"Don't let the name scare you away!"
This was a very well-told, engrossing mystery that I thought I had figured out several times - enough said about that!
I highly recommend this book on every level - great characters, action, suspense and a wonderful feel for the period of summer houses, England, and the great performance by Hercule Poirot himself. The way he solved this mystery was seemingly simple (which is why I thought I had solved it) but was clever because he had each character involved in the murder write a summary of what happened - 16 years later. And it takes little grey cells to unravel the truth.
Hugh Fraser is so consistently good I am in awe of his talent - his reading of the characters makes you forget you're not there listening to them speak.
Don't miss it.
"Tense, suspenseful and fast-moving"
All the enjoyable aspects of an Agatha Christie story, told in a short story form without
sacrificing any of the tension - I think you'll like it! Hugh Fraser is an outstanding narrator. The stories would not be the same without his genius.
"After I caught on! Or did I?"
I love these stories, and actually listen to them more than once, because I'm sure I
missed a clue, same as poor Mr. Satterthwaite .
Luckily, he gets some mysterious help!
Can't tell you more, but get it and
listen, you won't be disappointed!
"Towards Zero - terrific!"
A story that really pulls you in, even though it doesn't feature Poirot (although he is mentioned once) or Miss Marple. The characters spring to life in turn as the book progresses for an engrossing, entertaining mystery. The telling of the story is one of her best.It's almost like you're there! It makes you realize what a talent Agatha Christie really was.
Sometimes I look at my audio library and think I should branch out a little in my listening habits, but I find her books so relaxing and yet they make you think long after your listening session is over!
I highly recommend this - it is the first of two books, the other being "Ordeal by Innocence".
That one I haven't liked much so far - the modern setting and storyline are not quite what I like -in fact it strays quite a bit from her usual style - but we'll see as I listen further to the second book.
"A rare find in the world of ghost stories!"
Believe me when I say I have read a lot of ghost stories!
This is so well-written (by the author of The Woman in Black) and the descriptions are so vivid that it is like being right there in a haunted library at a very old boys school in England. Many other locales and situations in the book spring to life with the able narration of Matt Addis. I am so reluctant to have this book end that I have been rationing it out on my walks to make it last!
Get it - you will not regret it, and you will have a good story to listen to around the fire as autumn and the holidays approach. There is a great chapter showcasing Christmas in the English countryside.
It is so rewarding to find a tale like this - enjoy!
Thank you Susan Hill!
"Relaxing, engrossing, well-written and narrated"
Well, you see, I love Hercule Poirot and his little gray cells. This didn't disappointment me even though I had previously heard one story in "The Labors of Hercules". You ponder, you relax, and sometimes, you drop off to sleep.C'mon, confess!
But the great thing about Audible is that it is right there when you are ready to listen again and figure it out! Have a good time istening to this - I sure did.
"Leaves you thinking"
Do you ever go camping? Have you seen the leaves turning over in the wind at the edge of a campfire? Then you can really relate to "The Willows". Don't miss this seemingly normal little trip down a flooded river - not sure if I'll ever camp where there are willows again - enjoy!
"An outstanding narration"
For some reason I like Lovecraft now and then for an absorbing tale. But if you've read him, you know you can get totally tangled up with the never-ending sentences and paragraphs.
But what makes this story so good is the narration. Because the narrator reads the characters in different-sounding voices and accents, you can keep up!
I can honestly say I've never heard such a captivating telling of a story! At first when the deep voice of the narrator came on, I thought I wasn't going to like it. But I think you would agree it is perfect for a Lovecraft tale.
I'm going to see if he narrates "The Mountains of Madness"! Thanks for the entertainment on my nightly walks! I have to remember it's getting dark earlier now and maybe switch to something a little less spooky!
Kathy in Spokane
"Even when it's all over...."
Even when the story was done, I was still thinking about it and puzzling over it - what a great mystery writer Agatha Christie was! And the Hugh Fraser narration was amazing as usual - thanks for a great listen!!
"So enjoyable!"
If you're a Hercule Poirot fan DO NOT under any circumstances miss this book with a 5-star narration by Hugh Fraser! I hated for it to end, it is so English and so engrossing. Absolutely perfect, especially when I thought I had it all solved in the last hour - well, I had only part and then it wasn't what I thought - ENJOY!