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Title: A Better Quality of Murder
Author: Ann Granger
Narrator: Laurence Kennedy, Maggie Mash
Format: Unabridged
Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
Language: English
Release date: 02-02-12
Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks
Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 29 votes
Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher's Summary:
London, 1867. As Inspector Ben Ross of Scotland Yard walks homeward one Saturday night, the fog that swirls around him is like a living beast. After it has lifted a woman lies murdered in Green Park. Allegra Benedict was the beautiful Italian wife of an art dealer. As Ben begins his investigation, his wife Lizzie looks into Allegra's private life and uncovers more than one reason why someone might want her dead...
Members Reviews:
didn't feel the fog
This has similar pacing and plot to an Anne Perry Victorian mystery, but I did not find the characters or historical detail as engaging. Both narrators usually do better work. With so many excellent Victorian mysteries available, it's hard to recommend this one. However, if like me, you download even the weaker Anne Perry's for relaxation easy listens, this at least was a PG rated tale with a few twists, if mostly pedestrian and unremarkable. This is weak in atmosphere, too - in a good Victorian London murder, you can "feel the fog," even if you're not looking for an edge-of-set-thriller.
The first in the series, A Mortal Curiorsity, is on Audible at a better price but not yet tagged as the series. That might be a better place to start.
Granger is better in moden day settings.
Good story, except for Perry Mason confessions...
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes. It is a good story by one of my early favorite authors. Narration is very good.
Who was your favorite character and why?
No real stand-out. Each character was developed fairly well.
What does Laurence Kennedy and Maggie Mash bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?
I enjoyed the narration; however, the voice of "Bessie" was a bit child-like.
Any additional comments?
Funny, but the mention of Aunt Perry made be think of Anne Perry and her Inspector Pitt novels, which follow a similar husband-cop, wife-sleuthing helper model.
Enjoyed it very much
I enjoy this type of lighthearted mystery. It's not all blood and guts or deep, dark and depressing. The characters are well defined. Both narrators were excellent. I was kept guessing to the end and surprised at the one that "dunnit". I recommend this audiobook. I understand there is a "prequel" to this book called "A Mortal Curiosity". I didn't know about it before this one but I plan to listen to it.
Reasonable story ruined by one of the readers
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Choosing a different female reader
Who was your favorite character and why?
Didn't have one, too distracted.
What didnt you like about Laurence Kennedy and Maggie Mash s performance?
They had clearly had no guidance and/or heard each other's reading. The character Bessie, the maid, has a normal sparky cockney sparrow tone when voiced by Laurence Kennedy, but she became a slow-witted idiot when read by Maggie Mash. This made following and enjoying the story impossible. Almost all Maggie Mash's characters were very badly handled, complete ly OTT.
