A Deadly Deception

Constance Piper, Book 3

By: Tessa Harris

Narrated by: Gemma Dawson, Heather Wilds

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

London, July 1889. Eight months have passed since the horrific murder of Mary Jane Kelly. The residents of Whitechapel have begun breathing easy again - daring to leave windows open and walk about at twilight. But when old Alice McKenzie is found dead, throat slashed from ear to ear, the whispers begin once more: Jack the Ripper is back.

Constance Piper, a flower seller with a psychic gift, was a friend to both women. With the supernatural help of her late mentor, Miss Emily Tindall, and her more grounded ally, police detective Thaddeus Hawkins, she uncovers links between the murders and a Fenian gang. The Fenians, committed to violence to further their goal of an independent Ireland, are also implicated in a vicious attack in which the Countess of Kildane's uncle was killed. Could the Whitechapel murders be a ruse to make the British police look helpless?

Soon, Constance is called upon for help. But there are spies everywhere in the city, and a bomb plot intended to incur devastating carnage. And as Constance is fast discovering, the greatest evil may not lurk in the grimy alleys of the East End, but in a conspiracy that runs from Whitechapel to the highest office in the land . . .

©2109 Tessa Harris (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Reader’s lilt was awful

Gemma Dawson as a reader is fantastic, partially why I tried this series. But in this second book in the series- the main character was voiced by a different person, Heather wilds- and she was awful! I’ve never been so taken aback by the phrasing and overall reading before. The cadence did not flow and every line rises up like a question at the end- if I didn’t like the story- I would have quit- the story was fine. Good gravy!

Robotic narration

Every sentence spoken by the main character had a range of three notes end ended on the flatly on the same one. It took about five chapters to not be distracted by predictable monotone.

This series is spectacular!

I have loved this series, although one of the books in this series is not available in audio form. I hope another in this series is coming soon.

Female William Shatner

The woman who does the voice of Constance is like listening to the British female William Shatner. Her upward lilt at the end of every sentence is distracting, and detracts heavily from the story. The other reader did a very good job. The story was probably as good as the others in this series, but I cannot be sure, because I was so busy being annoyed with the presentation.

Good story, but enjoyed first book better.

The story had a few holes it it based on the plot that was followed in the first book, but was entertaining. Constance’s narration, in this version, seemed almost apathetic and lacked emotion other than when there was dialogue.

Great story.

The narrator inflection is horrible. I could hardly stand listening to her.
I would hope when Tessa writes another great book that she finds a different narrator than Gemma Dawson.

loved it

I love it when a book surprises me, I bought the book because it was cheap and I need some new listing books.
This book was great, the plot was good and so many twist. The narrators we're fantastic I could Invision the story back ground or scene set up if you will.
I just might have to check out more of Tessa Harris books

The song song narration is distracting

Gemma Harris should've read the whole story. The other narrator in her sing song voice was totally distracting. I didn't finish.

Half Good, the other half Awful.

Decent story and I always live Jemma Dawson as a narrator. However the second voice made me want to stop listening after the first 10 sentences. I made it through the entire reading but I will say that I never did adapt to the irritating sing song reading style of the second reader. Whoever decided her performance was acceptable has hopefully found a new job by now. Painful at best.

Interesting semi-historical novel.

Not quite as good as the first book in the series (The Sixth Victim), but still quite interesting & enjoyable enough. There are a number of references from both the first and second (The Angel Makers) novels, but Deadly Deception stands well enough in its own, nonetheless. I only wish that Audible had The Angel Makers available, but alas, it is not; I'd really like to know what occurred with Constance just prior to this one, but just after the Ripper period of the first book. How can Audible not have all three when Kindle does? I also recommend Harris' six book Thomas Silkstone series, [The Anatomist's Apprentist, etc.] which, in my opinion, is a bit better than this one.