• Murder as a Fine Art

  • By: David Morrell
  • Narrated by: Matthew Wolf
  • Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (852 ratings)

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Murder as a Fine Art  By  cover art

Murder as a Fine Art

By: David Morrell
Narrated by: Matthew Wolf
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Publisher's summary

Gaslit London is brought to its knees in David Morriell's brilliant historical thriller.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London 43 years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts". Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter, Emily, and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

©2013 David Morrell (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"An absolute master of the thriller." (Dean Koontz)

What listeners say about Murder as a Fine Art

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Skillfully Done!

Doesn't get much better than this! The research shines through, but the plot, characters, and dialogue are all extremely well done. I'm an author, too, and appreciate 'fine art' when I find it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Ratings on audible are difficult because the books I don't like I send back before finishing and never comment on. This book is outstanding. It is one of the best historical novels I have read and at the same level as the Alienist if not better.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Deliciously Gruesome!

When you hear any reference to the protagonist, it will be Thomas DeQuincey-Opium Eater. He is known far more famously for the tag line to his moniker than for his writings. This is a dark & gory tale of addiction, psychosis, and heritage. I was interested, engaged and just a bit philosophical about London, these characters and certainly with Murder, as a Fine Art!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Historically interesting and accurate Victorian England

Very close attention to detail - however I don't care for some much blood and gore! Probably won't read the other books in the series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written, historically accurate

Would you listen to Murder as a Fine Art again? Why?

The writing was excellent

What was one of the most memorable moments of Murder as a Fine Art?

Learning about Thomas De Quincey.

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

The accents and change of voice by character was well performed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I normally listen to books only in the car, but I took this book in to the house and listened.

Any additional comments?

I was not expecting the quality of writing in this mystery. The book focuses on a fictional tale of Thomas De Quincey (the author of Confessions of an English Opium Eater) and his daughter working with the police on murders that copy previous murders from 43 years before. The book is clearly historically accurate with regard to the setting (England in the mid 1800s), language, people, and customs. The detail regarding De Quincey is astonishing and quite interesting. the reader was perfect.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Story and fantastic narration. Loved it.

Any additional comments?

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London 43 years earlier. The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts". Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter, Emily, and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives. In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten

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

Cracking Historical Thriller/Mystery

Marrying Historical fact and personages with a fictional Mystery and cast gave me what I wanted: a Sherlock Holmes-ian book without the racism and wooden characters.

The narrator does an excellent job, btw.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very interesting historical fiction thriller!

It was a great story, compelling characters, and very historically accurate. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who like Murder mysteries, historical fiction, or any combination of the two!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wow a splendid read

A total pleasure , wonderful characters .Great dialogue and characters you come to love . could not stop listening to the wonderful narration by Matthew Wolf Found myself totally engrossed to almost every sentence as the author provided wonderful bits of info into this era ie was unfamiliar to railroad time etc. Also found myself with a huge smile on my face as Matthew Wolf truly brought the characters to life , A definite book that will be on my repeat list.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

loved it

absolutely loved this sometimes grisly mystery. great romp through Victorian London. I recommend it for readers of English mysteries.

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