next...
©2015 Oscar de Muriel (P)2015 Penguin Books Limited
Review
If you want a mystery that's a bit different, a bit dark a tad gory but quite humorous in parts, then this one should fit the bill.
Inspector Ian Frey, being a touch arrogant in nature and supercilious in manner, is not the most likeable of men. To the dismay of his well to do family he had tried and disliked the study of both medicine and law finally deciding on a career as a detective. A job he is actually quite good at and, having solved one high profile case, he is more convinced than ever of his superior intellect.
Everything is going well, until, due to some political manoeuvres, he finds himself on the verge of losing his job unless he agrees to travel to Edinburgh to solve a very strange case. To his chagrin he finds himself subordinate to Detective Nine-Nails McGray. Poor Frey finds everything north of the border to be terribly offensive to his fine sensibilities - and is not afraid to say so. McGray though is having none of his fancy ways, nor are the house servants, in fact not even the dog shows any respect for him or his fine clothes.
The interactions between Frey and McGray provide the humour, yet there is a serious locked room mystery going on here, Frey takes his usual pragmatic and systematic approach to the investigation, at least, he tries to. Yet on more than one occasion he finds McGrays insistence on following a more unusual path to be both enraging and beyond belief. As past tragedies unfold and the present mysteries are revealed, the two men earn the grudging respect of the other.
Despite a bit of a shaky start when I didn't quite understand what was going on, all did become clear and the beginning fitted the end very well. Some of the characters did stretch my credibility a little, but this only added to my overall enjoyment of this entertaining story. The short violin interludes helped create a chilling atmosphere for this thoroughly enjoyable audiobook.
Narrator
Andy Secombe did a pretty good job of all those accents, the only voice I didn't much care for was that of the crazy girl from the past, I found her just a bit over the top. I loved how he captured the pomposity of some of the political characters and how he somehow managed to seamlessly change those voices from pompous to obsequious when they were in the presence of the Prime Minister. All of the characters were clearly defined, especially enjoyable was the supercilious Frey. The pace and rhythm of the reading matched the story well.
This audiobook was provided by the author, publisher or narrator in return for an honest review.

A Kiss from Mr. Fitzgerald. Natasha Lester

Monday, 16 May 2016

Written by: Natasha Lester
Narrated by: Kelly Burke
Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:26/04/2016
Publisher: Audible Studios
Source: own purchased copy
5 STARS
Publishers Summary (extract)
It's 1922 in the Manhattan of gin, jazz and prosperity. Women wear makeup and hitched hemlines - and enjoy a new freedom to vote and work. Not so for Evelyn Lockhart, who is forbidden from pursuing her passion to become one of the first female doctors. Chasing her dream will mean turning her back on her family: her competitive sister, Viola; her conservative parents; and the childhood best friend she is expected to marry, Charlie.
My Review
The first thing to attract me to this book was the beautiful cover, it just screams "Roaring Twenties". I don't normally read anything romantic but the blurb mentions the Ziegfield Follies and medicine so, with that enticing cover also in my mind, I thought I'd give it a go.
The first part of the book describes Evies' life being lived in the way expected of her, by her parents and by society, but something happens, something which completely changes her world view. Evie makes a life changing decision; she will become a doctor, an obstetrician. Her family refuse to help her in her outrageous ambition. Finally accepted into medical school Evie must find a way to support herself and she does so with style by working at the Ziegfield Follies.
Nothing could have prepared Evie for the struggles to come, both in her work and in her personal life, but this is interspersed with a few joyful moments. There are some wonderful descriptions of the fashions of those times (visit the authors website to read more) and of the fantastic Follies costumes. The reader can't help but get swept up into it all, the glamour of the good times and also the somewhat gruesome bad times.
I wondered what it was about this particular tale that I found so engrossing, as to be honest, there are plenty of stories out there where the protagonist has similar qualities to Evie. You know the sort of girl, rich and beautiful, multi talented, brave, clever and having the ability to overcome all odds with grace. You just know that all will be well in the end. What then makes this one so different?
This book has a quality that endears, it provides escapism, and is wonderful, satisfying entertainment. Only one reason for that .......
It's the writing, it is beautiful, flowing and it is thoughtful
Narrated by Kelly Burke who is new to me. What a wonderful narration, this could not have been an easy task, what with the diverse cast of characters and length of the recording. Kelly gives a distinct and consistent voice to each and every character, male and female the old and the young. Kelly has a pleasant voice and she speaks with a lovely rhythmn and cadence. I love the way she conveys emotion, the sadness, anger, happiness and pain, all without overdoing anything. A thoroughly enjoyable, realistic and consistent performance
This audiobook is my own copy.

Marrying Stone by Pamela Morsi Kevin Clay

Friday, 4 March 2016

Written by: Pamela Morsi
Narrated by: Kevin Clay
Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01-07-16
Publisher: Kiel Publishing
Audible
Outline
It's the early 1900s and musicologist J. Monroe Farley (Roe) has travelled to the Ozarks. He has a theory and wants to study the music of the area.
He meets up with the Best family, daughter Meggie believes he is the Prince Charming she has dreamed of for so many years. With both coming from completely different backgrounds, Meggie being raised in the Ozarks and Roe educated at Harvard, they certainly don't share the same life view. It is their different outlooks and different life expectations that provide the story with plenty of scope, some quite humorous.
I found it quite slow to start, consequently it took me a while to become involved in the story, but I did like the way the characters slowly developed and moved towards an appreciative realisation of each others differences.
I quite enjoyed the book and though I appreciate the quality and style of the writing, as it is a romance, albeit historical, I don't think I quite fit the intended readership, but the music helped it along.
Narrator

A fine narration by Kevin Clay, I enjoyed the wonderful rhythmn and tone of his voice, very easy to listen to. His vocal gender changes and characterisations are excellent, the listener won't be left guessing at who is speaking. For me, he made the story more interesting, he carries it along at the right pace and his timing is spot on. I enjoyed the accents, being non-American I can't vouch for the accuracy but they sounded pretty good to me.

Disclaimer: audiobook provided by the narrator in return for an honest review

Gods of Gold by Chris Nickson. KINDLE EDITION

Saturday, 13 February 2016

Author: Chris Nickson

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 982 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Severn House Digital; First World Publication edition (1 December 2014)
Amazon Australia Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00OERTV1O
Introducing Detective Inspector Tom Harper in a brand-new historical mystery series.
5 STARS
My Review
A great read, and I was quickly drawn in to this story, the first in the Detective Inspector Tom Harper series set in Leeds during the gas strike of 1890.
Despite the disruptions of the gas strike, Tom Harper is concerned by the disappearance of Martha, the beautiful little child of Col and Betty Parkinson, Betty is in jail so Col, a ne'er do well, tells people he'd sent Martha to stay with an aunt for a while because he couldn't care for her. Tom does not believe him and determines to find Martha. Because Martha is so young, people are more willing than usual to talk to him yet nobody seems to know anything. Then a man is murdered, he was one of many men brought in to replace the gas workers, Toms' superiors tell him he should be spending his time on that, rather than looking for Martha, but he doesn't give up on her. He eventually uncovers many fragile threads of information that lead to shocking discoveries.
It's an absorbing story with some really good characters, Tom himself was raised to a life of poverty and back breaking work but manages to break free of it by joining the police force, doing well and rising in the ranks. He comes across as a good sort, willing to give others a chance and, because of his own background he well understands that people do what they have to in order to survive. His sergeant is an interesting character too, Billy Reed, an ex military man who still suffered the effects of the war horrors he'd witnessed, Reed likes to drink, which sometimes leads to aggressive behaviour, he dislikes himself for it. I was drawn to him because it seems like he is doing his best to overcome his troubles. Then there is Annabelle, Toms' fiancée. What a woman she is, a widow with her own business she is a strong independent type and she is fascinating, I'm sure that in the future she will be stealing the limelight from Tom. All the characters in this book are so well described that it's easy to picture them.
For me, another draw is the historical aspect, the story is set during the time of the second industrial revolution, a time when industrialists were getting richer yet the poor remained poor. Chris Nickson weaves a great deal of social history into this book yet never resorts to using boring information dumps.
Be sure to read the epigraph "A New Nursery Rhyme" written by Tom Maguire, a man who died too young, aged 29.

The Art of The Theatre

Sunday, 9 August 2015

Written by: Sarah Bernhardt

Narrated by: Kitty Hendrix

Length: 4 hrs and 57 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:06-01-15

Publisher: Audio Books by Mike Vendetti

Audible.com

Publishers Summary

" I have not written this book to attract young people to the dramatic art but to give them friendly advice and guide them by my experience." Thus begins a master class taught by Sarah Bernhardt, arguably the greatest actress ever to grace a stage.

Timeless and surprisingly current, The Art of the Theatre, published after her death at age 78, is the final and most in-depth record of the great actress' views on acting and the theatre. Here "The Divine Sarah" shares advice on everything from speech, movement, role preparation, vocal warmups, and make-up tips to why she preferred to play Hamlet instead of Ophelia. Filled with lively stories and gleeful gossip, The Art of the Theatre shows the intuitive and often humorous observations that were Sarah Bernhardt. She describes her successes, her failures, and the times she lived in with unflinching honesty and an approach to the arts that leaves no doubt as to why she is still considered today to be one of the greatest artists ever to have lived. Out of print and unavailable for decades, this rare book is only available in this audio format.

Public Domain (P)2015 Kitty Hendrix

My Review

This is not to be read as an autobiography, but as the insights of one incredible woman on the art of the actor. Advisory and instructive in tone, it's not an easy listen, one does have to pay attention, however, there are some wonderful lines describing how some, let's say less than attractive actors might alter there appearance in order to improve stage presence. We discover how and why many an aspiring actor fails to impress, and how even the most talented must still learn, must hone their art.

It's little insights such as these which provide a (presumably unintentional) amusing aspect to the book.

This is a book for all those who aspire to become actors, and I must say, it opened my eyes to the sheer hard work awaiting those who's ambition is to tread those boards, acting, it seems, is not for the faint of heart, yet the words of the great lady are as relevant today as they were when first transcribed.

Narration

Kitty Hendrix respected the writing style of the time, which, to our ears today can sound a little formal and stilted. Working within these constraints, she delivered a wonderful performance, this was no easy task, but Kitty nailed it.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the narrator, in return, this is my honest review

The Cold Cold Ground: The Troubles, Book One

Thursday, 30 July 2015

Written by: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
Series: The Troubles, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01-11-12
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

5 STAR REVIEW

Summary

Spring 1981. Northern Ireland. Belfast on the verge of outright civil war. The Thatcher government has flooded the area with soldiers, but nightly there are riots, bombings, and sectarian attacks.

In the midst of the chaos, Sean Duffy, a young, witty, Catholic detective in the almost entirely Protestant Royal Ulster Constabulary, is trying to track down a serial killer who is targeting gay men. As a Catholic policeman, Duffy is suspected by both sides and there are layers of complications. For one thing, homosexuality is illegal in Northern Ireland in 1981. Then he discovers that one of the victims was involved in the IRA, but was last seen discussing business with someone from the Protestant UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force).

Fast-paced, evocative, and brutal, this book is a brilliant depiction of Belfast at the height of the Troubles and a cop caught in the cross fire.

My Review

I wonder how many readers will remember those terrible times, and how many of those would have believed they would ever find themselves reading a novel about them? I sure didn't think I would, but two things drew me to this book, one was the title, "The Cold, Cold Ground", it reminded me of a song, well, two songs in fact, from way back when, one of which I liked. The second draw being Gerard Doyle, the narrator.

Sean Duffy is a little different to his colleagues at the R.U.C., he's a Catholic, he's a university graduate and he has studied psychology, he also drinks a lot. Necking vodka gimlets in pint glasses seem to be his favoured method of relaxation, I can't imagine the effect all that lime cordial had on his stomach, but hey, he's young yet! Despite their differences, he seems to get along well enough with his work colleagues, who respect his leadership, he in turn tolerates a bit of teasing here and there. The same can't be said for relationships outside of work, not only is he a Peeler, he's also seen as a bit of a traitor too, so you see, life ain't easy. Along with the booze, he relaxes by listening to his music, it was good to hear the names of those groups again.

Then come the murders, possibly a serial murderer (apparently a rarity in Ireland) was at large, killing homosexual males. Duffy got the job because he knew all the modern stuff, forensics, psychology and scene of crime protocols. Besides, there wasn't really anyone else available and they didn't want to be seen as needing help. Duffy finds a tenuous connection to another investigation, the apparent suicide of Lucy, ex wife of a hunger striker. As the story progresses he becomes convinced he has the answers, he has nothing but instinct to fuel his convictions, and fuelled they are, to the point of obsession. Duffy seems to realise he's whistling in the wind, but he can't stop himself.

The whole wonderful tale revolves not just around these murders, but the lives of the victims and survivors. This gives us a little insight as to how hard was life for those living in the midst of turmoil, and also of those who were charged with protecting them. Who had ever spared a thought to the physical difficulties of donning full riot gear, or the strain of being ever vigilant for those Mercury tilt bombs placed under cars? Adrian McKinty writes in such a way that the reader can't help but become totally immersed in the harshness of those times. Returning to reality strikes hard when you reach out for your vodka gimlet and your hand returns clutching a stubby of Boags Draught.

The wit of the dialogue is so very sharp, sometimes serving to lighten the darker moments, I thought Chief Inspector Brennan had some wonderful one liners that he'd simply fire off in the course of conversation! If you appreciate superb narrative you won't be disappointed, reading the first chapter will convince you of that. I'm happy to have discovered a new series to follow.

NARRATOR

Read by Gerard Doyle, I don't think this pairing of author and narrator could have been bettered. I can imagine him, sitting in a room, giving a reading and holding everyone spellbound with his voice and his storytelling skills. He became Sean Duffy, I could picture him perfectly, so now of course, no other narrator can ever be Sean! He differentiated all the characters clearly, male and female, all portrayed consistently, from beginning to end. If Mr. Doyle has one small failing it's this, I don't think he will ever make it big as an opera singer!

Thanks to Linc Tasmania Internet Library Services for providing the loan of this audiobook. A service for which I and all those in rural and remote areas are grateful.

The Broken Token

Tuesday, 28 April 2015

Written by: Chris Nickson
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:09-28-12

Publisher: Creative Content Ltd

Available from Audible

5 STAR REVIEW

Publishers Summary

Pickpockets, pimps, and prostitutes: All in a day’s work for the city constable – until work moves too close to home…. When Richard Nottingham, Constable of Leeds, discovers his former housemaid murdered in a particularly sickening manner, his professional and personal lives move perilously close. Circumstances seem to conspire against him, and more murders follow. Soon the city fathers cast doubt on his capability, and he is forced to seek help from an unsavoury source. Not only does the murder investigation keep running into brick walls, and family problems offer an unwelcome distraction; he can’t even track down a thief who has been a thorn in his side for months. When answers start to emerge, Nottingham gets more than he bargains for….
©2010 Chris Nickson (P)2012 Creative Content Ltd
My Review
The Broken Token is the first book in the Richard Nottingham Mystery Series, Richard Nottingham is The Constable of Leeds, the year is 1731.
There's a lot on this mans plate right now, apart from the never ending thieving, and drunken brawling, the officials have been on his back to find and arrest a "cut purse", a cunning and successful thief who had relieved many a gent of his money filled purse. Then came the first of the murders!

The first few years of Richard Nottinghams life were spent living in a grand house, until his father discovered his wife had taken a lover. Convinced that Richard was not his son, he threw them both out onto the streets. In those days, married women forfeited everything to their husbands, she was left with nothing. Richard learned to scrounge for rotten left over food, and he learned to steal, they were forced to sleep wherever they could find shelter or on the streets. Such was the lot of the desperately poor. Somehow Richard survived to adulthood and found work as one of the constables men, eventually becoming the Constable of Leeds. This was his background, and was what made him appreciate his modest home, a warm and comfortable haven for his wife and two daughters. All this was now at risk, the new Mayor and the aldermen were putting him under great pressure to bring the murderer to justice.

When Richard was called to the scene of the first murders it was to find the bodies of a preacher and a prostitute. The preacher had been invited to Leeds by a man of good social standing, and was an important enough person to cause the mayor to threaten Richard with the loss of his position unless the murderer was quickly caught. The girl, however, was of little importance, just another whore, but Richard recognised her. Pamela, she was his Pamela, who had come into his household as a thirteen year old girl to help Richards' wife Mary with her daughters. The family had loved her, she had left them to marry. Pamela always wore a half token on a blue ribbon about her neck, a gift from Richard, it had once belonged to his mother. The token was gone, all that remained was the torn blue ribbon, so began the hunt for the murderer, Richard was driven not just by duty to his job, but a need to avenge the death of their dear Pamela. First though comes the sad task of breaking the news of Pamelas' murder to his family and to Pamelas' grandmother.

The story of Richards investigations leads us into a world populated with wonderfully described characters, his warm loving wife Mary, his daughters, Rose the sensible one, nineteen years old and about to be married. Emily, a hot headed thirteen year old with aspirations beyond her position in life, Queen Bee they called her. Richards deputy is poor John Sedgewick, not for him are the comforts of a loving wife, he is married to a cold hearted shrew but she is the mother of his beloved infant son. Her coldness drives John to work long hours. There's Brogan, the coroner, who moves through the mud attempting to keep his shiny shoes clean, and with his lavender scented rag held over his nose protecting his delicate sensibilities. Then there is Mr. Worthy the pimp, there's an enigmatic quality to Mr. Worthy, I couldn't quite fathom his motivation, yes, interesting!

When you find a book that gives so much more than just a story it's like a surprise gift. We are given a trip back in time, to days when people lived in conditions unimaginable to us in these times of plenty. It certainly provided food for thought and, surprisingly, reawakened an interest in social history. I thoroughly enjoyed this first in the series and look forward to more.

Narrator
Not for nothing is Steven Pacey a well known and respected narrator, he is such a gifted reader. Yes, he has all those formal skills of the good narrator, but he also has that indefineable something. Regular listeners to audiobooks will know just what I mean, it's a little bit of magic in the voice or in the telling that projects the images of the characters and places straight into the listeners head.

This audiobook is my own copy purchased from Audible.com, I had no obligation to write this review.

This was my first experience of listening to an audiobook in conjunction with the Kindle Whispersync. Actually, I'd purchased a Whispersync copy of a previous audiobook but forgot to use it. I highly recommend the experience, the book does provide that little bit more information. In this case, it was good to have the research resources and a drawn map of old Leeds.

Dangerous and unseemly

Thursday, 29 January 2015

Dangerous and Unseemly: A Concordia Wells Mystery, Book 1

Written by: K.B. Owen
Narrated by: Becket Royce
Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
Series: Concordia Wells, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:11-10-14
Publisher: K.B. Owen Mysteries
Audible.com

Publisher's Summary

An unseemly lesson…in murder.
The year is 1896, and college professor Concordia Wells has her hands full: teaching classes, acting as live-in chaperone to a cottage of lively female students, and directing the student play, Macbeth. But mystery and murder are not confined to the stage, especially when the death of Concordia's sister, Mary, appears to be foul play. To make matters worse, the women's college is plagued by malicious pranks, arson, money troubles, and the apparent suicide of a college official.
With her beloved school facing certain ruin, Concordia knows that she must act. As she struggles to seek justice for her sister and discover who is behind the college incidents, there are some closest to Concordia who do not appreciate the unseemly inquiries and bold actions of the young lady professor. Can she discover who is responsible…before she becomes the next target?
©2013 K.B. Owen (P)2014 K.B. Owen

My Review

A great big welcome to Concordia! A refreshingly different cozy within an historical setting.
There is much more to this story than the publishers summary suggests, yes, there's murder and mayhem, romance, intrigue, mystery and surprises, as there should be. However, I found this to be a really well written story about thoughtfully created characters. The relationship between Concordia and her mother is fragile and touching, as this aspect of the story gradually unfolds, the listener is always wanting more.
I enjoyed Concordia, a brave young woman for her time, and I look forward to her adventures in future books. I think the ending will surprise a great many listeners, excellent story.

Narrator

This was my first time listening to Becket Royce, and I enjoyed her performance very much, she doesn't do that annoying overacting thing which is so irritating and distracting. Her voice is rich and easy on the ear, her characterisations are subtle, yet distinct, the listener is never in doubt as to which character is speaking. I do hope Becket narrates all future Concordia books.
However, I did find the sound quality to be less than perfect, some of the consonant sounds came through as a little grating to the ear, the "S" sounds in particular. Perhaps future recordings might improve this fault.
This audiobook was gifted to me in return for this, my honest opinion

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