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

In this exhilarating series debut, police detective William Monk must solve the mystery of his own past.

His name, they tell him, is William Monk, and he is a London police detective. But the accident that felled him has left him with only half a life; his memory and his entire past have vanished. As he tries to hide the truth, Monk returns to work and is assigned to investigate the brutal murder of a Crimean War hero and man about town. Which makes Monk’s efforts doubly difficult, since he’s forgotten his professional skills along with everything else.

“Richly textured with the sights and sounds of London and its countryside … Solidly absorbing and Perry’s best to date.”—Kirkus Reviews

Crack another case with William Monk.

©1990 Anne Perry (P)1995 Recorded Books

Older but Excellent Series

What made the experience of listening to The Face of a Stranger the most enjoyable?

This is the first "Monk" novel, and I listened because I so enjoy Davina Porter as a narrator. While I found the first part of the story to be a little slow, I am glad I stuck with it. Monk is such a complex character, and his memory lost made the story that much more intriguing.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Edge of my seat - no. However, it was a good pace, and very satisfying.

Any additional comments?

I cannot wait to listen to the next in the series.

Great British murder mystery

What made the experience of listening to The Face of a Stranger the most enjoyable?

The narrator davina porter is excellent.story is great and characters are rich

Any additional comments?

I will listen to all of this authors books available on audio

Good mystery, well written and gorgeously read

Never lagged. The protagonist's struggle with amnesia was masterfully told. Excellent mystery and terrific period piece. Can't wait to listen to the next one.

First class writing

Anne Perry has an excellent mastery of the language. This novel is superb. The characters are well drawn, the mystery is intriguing, and the atmosphere is oh so Victorian.

good story

Great story! I started reading the monks stories in the middle of the series, and always wanted to know how it all began.

So glad I met William and Hester

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

I am new to the Monk series. What a treat. And I LOVE Davina Porter. She is so talented. The way she manipulates her voice, masters subtle accents, and gently tells a story is just brillant. Anne Perry serves up fascinating characters, psychological twists, and a duo of likeable protaganists. Have already downloaded the next two books in the series. Shamelessly hooked.

What did you like best about this story?

The idea that our detective has amnesia and is struggling to uncover details about his own life and get to know himself while he is uncovering details and getting to know the victim. The way these "investigations" mirror each other. When Monk reflects on the emptiness of only seeing the outcomes of elements in his life (the way he dresses, his ambition, his relationships) without having any understanding of the motives and drivers behind them. Not only is his memory lost, but the very essence of what make him him is lost, and his trying to figure it out by seeing himself reflected in the attitudes and behaviors of others toward him. Very powerful.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Monk revists the crime scence later in the book and is galvanized by the sight of the walking stick in the stand. Up to that point, I had thought that maybe his "flashbacks" and emotional responses to the crime scene where almost a psychic talent brought about by his accident and that that would be a part of his character. At that point, both he and the reader began to realize that his involvement in the crime is very real and, ironically, he begans to hide his secrets more and more just as he is uncovering the victim's secrets.

Really enjoyed!

This was a nice surprise from a randomly chosen book. The story is well told. I didn't find it predictable and that kept the mystery aspect rolling. Love the reader, too!

Excellent read

Perry is an excellent word wizard!
She weaves the story with skill that keeps you involved and entertained!

Amazing

Davina Porter is always perfection, but the way the story unraveled, it’s message and conclusion we’re equally perfect.

Interesting idea but a bit too long

I thought this book started well. I love Davina Porter and she did not disappoint. But the story seemed too long and with a lot of filler. I would say it's not a bad book, perhaps vacation reading but certainly not a great book. This was my first Anne Perry novel, so maybe I'll give another one a go and hope it's better.