Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

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Title: Three Hands in the Fountain

Subtitle: A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery

Author: Lindsey Davis

Narrator: Christian Rodska

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-01-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 213 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Marcus Didius Falco and his laddish friend Petronius find their local fountain has been blocked - by a gruesomely severed human hand. Soon other body parts are being found in the aqueducts and sewers.

Public panic overcomes official indifference, and the Aventine partners are commissioned to investigate. Women are being abducted during festivals, and the next Games are only days away. As the heat rises in the Circus Maximus, they face a race against time and a strong test of their friendship. And they know that the sadistic killer lurks somewhere on the festive streets of Rome - preparing to strike again.

Critic Reviews:

"As readers follow the sometimes hilarious antics of Falco and Petronius (who are talented sleuths despite moments of buffoonery), they'll feel as if they've been transported back to the first century A.D., so realistic are the historical details in Davis' book, the tenth in this celebrated series. Filled with scintillating suspense, laugh-out-loud humor, devilishly clever plotting, and a cast of wonderfully eccentric characters, number 10 is among the best." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Falco is reliably enjoyable listening

LIght hearted detective fare with a twist. These books are a great, well researched glimpse into the day to day life of a Rome which we usually view only through political or military glasses. The plotting is very tight and the characters grow on you as you move from book to book. Recommended for anyone who loves being set down in a fascinating historical milieu and knocking around for a while while unraveling a juicy murder mystery.

The narration by Christian Rodke is consistently excellent and adds a good deal to the charm of these books.

Wicked wit

This is the seventh Falco novel I've listened to and although I've enjoyed them all immensely, this one was by far my favorite! It had the best plot of the ones I've listend to and Rodska positively nails Falco's wicked wit. An absolute delight from start to finish! (I don't even bother with the ones that aren't narrated by Rodska because who else could possibly be Falco? Maybe I'll just read those instead.)

Each book in the series gets better

Falco, his wife and family are amazing. the characters have grown since the start and the development has been getting better. There is humor and brutality, but the mysteries, always keep me intrigued. I enjoy historical novels and this series very much.

3 Hands in the Fountain

This is a delightful book and a delightful series, for anyone who likes the Ancient Rome setting for mystery novels. Christian Rodska is an amazing narrator. He can make many different regional accents so I don't have any trouble telling the characters apart. Lindsay Davis writes about Marcus Didius Falco, P.I. (Public Informer), who is married to the daughter of a senator. Davis' descriptions are entertaining and informative, and the portrayals of family life in Ancient Rome are unique in the genre.

amazing book

loved this book. it was so suspenseful that I actually caught my breath as my heart pounded with fear.

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Title: Chambers of Death

Subtitle: A Medieval Mystery

Author: Priscilla Royal

Narrator: Vanessa Benjamin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-17-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is no surprise when someone's throat is cut, but the sheriff does all he can to avoid offending the family rather than seeking the real killer. When he arrests a servant, she herself is stabbed before she can either prove her innocence or be taken away for hanging. Eleanor must discover the dark secrets that have led to this string of killings before the murderer strikes again.

Critic Reviews:

"Absorbing....Once again, Royal combines a well-executed plot with authentic period detail." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Absolutely awesome!!

This exceeded all expectation. An exceptional murder mystery in a historical setting. Prioress and monk are taking shelter in a household when a murder is committed, thanks to the obsequious sheriff the assailant is taken in, or maybe perhaps not...

10/10

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Title: The Iron Horse

Subtitle: Detective Inspector Robert Colbeck

Author: Edward Marston

Narrator: Sam Dastor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-03-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The gamut of Victorian society, though, is also a hotbed for crime and crooks of all kinds. With the country a-flutter in the run-up to this national occasion, events reach fever pitch when a disembodied head is discovered on a passenger train at Crewe; the first in a murky course of events that takes in murder, fraud and race-fixing.

Detective Robert Colbeck and his assistant are assigned to the case and are soon snarled up in a web of skulduggery stretching across the country. Soon, however, they are forced to ask themselves: just what is someone prepared to do in order to win?

Critic Reviews:

"A grand romp very much in the tradition of Holmes and Watson... Packed with characters Dickens would have been proud of. Wonderful, well written." (Time Out)

Members Reviews:

Beautifully Narrated

I enjoyed this book. It is a lot of fun and the narrator is wonderful.

Great read without the foul language

I really enjoy these stories of the Railway Detective.

They do not require significant intelligence, but the English grammar is excellent and the stories are fun.

Mix of early railroads and the English Derby

If you could sum up The Iron Horse in three words, what would they be?

Lively, interesting, great characters

What other book might you compare The Iron Horse to and why?

I have read the early books in the series and this is just as good as the first.

What about Sam Dastor???s performance did you like?

His British accent and ability to create characters makes for an excellent audio listen.

Any additional comments?

I like Edward Marston and have read many of his series. I still think his best are his Doomsday series which alas are not on audio. His historical research is meticulous and he captures the period of early railroading in England very well.

enjoyable,easy listening mystery

I love the gentle story line and setting. Imaginative and interesting, my only criticism really is that the narrator gives every female voice a rather irritating, simpering character which is inappropriate.

Looking forward to more

I have only recently discovered Marston and I'm already hooked on two of his series.

The Iron Horse is a Holmes and Watson style detective story complete with period sterotypes, but still thoroughly enjoyable.

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Title: Rosa

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Jonathan Rabb

Narrator: Simon Prebble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-02-09

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 88 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Four women from the slums of Berlin have turned up dead, all with identical markings etched into their backs, and Hoffner and Fichte have spent the better part of six weeks trying to crack the bizarre case.

Things take a troubling turn when the political police begin to show an interest in Hoffner's investigation. Hoffner has no idea why the Polpo would want to get their hands dirty with a serial murderer, until he is shown the lifeless body of Rosa Luxemburg, the same eerie markings on her back. Rumors abound that Rosa, one of the leaders of the suppressed socialist uprising, was assassinated by an angry mob, but the pattern carved into her back tells a different story.

In his remarkable thriller, Jonathan Rabb paints a vivid, unforgettable picture of a city and a people poised between the chaos of the First World War and the darkness to come, a time when political thugs, petty thieves, and charismatic leaders rushed to fill the void left behind. Into this gap steps Hoffner, who, while battling his own personal demons, is still determined to find out who is preying on the women of Berlin, even as he gets drawn deeper into the mystery surrounding Rosa's death. Hoffner's search for the killer leads him on a dark and twisted journey through the battle-scarred streets of the city, where he soon discovers that nothing is as it appears. And while he finds allies in unexpected places, he is met at every turn by men who will stop at nothing to keep him from finding out the truth about Rosa.

Editorial Reviews:

Jonathan Rabb provides a fictional explanation of the murder of revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg, who was imprisoned during WWI, released immediately after the war, and then killed. Rabb's superbly researched novel is gripping and offers a cogent, albeit hypothetical, explanation for Luxemburg's unsolved death. Simon Prebble is a superb choice of narrator, and he elevates the fascinating story to an even higher plane. The work requires a measured yet intense narrative style, which Prebble flawlessly provides, allowing Rabb's writing to shine. Prebble's portrayals of Detective Hoffner and Hans Fichte, a detective trainee, are superb as he captures their mixed emotions regarding the changes that take place in Berlin during the war and the political implications of Luxemburg's death.

Critic Reviews:

"Subtexts of love, betrayal and a detective at war with his feelings illuminate this gothic tapestry of anti-Semitism and ethnic elitism with its foreshadowing of the Nazi era." (

Publishers Weekly)"A wonderfully evocative novel about Berlin immediately after World War I." (

Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Narrator better than the Authos

I was quite disappointed in this book. At times I got totally lost in it. I had hoped to learn more about the Death of Rosa Luxembourg - but she is just a side show. The mystery is all about who is carving up women and setting them up in a display in the city underground. There is a little too much emphasis on the psychological and lots of paragraphys devoted to the thoughts and emotions of the main character. I don't care for so much introspection in detective fiction. If you like that sort of book then you may well like this. I did not care for it. But let me add that the Narrator is FIRST RATE.

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Title: The Tarnished Chalice

Author: Susanna Gregory

Narrator: Andrew Wincott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-08

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 93 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It soon emerges that the dead man was holding the Hugh Chalice, a Lincoln relic with a curiously bloody history. Bartholomew and Michael are soon drawn into a web of murder, lies and suspicion in a city where neither knows who can be trusted...

Members Reviews:

Loved It

This book is jammed with plot twists, well developed characters, and historical details. This time Matthew and Michael are in the city of Lincoln trying to stay alive while the city simmers with violence. Andrew Wincott did a fantastic job with many different voices. I enjoyed this book thoroughly!!

Oddly Stilted

Although I loved the premise of the story and am I big fan of historical mysteries, I found this book very hard to finish. I suspect it was the rather strange, stilted diction and pacing of the narrator, rather than the story, but I found it so off-putting, I really can't be sure.

I strongly recommend you listen to the audio sample provided. See if you can get past the narrator before you buy.

Another Great Historical Mystery

I really like Matthew Bartholomew mysteries and think Susanna Gregory is a great writer with the historical training to make the story believable and grounded in historical accuracy.The details of Medieval Life are wonderful. This is not one my my favorite Matthew Bartholomew's as I did not care much for the Lincoln setting prefering the ones set in Cambridge instead. Still it is always great to have another one on AUdible. I do wish they would get the Thomas Chaloners which are available on Audible UK but not in the US. I enjoyed it a great deal and am eagerly awaiting the next Matthew Bartholomew on Audible

Atmosphere and personalities

Where does The Tarnished Chalice rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Near the top of my listening list

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

The storytelling pulls you in, settles you down, and keeps you turning the pages as the different story lines develop and then began to come together

Which character as performed by Andrew Wincott was your favorite?

Brother Michael

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

I'm a big fan of Susanna Gregory and my reaction is that I want more of this wonderful series on audio!

Disappointed

I was looking forward to this book as I love the genre and the description sounded intriguing. However, the book was long, boring and repetitive. The subplot about Matilde was very unsatisfying to me. The narrator was very good, though, and kept me listening to the bitter end.

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Title: The Fire Kimono

Author: Laura Joh Rowland

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-11-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 70 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Called away from the crisis by the shogun's orders to investigate a mysterious skeleton, Sano and his wife, Reiko, must confront dangerous, long-buried secrets. What was Sano's own mother doing on the night when a burning kimono ignited a blaze that nearly destroyed the city? The shogun gives Sano and Reiko just three days to find out - or risk losing not only their position at court but their families' lives as well.

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable

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

yes. The historical and cultural backdrop and the characters are interesting.

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

The interplay of the politics plus the murder mystery made for a good listen.

Which character ??? as performed by Bernadette Dunne ??? was your favorite?

Sanyo's wife.

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

no

Any additional comments?

would read other books by this author.

A 17th Cent Japanese Novel- dialogue from Bronx

In the first few minutes of this book, the second in rank to the Shogun tells another character to shove something up his backside. That's when I stopped listening.

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Title: Hasty Death

Author: Marion Chesney

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 145 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

But life as a working woman isn't quite what Rose imagined: When a playboy is murdered, Rose returns to high society to follow a trail of deception, rumors, and devious plots - even as a singularly calculating killer prepares to end rebellious Rose's sleuthing for good!

Members Reviews:

Narrator Davina Porter Makes the Book

The story is enjoyable if you are looking for an easy listen. It is very predictable and doesn't fill out the characters but then again it is a very short story.

I only found this book because I was looking for something narrated by Davina Porter. I love this genre but prefer much longer books that take the time to deveolp the story & and characters. I decided to listen to because of narrators merits--and wasn't disappointed by her performance.

I must take exception to the review criticizing Porter's narration, Reviewer: Bronwyn appears to be in the Minority--not one person finds the opinion helpful. Porter is by far and away one of the MOST Talented Narrators!!!!

Fun Characters, Great Narration

Which character as performed by Davina Porter was your favorite?

Davina Porter does an excellent job of making the story come alive. Her changes in voice for the male and female characters are subtle and nuanced but distinguishable.

Light and amusing series

If you want a period piece that is essentially a teensy bit of romance, a teensy bit of mystery, and a teensy bit silly, check out this series by Marion Chesney. There are four books in the series - I'm just about to start Book 3, and so far I find them fun to listen to while I'm working. This series is light enough that you can multi-task while listening, unlike some authors (Anne Perry or Tess Gerritsen) that require you to really concentrate on the details. (I do love both Perry and Gerritsen, though)

I will say that Harry's solutions to problems seem to border on the unrealistic and rather slapstick at times, but otherwise it is a nice listen. And I ALWAYS enjoy Davina Porter's reading. That's actually what led me to the series in the first place - she narrated many of Anne Perry's books and I loved her in those as well.

Narrator was so annoying I had to stop listening

I've always liked Marion Chesney's regency romances for light reading and thought this might be good for listening to while doing housework, etc. But I just could not stand the narrator! She simply sounded, to my ear, very old and 'fussy' for the material but the thing that just grated on my ear to the point where I could listen no longer was her supposedly 'American' accent for one of the main characters! I am American, but have relatives in the UK and am familiar with a variety of accents, but I just have no idea what this voice was! I normally am not too bothered by narration, but in this case I really did stop listening simply because of that. Maybe I will try this book from the library, but I won't be trying to listen to it again. At least it was cheap! I hope Davina Porter does not narrate all of Chesney's books. This was the first time I have ever totally given up on a book because of the narrator.

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Title: Snobbery with Violence

Subtitle: An Edwardian Murder Mystery

Author: Marion Chesney

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 185 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

But when Harry is caught between his client's desire for discretion and his suspicion that murder may have been committed, he enlists the help of Superintendent Kerridge of the Scotland Yard and Lady Rose herself.

Members Reviews:

campy cozy

While I'm not a huge fan of Chesney/Beaton's Hamish MacBeth mysteries, I found this novel charming and look forward to the rest in the seies.

The Edwardian setting, the slighly campy tone (enhanced by the author's selection of period quotes to set the theme for each chapter), and the ALMOST tongue-in-cheek narration by the talented Davina Porter made this a jolly listen. You know that Lady Rose and Capt.Cathcart are going to live happily ever after in some distant future, but till then the lightweight sexual tension between the characters keeps you laughing and believing in "ever after." Meantime there is nothing truly dark in this novel to disturb the present moment, if a relaxing listen is what you're after.

Light and amusing series (Book 1)

If you want a period piece that is essentially a teensy bit of romance, a teensy bit of mystery, and a teensy bit silly, check out this series by Marion Chesney. There are four books in the series - I'm just about to start Book 3, and so far I find them fun to listen to while I'm working. This series is light enough that you can multi-task while listening, unlike some authors (Anne Perry or Tess Gerritsen) that require you to really concentrate on the details. (I do love both Perry and Gerritsen, though)

I will say that Harry's solutions to problems seem to border on the unrealistic and rather slapstick at times, but otherwise it is a nice listen. And I ALWAYS enjoy Davina Porter's reading. That's actually what led me to the series in the first place - she narrated many of Anne Perry's books and I loved her in those as well.

Thoroughly enjoyable cozy

This is an Edwardian era English mystery with lots of intrigue and female "spunk". The mystery is great. I didn't guess, though at one point, I thought about it and dismissed it! The writing is clear and easy to follow. This is an excellent beginning to a series!

The narrator is one of my favorites. I never wondered who was speaking.

Yes, I'd recommend this anyone liking a great cozy English mystery.

Wonderful Escape!

The rich Edwardian English accents of the reader, Davina Porter, whisk the you away to an England long since gone. The characters are richly developed and entirely believable, if eccentric to our modern temperaments. Marion Chesney includes dashes of humor that lighten the murderous mystery at the manor. Daisy, with her spunk and cockney verage, was my favorite. As maid to the rebellious Lady Rose, she comes to the rescue on several occasions and levels. Loved this story and can't wait for the next!

Great Fun!!!!

I loved it. It is shame the author isn't continuing the story line. I hope she changes her mind.

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Title: The Man from St. Petersburg

Author: Ken Follett

Narrator: Martin Shaw

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-18-08

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

As the secret negotiations progress, the destinies of these characters become ineluctably enmeshed. And, as Europe prepares for the catastrophe of war, the final private tragedy that will shatter the complacency of the Waldens is acted out.

Members Reviews:

The Man From St. Petersburg

I really don't like the abridged versions of books. With this one, I was a bit lost and the whole story fell flat; no meat on the bones, didn't work for me. I wish you wouldn't allow abridged versions of Ken Follett's books!

Ken Follett's Early Thrillers have little fat to Abridge. Full Length far more Entertaining

His early books are not History Lessons, but excellent Paperback Thrillers, ideal to distract during Trips etc.

Only offering Abridged versions is a disservice to members. There is simply not much to be distilled.

This effort falls between two Stools. You are never swept away or have the chance to care and understand the Characters.

Gave it 4 Stars as it has been over a Decade since enjoying the full novel & this was an Expensive Refresher. Hope that Key to Rebecca is re-released as an unabridged story, along with The Man from St. Petersburg & Lie Down with Lions.

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Title: The Anatomy of Deception

Author: Lawrence Goldstone

Narrator: David Ackroyd

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-29-08

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 242 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In the morgue of a Philadelphia hospital, a group of physicians open a coffin and uncover the corpse of a beautiful young woman. What they see takes their breath away. Within days, one of them strongly suspects that he knows the woman's identity - and the horrifying events that led to her death. But in this richly atmospheric novel, an ingenious blend of history, suspense, and early forensic science, the most compelling chapter is yet to come, as young Ephraim Carroll is plunged into a maze of murder, secrets and unimaginable crimes.

Dr. Ephraim Carroll came to Philadelphia to study with a leading professor, the brilliant William Osler, believing that he would gain the power to save countless lives. As America hurtles toward a new century, medicine is changing rapidly, in part due to the legalization of autopsy - a crime only a few years before. But Carroll and his mentor are at odds over what they glimpsed that morning in the hospital's Dead House. And when a second mysterious death is determined to have been a ruthless murder, Carroll can feel the darkness gathering around him. And he ignites an investigation of his own.

Soon he is moving between the realm of elite medicine, Philadelphia high society, and a teeming badlands of criminality and sexual depravity along the city's fetid waterfront. With a wealthy, seductive woman clouding his vision, the controversial artist Thomas Eakins sowing scandal, and the secrets of the nation's powerful surgeons unraveling around him, Carroll is forced to confront an agonizing moral choice: between exposing a killer, undoing a wrong, and, quite possibly, protecting the future of medicine itself.

Critic Reviews:

"Compelling....[A] top-notch historical page-turner." (Publishers Weekly)

"You'll be gripped by this haunting and atmospheric thriller." (Tess Gerritsen)

Members Reviews:

EXCEPTIONAL!!

This book was captivating. The story line with fiction interspersed with such detailed and accurate historical persons and events was well done. So interesting were the characters I had to learn more about the lives and accomplishments of the "true" physicians. I was very sad when it was over because it was so enjoyable that I wanted to driver the long way home. The narrator has a pleasant speaking voice.

LOVABLY OLD-FASHIONED

SET IN THE LATE 1880ies THIS THRILLING NOVEL IS PRESENTED BY THE AUTHOR IN A SLIGHTLY OLD-FASHIONED BUT VERY PLEASING STYLE CHARACTERÍZED BY THE CONSPICUOS ABSENCE OF THE FOUR-LETTER WORDS SO ABUNDANT IN MODERN AMERICAN PROSE. I VERY MUCH ENJOYED LISTENING TO THIS BOOK AND THE FINE RENDITION BY MR ACKROYD.

Medical Mystery

What did you love best about The Anatomy of Deception?

I come from a medical background so I enjoyed the details of medical school/instruction and autopsies with an interesting story woven into the details.

Fabulous!

I love this book. I hate to get out of my car and I am going to be sad when it's over. Very suspenseful and a great whodunit!

not good

I found the parts of the book focused on the history of medicine quite interesting. The author seems to be attempting to make the characters complex but often their motivation doesn't make sense. The mystery part is ok, but the authors antiabortion beliefs are too apparent and offensive to prochoice readers.