• Borrower of the Night

  • The First Vicky Bliss Mystery
  • By: Elizabeth Peters
  • Narrated by: Susan O'Malley
  • Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (376 ratings)

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Borrower of the Night  By  cover art

Borrower of the Night

By: Elizabeth Peters
Narrated by: Susan O'Malley
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Publisher's summary

It began as a game, a treasure hunt in an old German castle. For Vicky Bliss, tall, beautiful, and brilliant, it is also a challenge, a chance to bring an arrogant young man down a notch or two. And all things considered, it would have been no contest.

The prize was a centuries-old shrine, carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, probably Germany's greatest master of the late Gothic. The place was the forbidding Schloss Drachenstein, where the stones were stained with ancient blood and the air reeked of evil.

The problem was that someone has targeted Vicky, and the game was soon being played in deadly earnest.

Don't miss any of the mysteries in the Vicky Bliss series.
©1973 Elizabeth Peters (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"This author never fails to entertain." (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

What listeners say about Borrower of the Night

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious Art History Mystery

I loved the hilarious way Vicky Bliss competes with her boyfriend/collegue in their search to be first to find a fantastic relic. So what if she is beautiful, she's smart enough to make it on brains alone. They both know she is far smarter than he, and when through her superior physical strength and brains she saves both their lives, he is really chagrined. And of course she is instrumental to solving the mystery of where the relic is/what it is. I find Peters' style of writing and cast of characters in the Vicky Bliss series far easier to follow and get/stay interested in, than those in her Amelia Peabody series. I've read another Vicky Bliss story that was equally amusing, but with enough mystery to keep me guessing til the end.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Good Story... not so good reader

I wish there was a way on this system to rate a book and a narrator separately.

I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Peters and her Amelia Peabody series and have listed or read them all. When I ran out I decided to try the Vicky Bliss series which this is the first book of.

The store was ok. Not the best I've ever heard from Ms. Peters, but it was still interesting.

My problem was with the narrator.

The reader was so mono toned that there were parts in the dialogue where I had no idea who was saying what, and comments that I believe were meant to be humorous were said so flat that it lost all hint of humor.

I got the impression that the narrator was looking at this text for the very first time as she read. Sometimes it seemed as if she were robotic and as if she didn't know if what she was reading was a statement or a question until she got to the end of the line and had to make a quick inflection correction.

I have listened to books read by this narrator before, and though she's never been very lively, she's never been this flat.

I had a hard time enjoying the story because the droning narrator gave me a headache.

I've come away with an uncomfortable feeling about the Vicky Bliss series. I'm not sure if the reason I didn't enjoy the book was because I couldn't get past the narration, or if I really didn't like the story and charactors. But I'm leaning toward the narration.

If it were read better, I would have given it at least one more star, maybe two.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

B Rosenblatt reading would be terrific

love any E Peters/ B Michaels story. wellcraftef, funny, and people who are fun to be with. always hate to get to the end!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

The beginning of Elizabeth Peters Vicky Bliss line of detective fiction is a bit over the top, but nevertheless a fun listen. Good narration and very good characterization. Not particularly deep or complicated. Light hearted fun.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

This was painful listening to. Perhaps if I read it I would have followed it better. I had to replay many sections. Plot, Story, Characters not up to Elizabeth Peters quality.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Stephanie Plum move over for slapstick with brains

I am in love with the entire Vicki Bliss series. I picked up one by accident, when I was desperate to hear something new. The series is a little dated as it was written quite a few years ago, but is fresh, funny and just all around good entertainment. The cast of characters are somewhat caractures of art professors everywhere. I think Vicki is a great deal more fun than Amelia Peabody. I have listened to the Ameilia series & all the Janet Evanovich books but loves these best. I am an insurance adjuster & spend a great deal of time in my car, so I am a prolific listener. I have these books on cassettes, paperback & now I am buying on digital. I have enjoyed them in all genre's multiple times. A real keeper. Another must read/listen is Mary Kay Andrews "Savannah Blues".

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

It doesn’t compare, even for free

I love this series and have listened before to Barbara Rosenblat’s narration. This narration doesn’t even come close and even for a free listen wasn’t really worth the time.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

dated and annoying

Some books written in another era (1973) are charmingly vintage, or capture a voice of the era. Sadly, this one is just dated. The prequel (book 0) had some of this, but was more of a fun caper around England. The sexism was not as cloying, and the romantic interest was marginally credible. Only one hour in and we're reminded that sexism was maintained by both genders, that women weren't just complicit but sometimes encouraged being maligned by men. And if the prose hadn't mentioned they were dating, I would never have guessed.

The hard boiled mystery by nature includes some belittling of the "little woman," and yet I've enjoyed reading a number of them. I'm not sure why Ms Peters was so entirely over the top.

The narration is also dated, but not all bad. O'Malley tries to embrace the voice of the genre, to express the rhythm and pulse of the hard boiled mystery. Other reviewers called it flat, but that seems a bit harsh. It's hard to compare the narrators of 20 years ago with the sophisticated voice actors of today.

I've listened through many types of narrators for a good story. As a mystery and art lover who appreciates the academic world, I thought to enjoy this Included free book as a light hearted companion while multitasking. I've enjoyed other books by Peters. Book 0 was fun, but doesn't seem to have anything to do with this series. I was looking forward to this, but barely made it an hour. Perhaps the hard boiled devotee might enjoy this, but otherwise it has little to recommend.


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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

What Fun!

Fantastic and Fun! I love this narrator. She really brings the story to life. If you love mystery-suspense-sexy-murder novels, this is for you.. Along with all the other Vicky Bliss novels!!! :)

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing I could not stop!

The time is now 3:00 am and I just finished this book. The last third is so suspenceful that I could not sleep till I finished it. A bit slow to start, but well well worth it!!

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2 people found this helpful