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Tears of the Giraffe
- More from the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
- Narrated by: Lisette Lecat
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
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Now engaged to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, Mma Ramotswe must contend with the hostility of her fianci's unscrupulous maid, who quickly begins plotting the disintegration of the arrangement. Then an American woman asks for help to learn the truth behind her son's disappearance in Africa, and Mma Ramotswe has all the troubles she can handle.
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The first audiobook which appeared in Georges Simenon's famous Maigret series, in a gripping new translation by David Bellos.Inevitably Maigret was a hostile presence in the Majestic. He constituted a kind of foreign body that the hotel's atmosphere could not assimilate. Not that he looked like a cartoon policeman. He didn't have a moustache and he didn't wear heavy boots. His clothes were well cut and made of fairly light worsted. He shaved every day and looked after his hands. But his frame was proletarian. He was a big, bony man.
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Long live Maigret
- By Adeliese Baumann on 11-19-14
By: Georges Simenon, and others
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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
- A Novel
- By: Deborah Moggach
- Narrated by: Juliet Mills
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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When Ravi Kapoor, an overworked London doctor, reaches the breaking point with his difficult father-in-law, he asks his wife: “Can’t we just send him away somewhere? Somewhere far, far away.” His prayer is seemingly answered when Ravi’s entrepreneurial cousin sets up a retirement home in India, hoping to re-create in Bangalore an elegant lost corner of England. Several retirees are enticed by the promise of indulgent living at a bargain price, but upon arriving, they are dismayed to find that restoration of the once sophisiticated hotel has stalled....
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Screenwriters Changed it for the Better
- By Carole T. on 06-05-12
By: Deborah Moggach
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The Early Cases of Hercule Poirot
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Charles Armstrong
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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This collection of 25 Hercule Poirot adventures is compiled from short stories written by Agatha Christie for The Sketch magazine in 1923 from March to December. In these stories, including "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim", "The Veiled Lady", and "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb", the eccentric private detective slowly and surely solves mysteries involving jealousy, revenge, and greed. These stories were well-received at the time and cemented Christie's reputation as the worthy successor to Arthur Conan Doyle.
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1923 Was a Very Good Year
- By John on 02-04-19
By: Agatha Christie
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How It All Began
- By: Penelope Lively
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When Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, is accosted by a petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the lives of acquaintances and strangers alike. A marriage unravels after an illicit love affair is revealed through an errant cell phone message; a posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a business partner who might prove too good to be true.
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Wonderful and beautifully written
- By Molly-o on 02-15-12
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The Jewel in the Crown
- The Raj Quartet, Book 1
- By: Paul Scott
- Narrated by: Richard Brown
- Length: 22 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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The first volume in Paul Scott's historical tour-de-force opens in 1942 as the British fear both Japanese invasion and Indian demands for self-rule. In the Mayapore gardens, Daphne Manners, daughter of the provincial governor, leaves her Indian lover, who will soon be arrested for her alleged rape.
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Superb writing, subverted by spiritless narration
- By mgale on 10-13-10
By: Paul Scott
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Shadow of a Century
- By: Jean Grainger
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins
- Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins
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Mary Doyle arrives in Dublin in 1913, doomed, she fears, to a life of domestic service. Instead, however, she finds herself deeply affected by the social and political turmoil of a fledgling nation struggling for independence. Suddenly, all that was once inevitable is no longer a certainty as she is embroiled in the very heart of the Easter Rising.
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Loved this book!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-14-20
By: Jean Grainger
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The Town House
- By: Norah Lofts
- Narrated by: Juliet Prague, Martyn Read
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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"It was in the first week of October in the year 1391 that I first came face to face with the man who owned me… the man whose lightest word was to us, his villeins, weightier than the King’s law or the edicts of our Holy Father…” So began the story of Martin Reed - a serf whose resentment of the automatic rule of his feudal lord finally flared into open defiance.
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My favorite author
- By Karie on 07-09-15
By: Norah Lofts
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The Schooldays of Jesus
- By: J. M. Coetzee
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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David is the small boy who is always asking questions. Simon and Ines take care of him in their new town, Estrella. He is learning the language; he has begun to make friends. He has the big dog, Bolivar, to watch over him. But he'll be seven soon, and he should be at school. And so, with the guidance of the three sisters who own the farm where Simon and Ines work, David is enrolled in the Academy of Dance. It's here, in his new golden dancing slippers, that he learns how to call down the numbers from the sky.
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SEXUAL PERVERSION PRESENTED AS BRILLIANT
- By Amazon Customer on 09-29-18
By: J. M. Coetzee
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The Bad Seed
- By: William March
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
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There's something special about eight-year-old Rhoda Penmark. With her carefully plaited hair and her sweet cotton dresses, she's the very picture of old-fashioned innocence. But when their neighborhood suffers a series of terrible accidents, her mother begins to wonder: Why do bad things seem to happen when little Rhoda is around?
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loved it
- By CoCo B.M.J on 07-23-19
By: William March
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What listeners say about Tears of the Giraffe
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Barbara
- 08-30-05
A tender tale, sweetly told
Rare is the book which is more satifying heard than read. The richness of the reader's voice, the rhythm of the language and the purity of her accent all combine to make a delicate and fulfilling dish in this early one of Smith's Precious Ramotswe stories. This tale involves an American, peripherally, whose connection to Botswana is kindly and believeably crafted. I started listening the these books out of order, and I'm going back and listening from the beginning now, which is helpful to me, but each stands alone, and the characters are consistent and wonderful. Every one of Smith's books is a love song to the people of Botswana, and to the possibilities of the heights of dignity and kindness in all of us.
This particular story contains some of the most heartbreaking circumstances one can imagine and these are handled with insight and compassion which supercedes most of the behavior on this planet. I don't know if this is an accurate portrayal of life along the Kalahari or not, but it is a wonderful one, and I thank Mr. Smith for every one of his books, and Lisette Lecat for her pure and perfect narration.
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24 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Rebecca
- 12-05-03
Tears of the Giraffe Review
The reader has marvelous pronunciation and a lovely accent; the story rolls along pleasantly. Made me wish for the next edition...
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23 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Robin
- 05-03-05
Every bit as good as the first book in the series
This second book in the "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series is another outstanding story. The reader is excellent and by the time you're into this second book you realize that she IS the voice of the series. You'll also want to visit Botswana as a result of this series.
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Angie
- 03-21-06
Excellent
After finishing the #1 Ladies Detective Agency I could not wait to listen to Tears of a Giraffe. I loved this book as much as the first. The narrator is so great and creats such wonderful characters with her voice. I have become a true Alexander McCall Smith fan and I can't wait to read more.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Elana
- 09-17-05
wonderful
This second book in the series continues in the wonderful story telling voice of Smith. I love the gentle plot twists he puts in, and his character development is superb. The reader also does a wonderful job, adding character to an already rich book, and I would rather listen to then read it.
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10 people found this helpful
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- AudioAddict
- 10-01-15
Delightful characters, setting and story
STORY (contemporary fiction) - This story is the epitome of an easy listen. The main characters are good people who always try to do the right thing. The setting is present day in a small village in Botswana, Africa, with descriptions of the wild and beautiful countryside that will make you fell like you're there. And the story is just delightful. Normally I would consider such a book slow, possibly even boring, but this is just easy and made me feel good. Not a lot happens in terms of heavy detective work - a woman seeks closure for the death of her son ten years prior, a man wants to find out if his wife is cheating, a maid tries to get the main character, Mma Ramotswe, into trouble. But Mma Ramotswe, being the good person she is, follows her heart and does whatever she thinks is right for everyone ... sometimes with a creative twist.
In this book Mma Ramotswe continues her engagement with Mr. JLB Matekone, who is a good man and a real pushover. (You will see just how much of a softie he is in this book.) I'm still puzzled as to why they have such a formal relationship for an engaged couple and why they refer to each other by their full, long names. The title doesn't make sense until the very last few sentences of the book and even then was kind of a stretch, but the ending was very good nonetheless.
PERFORMANCE - Lisette Lecat is a wonderful narrator. Almost gave her five stars. She brings old friends to life with her lovely voice and great character differentiation. Her accent, whether authentic or not, is refreshingly different and easy to understand.
OVERALL - This is Book 2 in the series. The stories stand alone, though there is character development flowing from book to book. There is no cursing or violence and only a few minor sexual references. Recommended primarily for females over age 18. This book is just easy, uplifting and enjoyable like a relaxing trip to Africa with good friends. I look forward to hearing the next book.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Cynthia
- 12-15-14
Rooibos and Riddles
Alexander McCall Smith's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (1998) starts a lovely, easy to listen to mystery series featuring the traditionally built, modern thinker Precious Ramotswe.
In "The Tears of the Giraffe" (2000) is the second in the series. Mma Ramotswe has accepted Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni's marriage proposal. Mma Ramotswe insists on a traditional engagement, but Mr. J. L. B.'s engagement gifts are anything but.
While he is nervously trying to figure out how to explain his largesse, Mma Ramotswe is engaged to find out how a young man disappeared a decade before. The solution doesn't make a terribly complex mystery, and Smith breaches the mystery writer's covenant with respect to introducing potential suspects. It's a little annoying for those raised in the Agatha Christie tradition.
Mma Ramotswe is working to fill her promise to Grace Makutsi, the highest scoring graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College. Mma Makutsi had her choice of the best of employers but chose The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for its promise of unconventional adventure. In "Tears of the Giraffe", she solves her very first case.
The book is set in Gabaronne, Botswana. It sounds like a lovely but very conservative place. Smith writes it as though Its natural resources and strong government mean that it's mostly Motswana citizens tend to look down on foreigners and nomadic tribesman. That may be what happens, but it's jarring to someone raised in the (supposedly) post-racial United States. However, I am convinced I should retire to Botswana so I can enjoy my final years not having to worry about how much I weigh.
This worked well for me as an audible, because I wasn't familiar with the pronunciations in text only. "Mma" confused me, I'm glad to know what it sounds like.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Jan
- 08-24-05
Worthwhile But Slow
Tears of the Giraffe has all the charm of the first book in this series but is severely lacking in plot and suspense. It was over a half-hour of listening before there was a hint of the main mystery, and there were few of the fun side-cases to be solved. At points I found the book boring and I considered not listening to the rest. However, I am glad I listened to the whole book because there really is a lot of redeeming quality. When Precious Ramotswe gets the chance to work on a case, she demonstrates all the intelligence and common sense that made her a great character in the first book. The writer also includes discussion of such things as ?old Botswana morality,? which I found very interesting. The characters are well crafted and generally believable and I found the ending satisfying. There are some aspects of the reading that I found annoying, but otherwise, I enjoyed the reader. She did a good job making the characters distinguishable by their voices. All in all, I would recommend this book as long as the listener understands it is not strong on plot, as would generally be expected in a mystery. It takes some patience to reap the benefits this book has to offer.
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8 people found this helpful
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- AIT
- 01-17-18
Like visiting with friends!
This is the second book in the series and my review really applies to both book one and book 2. They are what might be termed “cozy mysteries“. But the mystery is not really the thing, it’s more a story about a people and a place.
The mysteries are engaging, but again not really the point. So if you were looking for a Pure thriller, this not might not be it.
However, the stories of Botswana and all the characters are more than entertaining and interesting.
The reader give us an amazing performance. Every voice so distinct every character so clear. She really brings this to life.
So, I highly recommend the first two books in the series, it will be like spending evenings with old friends.
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Overall
- Sandra
- 09-17-05
If you liked the first book, you'll like this too.
This is beautifully read. The reader does an excellent job with all the characters and accents. My favorite parts are the interaction between Mma Ramotswe, Mr JLB Matekoni and their family. The middle of the book lagged just a little bit for me but this is still a very good book.
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4 people found this helpful