The Face of a Stranger

A William Monk Novel #1

By: Anne Perry

Narrated by: Davina Porter

Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

A tragic accident leaves Inspector Monk with amnesia just moments after he solves the murder of a popular Crimean war hero. Forced to redo his entire investigation, a frustrated Monk faces a desperate murderer who will do anything to keep the inspector from discovering the truth twice.

Crack another case with William Monk.

©1990 Anne Perry (P)1995 Recorded Books, LLC

A History Lesson

This was an interesting introduction to Detective Monk. I feel it like I had a history lesson on the Crimea War and Florence Nightingale’s work in the field. Crimea war and the impact it has on the soldiers is one of those lessons skipped over in American High Schools.
The mystery is tight and keeps you up Reading. Davina Porter is an absolute divine as the Narrator.

Very gripping

This was quite hard to put down!
The mystery is very good, and the characters are excellent. Great setting in that time period, feels very genuine. Overall an excellent read.

The audiobook narrator was fantastic.

So very excellent

There is so much going on in this story, and you really do have to listen carefully to it to keep all the names straight, but it is beyond excellent. It's so excellent, I have already bought several more in the series. The narrator is brilliant, too. Standing ovation.

Amazing skill from the writer!

In most books, I have to listen for a while to get all the characters and situation in my mind. In this one, I was hooked almost from the first sentence. I'd had this in my library for a while, and passed it by, not feeling inspired by the notion of an amnesiac detective trying to solve a separate, different crime. What astonishment I felt when I realized that this is one of the best-crafted, well thought out, engaging and wonderfully narrated mysteries I've encountered in quite a long time.

Anne Perry, who wrote this many years ago,has assembled a challenging story of a double mystery (Monk's own identity and that of a murder) in a way that is neither overly complicated to follow nor challenging to one's belief system. I had thought the premise might have been a bit over the top, so avoided this book. Don't do it! This is a great book--one that I find notable for both it's writing style and it's good mystery.

I believe the beginning, the unfolding of how Monk discovers that he doesn't know who he is, is exceedingly interesting, credible, and works so very well with the story as a whole. His search for his own identity is taking place as a quiet, private matter while he works a very public case for the "Peelers" (newly formed police department in Victorian era London).

Many people have already written reviews about this--I want to echo the ones that praise it. Perry's weaving of the two plots in and out is very skillful and very rarely strayed into a forced conversation or interaction between characters to get to where she was leading the reader (listener). Just for the actual skill of assembling this book I would give it 5 stars. The narration by the excellent Davina Porter is a plus that just put it over the top for me. I only wished it could have been longer--I didn't want it to end! Highly recommend!

Amazing

Loved this first series of the Ann Perry's inspector Monk. I was shocked as to the murder. It kept me on the edge throughout.

Anne Perry continues to mesmerize.

Loved it, Monk is a nicely evolved character - could not turn it off! Davina Porter is wonderful as usual. Thank you.

And so, it begins

Ann Perry is one of my favorite authors; Monk my favorite series of her's. Davina Porter, one of the best narrators. Greater than the sum of its parts.

mystery

I enjoyed this book very much. It has made me want to read mystery books.

Very good.

I enjoyed this book very much. The nariaton was exceptional, All of the
Characters were very easily identified.

Better than before

I listened to this story a few years ago. I forgot many parts of the plot . It was like hearing it for the first time. It was thrilling and engaging. I felt as if I was there walking with Monk as he slowly discovered himself.