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Title: A Divided Command

Author: David Donachie

Narrator: Peter Wickham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-14-14

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Unbeknown to John Pearce, the private letter he is delivering on behalf of the prime minister carries the dismissal of the very man he is sailing to see. The need for a government majority to pursue the war with France means John Pearce must step down as Britains best sailor, regretfully relinquishing the position to the incompetent Admiral Hotham.

Hotham is equally less than pleased about John Pearce, as he is the one person who knows the truth about his dishonest naval career. Pearce knows Hotham will try and destroy him any way he can to keep from being exposed, so he must navigate the dangerous waters whilst trying to return to Emily Barclay, the woman he loves.

Members Reviews:

Rehashing

At the end of the last book Pearce left Emily in the Tuscan port of Leghorn and sailed on to fleet command Mediterranean headquarters to deliver a letter from the Admiralty to Admiral Hotham. Unfortunately it was a letter of promotion for the Admiral. Pearce gets tangled in a political plot that puts him and his friends in danger. Pearce fights a duel against a British Army officer which makes Emily upset.

Emily sees no future with Pearce and leaves when he is conveying letters from Horatio Nelson to the British Ambassador. Pearce set off in pursuit and takes on a superior force of Barbary Corsairs who have targeted the merchant ship Emily is on. The book provides sea battles and lots of swashbuckling action and suspense.

Donachie has spent half the book rehashing the prior installments. The series has been dragged out about as far as it can. Lets end the series. Donachie, it is time to start a new series. Peter Wickham narrated the story.

Aimless rambling

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

What a disappointment. This series started well enough (although the main character is so self-righteous as to basically be a jerk). But the last book before "A Divided Command" was really just a "half a book" that led me to think the author was just trying to earn a paycheck.

What was most disappointing about David Donachies story?

Divided Command is simply a lot of aimless rambling. It's like the plot is stuck in quicksand. The author rehashes and summarizes some of the early story lines but this book just goes nowhere.

What aspect of Peter Wickhams performance would you have changed?

Peter Wickham is outstanding. He is the one shining aspect of this book.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from A Divided Command?

There are more bad scenes than good scenes so it wouldn't be a useful exercise.

Any additional comments?

I have read or heard all of the Forester, Kent, O'Brian, Lambdin, the Kidd novels, several others of similar genre and now the Sharp series. These last two by Donachie have been a sad disappointment on what was a good but not great series.

excellent read

an excellent book with an equally excelleng performance by the reader. thank you im really enjoying the series

Disappointing ending

Any additional comments?

A good story but maybe too many references to previous story lines. I realise there should be some. I enjoyed listening to it but the ending was too abrupt. There could have been at least another 2 hours of story. Now I need to find the next book to find out what happened next.

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Title: The Mangle Street Murders

Subtitle: The Gower Street Detectives, Book 1

Author: M. R. C. Kasasian

Narrator: Lindy Nettleton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-06-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 128 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The first in a charming, evocative, and sharply plotted Victorian crime series starring a detective duo to rival Holmes and Watson.

After her father dies, March Middleton has to move to London to live with her guardian, Sidney Grice, the country's most famous private detective. It is 1882, and London is at its murkiest yet most vibrant, wealthiest yet most poverty-stricken. No sooner does March arrive than a case presents itself: A young woman has been brutally murdered, and her husband is the only suspect. The victim's mother is convinced of her son-in-law's innocence, and March is so touched by her pleas she offers to cover Sidney's fee herself.

The investigation leads the pair to the darkest alleys of the East End, and every twist leads Sidney Grice to think his client is guilty. But March is convinced he is innocent. Around them London reeks with the stench of poverty and gossip, the case threatens to boil over into civil unrest, and Sidney Grice finds his reputation is not the only thing in mortal danger.

Members Reviews:

Uneven

Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot is vain, clever, and quirky, as is Kasasian's Sidney Grice. What makes Poirot work and Grice not is a set of redeeming qualities; Poirot keenly pursues justice and expresses compassion for others. Grice is merely annoying--greedy, self-serving, complacent, dishonest-- so much so that I found it difficult to get through the book. Worse, about two-thirds of the way through, the author seems to change his mind about Grice. In the course of any novel, a gruff character may be shown to be kind underneath, or a character the reader thought mistaken may be proved to be right; but these changes must be justified in terms of the plot. If the writer manipulates characters for the sake of plot instead of the other way around, it shows.

The inspector and other characters are one-dimensional. Narrator March Middleton is the most fully drawn and has some attractive qualities that will carry her through a series. She smokes and drinks at a ladies' club, for one thing. We are given to understand that she is grieving, but that part of her character is oddly disassociated from the rest. It's supposed to be the reason she drinks but doesn't affect any of her other actions or thoughts. She is sometimes intelligent but sometimes not.

All the men make misogynistic remarks typical of fictional portrayals of the era. March sometimes responds in an entertainingly clever but realistic fashion. The horrors of poverty are portrayed to a near caricatural extent, again for effect rather than to support plot or theme.

What about that plot? The book is very slow for the first two-thirds, which can be a good thing if you're listening while driving or performing other tasks that require attention. I'm not bothered by the improbabilities connected with the murders. By the time I get to the big reveal, I don't know that I care.

Readers may hope for improvement as the series goes on.

A New Favorite Author --Hope this becomes a series

Where does The Mangle Street Murders rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

March Middleton makes this book. She is intelligent and naive at the same time.

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Title: Ostland

Author: David Thomas

Narrator: Richard Burnip

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-09-14

Publisher: Oakhill Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

February 1941, wartime Berlin. Brilliant, idealistic young detective Georg Heuser joins the Murder Squad in the midst of the biggest manhunt the city has ever seen. A serial killer is slaughtering women on S-Bahn trains and leaving their battered bodies by the tracks. Heuser must confront evil eye-to-eye as he helps track down the murderer.

July 1959, peacetime West Germany: a pioneering young lawyer, Paula Siebert, is in a federal unit investigating men who have committed crimes of unimaginable magnitude and horror. Their leader has just been arrested. His name is Georg Heuser. Siebert is sure of his guilt. But how could a once decent man have become a sadistic monster?

Critic Reviews:

"An intriguing mix of detection, thriller, courtroom drama, fact and fiction." (The Times)

"With subtlety and intelligence, Thomas joins the historical dots to produce a novel with plenty to say - eloquently - about the brutalising effects of the Holocaust." (Guardian)

"Very rarely do books reach into your psyche and take root. Ostland came along and kicked my door down. A wonderfully thought-provoking novel. Educational, entertaining and emotive throughout ... a first class read by an author at the top of their game." (Crimesquad)

"This nightmare-inducing new novel stretches crime fiction to its limits ... a compelling read." (Mail on Sunday)

Members Reviews:

enthralling - eventually!!

What did you like most about Ostland?

The storyline that draws you into Heuser's decline from idealistic detective to cynical murderer

What other book might you compare Ostland to, and why?

Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther novels

Which character as performed by Richard Burnip was your favourite?

Heuser himself I think.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, especially as the events in Ostland itself unfolded.

Any additional comments?

I think the two-era narration is an unnecessary device which could be removed from the novel without unduly affecting it. There are a number of predictable tropes such as Bine's move to Hamburg being followed by her death in a firestorm.

Intriguing story of how evil can overtake good

Would you consider the audio edition of Ostland to be better than the print version?

I have not read the printed version but I found the audio version easy to follow and well read.

What did you like best about this story?

the characters

Have you listened to any of Richard Burnips other performances? How does this one compare?

this is the first Richard Burnip narrated story i have listened too

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

It makes you think how you would react in similar circumstances. Im not sure how I would answer that question

Extraordinary book, marred by dreadful narration

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

The novel is an extraordinary achievement in that it enables the reader to at least understand (although not sympathise) the journey that some human beings made as they progressed to becoming mass-murderers. This should possibly be read in tandem with Christopher R Brownings' 'Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 11 and the Final Solution in Poland' and Daniel Goldhagen's 'Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust'.

Would you be willing to try another one of Richard Burnips performances?

No, or at least, with great reluctance.

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Title: The Séance

Author: John Harwood

Narrator: Fiona Hardingham, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-02-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 126 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A haunting tale of apparitions, a cursed manor house, and two generations of women determined to discover the truth, by the author of The Ghost Writer.

Sell the Hall unseen; burn it to the ground and plow the earth with salt, if you will; but never live there

Constance Langton grows up in a household marked by death, her father distant, her mother in perpetual mourning for Constance's sister, the child she lost. Desperate to coax her mother back to health, Constance takes her to a séance; perhaps she will find comfort from beyond the grave. But the meeting has tragic consequences. Constance is left alone, her only legacy a mysterious bequest that will blight her life.

So begins this brilliant and gripping novel, a dark mystery set in late-Victorian England. It is a world of apparitions, of disappearances and unnatural phenomena, of betrayal and blackmail and black-hearted villains - and of murder. Constance's bequest comes in two parts: a house and a mystery. Years before, a family disappeared at Wraxford Hall, a decaying mansion in the English countryside with a sinister reputation. Now the Hall belongs to Constance, and she must descend into the darkness at the heart of the Wraxford mystery to find the truth - even at the cost of her life.

Members Reviews:

Great Victorian Period Read

What made the experience of listening to The Séance the most enjoyable?

I think that the multiple narration, broken into sections worked well and added to the books overall appeal.

What other book might you compare The Séance to and why?

None that I can think of.

Which character as performed by the narrators was your favorite?

I really liked the narration of the male characters, but felt the author has a wonderful grasp of the female characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It did keep me wanting to listen to more once the story got going. It was a little slow to build, but got better as it went on.

Any additional comments?

For a girl, growing up in the Victorian era has its own difficulties, but for Constance Langton things are far more ghastly than properly worn bustles and guarded reputations. Her mother is in an everlasting state of mourning over the loss of her youngest daughter Alma and her father is as detached, cold and indifferent as a wet fish. Forlorn, Constance makes a desperate attempt to bring her mother peace by arranging a séance which leads to Constance finding herself all alone in the world.

An unexpected inheritance befalls her in the form of an old, dilapidated and crumbling mansion with an ominous history. Constance becomes obsessed with disentangling the web of peculiar and eerie happenings the mansion has held for several generations and in doing so, finds her mind on the precipice of insanity and her life in mortal peril.

The author, John Harwood, does an excellent job of portraying the female character in this Victorian setting, which makes it easy to identify with the characters and follow the storyline with eager interest. The twists and turns of the mysteries surrounding the mansion and Constances life bind into a clever, believable conclusion.

I listened to the audio version of the book and I felt the narration was good although it did take me a bit to warm up to one of the narrators.

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Title: The Golden Crystal

Author: Nick Thacker

Narrator: Mike Vendetti

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-10-13

Publisher: Turtleshell Press

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1791, two men began the planning layout of the original plans for the nation's capitol city. One is shunned and resigns in disgrace, and the other is all but forgotten. Years later, an original copy of the plans long thought to have been destroyed is found, with hastily marked notations by Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

During the second World War, American military scientists discover some fascinating properties of the hydrogen atom and its link to an ancient mystical number. The exact findings are never published, but a national laboratory is built in 1943 to further their research in covert silence. America is told it is a defense project, code-named The Manhattan Project.

An ego-maniacal entrepreneur and his company, Vilocorp, will stop at nothing to build the perfect human specimen. His firm's research has been getting closer every day, but they seem to have uncovered a horrific, ancient secret that has been locked away for thousands of years.

Now, it's up to two men to understand the mystery surrounding the events and ancient symbolism before Vilocorp unleashes a hellish fury upon the earth; one that hasn't been seen for ages...

Members Reviews:

Bounced around a lot , but a great deal of fun!

Would you try another book from Nick Thacker and/or Mike Vendetti?

Yes...not my favorite combination of author/reader, but they seem to be on the same page when it comes to editing and charcters.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most...the historical settings and the research into the characters was impressive.

Least...there was some leaps of editorial faith that were somewhat...odd.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Indeed it did, and quite nicely I might add.

Did The Golden Crystal inspire you to do anything?

Look into more books by this author and reader combination.

Any additional comments?

A quick, interesting thriller. Nothing amazing, but well worth the credit.

Very good.

This was a very good book. I enjoyed the narrator as well. I fully recommend it.

loved every minute of this

a thoroughly enjoyable experience, Nick Thacker writes well, and well read too. I strongly recommend

It an ok read

To be honest there's a lot of dribble, lost me a few times and got bored, however the story and characters are enjoyable.

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Title: Blotto, Twinks and the Riddle of the Sphinx

Author: Simon Brett

Narrator: Simon Brett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-13

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The Dowager Duchess has decided to sell off the less important family possessions. Blotto and Twinks are dispatched to help the valuer. He spies some Egyptian artifacts and in some excitement rushes back to London, leaving Blotto and Twinks alone in the attic, where they are drawn to a sarchophagus decorated with hieroglyphs. Twinks starts to translate: "Anyone who desecrates this shrine will be visited by the Pharoah's curse...." - just as Blotto prises the lid off.

It's the brainy Twinks who decides the only thing to be done is to put the genie back in the bottle and so she, together with Blotto and their trusty chauffeur Corky Froggett, take the sarcophagus back to the Valley of the Kings.

Members Reviews:

Verry funny

Loved this book but after reading some of the reviews on goodreads I though I'd make it clear - it's a comedy, not a murder mystery, if you don't like parodies where everyone refers to each other as "me old banana sandwich" etc you won't like the book.

In short; listen to the preview as the book is more of the same - funny characters, inventive dialog, solid (if simple) plot.

A Full Creamy Eclair

I love, love, love this series of books!! It took me a bit to understand Blotto and Twinks manner of speech, but once I did, wowsers!! These books are such fun! Blotto and Twinks find themselves in tight situations that appear to have no way out! But just at the last moment................all is solved!

This book has a twist of love for Blotto!

Big Brett fan, but this series fails

What would have made Blotto, Twinks and the Riddle of the Sphinx better?

Several things didn't add up. Twinks can read heiroglyphs, but doesn't know where the valley of the kings is. A sarcophagus isn't going to fit in any car-possibly a coffin, but never a sarcophagus.

This series is humorous. This is the second in the series I have listened to. At first the humor is new and enjoyable, but after sooo many repeats, it gets old.

Would you ever listen to anything by Simon Brett again?

yes

Any additional comments?

I'd highly recommend Simon Brett's other 2 series and he is a great narrator.

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Title: Instrument of Slaughter

Subtitle: Home Front Detective, Book 2

Author: Edward Marston

Narrator: Gordon Griffith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-13

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1916. Inspector Marmion and Sergeant Keedy are assigned to the case when the body of a young conscientious objector is found bludgeoned to death. Public sympathy is lukewarm for conscientious objectors with some people even claiming that a "conchie" deserves to die if he won't fight for his King and Country.

As the detectives identify one suspect, others pop up in the most unexpected places. Everyone speaks well of Ablatt but is he really the saint they describe? Marmion and Keedy have to dig deep in order to unearth the instrument of slaughter and the person who wielded it.

Members Reviews:

Brilliant

I am thoroughly enjoying the Home Front series. The stories are good, the characters believable, and the narration excellent.

too long--- i cannot cope with gordon griffith's

If this book wasnt for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

somebody 30 years older -who has time on their hands

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

cannot remember -thus nothing special

Would you be willing to try another one of Gordon Griffiths performances?

no -- this one only bearable because on my IPOD I put it at fast play speed

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Instrument of Slaughter?

cannot be specific generally a lot of padding

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Title: Until She Comes Home

Author: Lori Roy

Narrator: Marguerite Gavin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-13-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Winner of an Edgar Award for Best First Novel for Bent Road, Lori Roy returns with Until She Comes Home, a tale of spellbinding suspense in which murder crumbles the facade of a changing Detroit neighborhood.

In 1958 Detroit, neighbors on Alder Avenue struggle to care for one another amid a city rife with conflicts that threaten their peaceful street.

Grace, Alders only expectant mother, eagerly awaits her firstborn; her best friend, Julia, prepares to welcome twin nieces; and Malina sets the tone with her stylish dresses, tasteful home, and ironfisted stewardship of St. Albans bake sale.

Life erupts when childlike Elizabeth disappears while in the care of Grace and Julia. All the ladies fear that the recent murder of a black woman at the factory on Willingham Avenue where their husbands work may portend what has become of Elizabeth. They also fear what will become of Julia - the last person to see Elizabeth alive.

The men mount an around-the-clock search, leaving their families vulnerable to sinister elements hidden in plain sight. Only Grace knows what happened, but her mother warns her not to tell. "No man wants to know this about his wife." Ashamed that her silence puts loved ones in harms way, Grace gravitates toward the women of Willingham Avenue, who recognize her suffering as their own. Through their acceptance, Grace conquers her fear and dares to act.

On Alder Avenue, vicious secrets bind friends, neighbors, and spouses. For the wicked among them, the walk home will be long.

Members Reviews:

Not what I expected

Would you try another book from Lori Roy and/or Marguerite Gavin?

There were many references to and descriptions of life in the 1950's and they were quite interesting and spot on in most cases; like the fashion styles and trends, home décor and furnishings. She certainly did her research. However, I won't be rushing out to read or listen to any more of Lori Roy's books, if this one is an indication of her style of writing.The story was bland and tedious. The characters shallow and difficult to warm up to or at least be entertained by. It was a depressing account of life back then and certainly not how I remember it as a child growing up during those times. Perhaps my mother was more liberated and confident, and my father much less chauvinistic. The narrator was fine, she was able to portray each character in an realistic manner.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Plainsong.

Would you be willing to try another one of Marguerite Gavins performances?

Perhaps

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

Compelling mystery, poor narrator

I am reluctant to harshly criticize the narrator but am doing so because her performance detracted considerably from how I experienced a very good novel. Ms. Gavin has an unusually pleasing voice and is excellent when reading in the author's voice. However, when she tries to perform in the characters voices she really falls flat. Her attempts at accents are totally inauthentic (I grew up in Detroit in the 40s and 50s and never heard anyone speak her accents). She also does the male voices poorly. In my judgement the good narrators-- and they are the majority-- understand that "less is more". The ones that try too hard and overdo generally fail.

Boring!

What would have made Until She Comes Home better?

Don't waste your time.

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Title: A Man Without Breath

Author: Philip Kerr

Narrator: Paul Hecht

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-09-13

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Winter, 1943. Bernie Gunther has left the Criminal Police and is working for the German War Crimes Bureau based in Berlin. Reports have been circulating of a mass grave, discovered deep in the Katyn Forest. Rumour has it that the grave is full of Polish officers murdered by the Russians - perfect propaganda for Germany. But it needs a detective of subtle skill to investigate this horrific discovery. Cue Bernie Gunther...

Members Reviews:

Badly edited.

I am enjoying this book and have enjoyed the rest of the series. I really appreciate the author's ability to evoke the period with details about the culture, clothes, fashions, military equipment and the social attitudes.

My criticism for this book in the series concerns the editing. There are several places where the narrator repeats himself - word for word almost. I think this is where the narrator has a go at two takes of a pronunciation or intonation of a sentence but doesn't want to break his flow by stopping and leaves it to the editor to tidy up. This may also account for Paul Hecht's stilted style in places. The odd gaps are not his fault and should have been removed during editing.

Let down by narrator! Again!!

Paul Hecht is a reasonable narrator for many books I've listened to, but Bernie Gunter he IS NOT!!

Stilted and hesitant with often very poor pronunciation is very common, it's as though he's extremely uncomfortable reading the material.

I do hope these are re-recorded with the original narrator from the earlier books!

Reasonable story...appalling production

I LOVE this series...and find it hard to comment on this book. The story is but the best in the series but is reasonable.

However, once again, the editing of this audiobook is atrocious. Lines are repeated....long pauses etc make it abundantly clear that the editor has not listened to the whole book once it was completed. Very shabby.

It lets down the author and is outrageous considering the prices we pay.

I prefer Jeff Harding as narrator but this chap does his best.

Narrator completely wrong for the book

After the excellent Roy Harding this narrator was a big let down. Very little variety for different characters and none of the sardonic humour of the previous reader.

The plot was also not a good toward the end of this book, certainly not o the standard of the original Berlin Noir trilogy. Still good history and quite interesting development of scene but multiple Russian characters very hard to follow

Poor editing

Great story, but infuriating when you move chapters and the first line is repeated, might be some sort of clever story telling but it doesnt work...just distracting and makes the production of the story amateurish. Pity

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Title: A Sea of Troubles

Author: David Donachie

Narrator: Peter Wickham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-13

Publisher: Soundings

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1794. In the wake of the Glorious First of June, Lieutenant John Pearce has pressing matters to attend to. He must undertake an urgent commission from Lord Hood, track down midshipman Toby Burns, and placate Emily Barclay. Meanwhile smugglers whose ship Pearce inadvertently stole, are on his tail. And it is not only John Pearce who has his fair share of trouble.

The triumphant Channel Fleet returns, but the battle is already the subject of controversy and Ralph Barclay is accused of holding back from the action. Pearce turns the table on his enemies and sets off for the Mediterranean with Emily Barclay. He can only hope that his troubles will end along with his mission. But are they only just beginning?

Members Reviews:

The Pelicans are reunited

This is the ninth installment in the John Pearce series. The year is 1794 and Pearce has become a grudging secret-errand boy to the powerful minister Henry Dundas. Emily Barkley wants Pearce to track down her nephew Midshipman Toby Burns.

Toby Burns is now assigned to the HMS Agamemnon commanded by Lord Horatio Nelson. They go on a series of actions and shore raids. Pearce is living with Emily and Captain Barkley will soon find out, and the Pelicans are all together now.

There is a feeling of transition to the whole story, as Pearce deals with the aftermath of the previous mission and prepares for the next. Donachie builds great characters and the story moves right along. There is lots of action and suspense in the story. Please note that this series must be read in the order it was written. I am getting the feeling the series might be winding down. The book is narrated by Peter Wickham.

Pedestrian

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No - while the series started well, each book has become progressively less interesting, spending far more time on rehashing previous events than progressing the story. This is the last book I will read of this series - the story has ground to a halt.

Would you ever listen to anything by David Donachie again?

probably not

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Some of the humour lifted what was otherwise a very heavy story - had I been reading rather than listening to this book I would probably have put it down. I found myself tuning out and when I tuned back in - finding i had not missed anything of import.

Was A Sea of Troubles worth the listening time?

no

Any additional comments?

So far this series has used up 10 books - I suspect it could have all been done and dusted in a very good trilogy. this is turning into a soap opera.

Developing nicely

The evolution of the main character is evolving well. Main gripe is the amount of repetition and continual revisiting of previous story lines. There is a significant percentage of the book devoted to this with little benefit to those that have followed the series from book 1. That being said, the book is an excellent addition to an absorbing series.