Audiobook, Unabridged 6 Hours, 40 Minutes
Delightful! I had absolutely no clue who did it but definitely enjoyed the ride.
Anyone who has ever read and enjoyed the classic mysteries of the past will love this one. I lost track of all the nods to the classic mysteries as I was driving while listening to much of this. They included not just Agatha Christie and her "Murder of Roger Ackroyd", but Poe, Macbeth, and John Dickson Carr's lecture on locked room mysteries in "The Hollow Man". The language flows eloquently, with a vocabulary that borders on melodic at times, and Mead does an excellent job conjuring up the atmosphere. I could almost taste the damp, foggy night as that mysterious dark, cloaked figure lingered ominously in the shadows.
I'm a sucker for a British accent so it's probably a no-brainer that I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. While no attempt was made to generate a particularly female sounding voice for the female characters, Rudder did an excellent job differentiating by changes of tone, inflection, and speed, so to speak. Chapter changes, as well as titles, were announced. Hint: Pay attention. His skill was such that I could feel the tenseness in scenes and even sense the ominousness of that mysterious, dark cloaked figure lingering in the rain and darkness.
I won't detail the plot, which can be found elsewhere, as I don't want to give away even the smallest clue. Let's just say, the clues are all there, as the interlude near the big reveal notes, even if I didn't figure it all out. I am looking forward to illusionist/magician Joseph Spector's next adventure along with Inspector Flint. The emphasis on the psychological aspects of this particular case only added to the mystery of "Dang, how did Spector do that trick?"
Much thanks to #NetGalley and #HighBridgeAudio for inviting me along for this delightfully intriguing trip back to the days of classic mysteries. It was a puzzling but fun read.
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