The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery

By: Catherine Bailey

Narrated by: Stephen Rashbrook

Length: 15 hrs

Publisher's summary

In April 1940, the ninth Duke of Rutland died in mysterious circumstances in one of the rooms of his family estate, Belvoir Castle. The mystery surrounding these rooms holds the key to a tragic story that is played out on the brutal battlefields of the Western Front and in the exclusive salons of Mayfair and Belgravia in the dying years of la belle époque. Uncovered is a dark and disturbing period in the history of the Rutland family, and one which they were determined to keep hidden for over 60 years. Sixty years on, The Secret Rooms is the true story of family secrets and one man’s determination to keep the past hidden at any cost.

©2012 Catherine Bailey (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Reads like the best kind of mystery story. It is a tale of mistresses and heirlooms, cowardice and connivance, and a deeply dysfunctional family...gripping." ( Sunday Times)

"Astonishing...jaw-dropping...It would spoil the book if I revealed the whole works, suffice it to say...what a family." ( Sunday Telegraph)

Very interesting

Where does The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Great story, occasionally choppy but overall very interesting story that I knew nothing about prior to reading this book.

A promising tale gets bogged down in minutiae

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It could you a severe editing.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Enough with the lists of soldiers and silver.

What does Stephen Rashbrook bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Time, I could've read it faster.

Was The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery worth the listening time?

NO.

Any additional comments?

It's good for a while, then in the final 1/3 gets bogged down in British oddity and indulgence.

Very enjoyable but light on story .

What made the experience of listening to The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery the most enjoyable?

Great reader , most interestingly written

What was most disappointing about Catherine Bailey’s story?

The end of the great build up was not so impressive , the facts of the story were not too strong .

What about Stephen Rashbrook’s performance did you like?

Very good indeed .

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

No .

Any additional comments?

no

Ok but not great

Good story but dragged in places. I don’t know what I expected but this was not it. However I am glad that I took the time to listen. There where parts that I could not stop listening and I was totally enthralled and parts that I was bored.

Fascinating historical account

A very fascinating look into the life of an Earl and his family leading up to WWI as a historian uncovers some oddities within their interaction; getting to see into the finer details of the family's lives.

So deadly flat a reading, I fell asleep.

What disappointed you about The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery?

I love Gothic Mysteries, I could not tell you what this one is about as the reading of it is so bad I simply could not stay with the story. I tried Three times to listen to this and never made past a few chapters, of which I slept through most.

What do you think your next listen will be?

No idea.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Flat, toneless, no inflection, no life.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I wish I knew, the reader was so bad I couldn't stay with it.

Any additional comments?

I would love to hear this book with a different reader.

Disappointing!

Would you try another book from Catherine Bailey and/or Stephen Rashbrook?

No, I probably wouldn't.

What was most disappointing about Catherine Bailey’s story?

It started off well but the story fizzled out. The ending was anti-climatic and it took me three tries to finally finish the book.

Any additional comments?

I wouldn't recommend this book, there was not much of a mystery and the story dragged on unnecessarily.

Bait and switch, with a Victorian package

What disappointed you about The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery?

There really isn't much of a mystery - a lot of build-up is made then revealed to be mundane, not-particularly-unique life events. Also, it was WAY too long - there were well written and entertaining sections that might have made up for the lack of substance, had there been a competent editor working with the author.

Would you ever listen to anything by Catherine Bailey again?

Probably not - this was such a let down.

How could the performance have been better?

Performance of the reader was good, he just had very little to work with.

What character would you cut from The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery?

Sadly, character needs to be ADDED in order to make this book more enjoyable.

Any additional comments?

This book is so much NOT what it says it is. I suppose if it was properly titled "Family Letters of English Minor Aristocracy during the early 20th Century" it wouldn't have sold very well.

Not my sort of thing

However if you enjoy WW1 and the noble class in England, you may enjoy the story as the narrator unravels this early 20th mystery, finding more and more questions as they go along.

I have never been so dissapointed in my life!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Actually having a gothic mystery, This was so boring,

What could Catherine Bailey have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Just do not tittlate me. Promising a gothic mystery when it was nothing mysterious.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No