Shakespeare's Landlord

Lily Bard Mysteries, Book 1

By: Charlaine Harris

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

From the Anthony Award-winning author of the immensely popular Sookie Stackhouse mysteries comes the first book starring Lily Bard, a reclusive cleaning lady with a penchant for karate. When Lily finds and reports a dead body, her shady past and connections to potential perpetrators make her a leading suspect.

©1996 Charlaine Harris (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"While on a late-night job in tiny Shakespeare, Ark., Lily Bard, 31, sees a furtive figure placing large plastic garbage bags in the local park and, untying one, discovers the body of her former landlord. In a quick but anonymous phone call (she is determined to avoid any questioning), she reports it to the police chief. With skill and wry wit, Harris, the author of the Aurora Teagarden series, soon reveals the horrific facts in Lily's background that explain why she is solitary, confrontational, obsessed with self-defense - and why she chooses, despite a first-rate education, to eke out a living as a cleaning woman....Harris's finely tuned, colorful and suspenseful tale, filled with vigorous and unique characters, will leave readers hoping it's the start of a series." ( Publishers Weekly)
"[Lily Bard is] the equal of Kay Scarpetta." ( Library Journal)

Lillie

I liked the story and how it kept me going and wanting to hear more

Great narration!

I love this little series of Charlaine Harris. I feel like she does such a wonderful job. But I loved the narrator of this. Such really encapsulated Lily’s voice for me.

Enjoyable

Lilly Bard starts out as a very unlikeable heroine. As the story goes on we find out the secret that has controlled her life and Lilly relaxes a little. The characters are pretty good, normal folks aside from the murder and mayhem stuff.I'm not sure if this is a series but if so, I would read more about Lilly.

Really liked the characters, FYI rape scene

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I find it hard in my mind to separate each individual book in this series. One reason is that I read them all one after the other because I was so interested in Lily, our main character. My chief pleasure in these books is in watching Lily develop and change over the series. Lily is a woman hiding from her life in the wake of being the victim of a violent rape and associated media attention. Lily tells us her back story. In general I cannot stand to read rape scenes but I was able to get through this since it is told by Lily herself. That experience has made her the character that she is. You can see the results in Lily's attitudes and habits, her toughness and her vulnerability. There's nothing wimpy about Lily and I really enjoyed her interactions. She often made me laugh. I wasn't sure cleaning woman would make the most interesting occupation for our amateur sleuth but it actually works really well and there was an interesting mystery with a good assortment of suspects. Also Julia Gibson does a perfect Lily.

Good book

It was enjoyable and I am interested in reading the next book in the series. It wasn't as captivating as some of her others but I do like it.

Great listen. Lily is complex and likable.

Lily is another great character. She is complex, but likable. The little town of Shakespeare is rife with intrigue

Interesting Early Work

I recently discovered Charlaine Harris and I've been rapidly working my way through all her recorded works. I was thrilled to find that this early work had made it to recorded form. Originally published back in 1996, I think this is Harris' first or second published book. It's a simply mystery/suspense format - no supernatural players. Her main characters are interesting, complex, not always likable, which adds interest. She also wrote a great mystery - lots of twists and turns, many potential villains, but enough clues for an astute reader to figure it out. Her later promise is apparent in this early work.

Can't turn it off

Loved this audiobook.. Great story with twists and turns and a main character that has her faults but you can relate to. Julia Gibson has a wonderful way with narration.

Lily Bard my 2nd Fave Harris heroine

After Harper Connolly, Lily Bard is my 2nd Fave Harris heroine. Lily even has a "guest appearance " or two in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Definite recommend. Gibson does well with the narration.

I love Lily Bard mysteries!

I have to say of all the Charlaine Harris books, which include some very good books, my favorite is always the Shakespeare mysteries starring Lily Bard. Now having them in audio format, I have them in paperback, Kindle,and audio. The character is someone who has a life changing event happens and makes herself grow from it. How can you not love that? She is a true hero. But aside from the main character, The entire population of the town of Shakespeare, and the characterizations are the type of writing with the quality, Charlaine Harris puts in all of her work. Plus, if you like the Midnight Texas series, you get to see the early development of one of the main characters here.
Hopefully, someday this series will be another TV adapted series from Charlene, like the Sookie Stackhouse and the Midnight Texas series.