Whodunnit?: Murder in Mystery Manor

By: Anthony Zuiker

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A grand estate. Ten unsuspecting guests. A diabolical game of life and death.

A companion to the upcoming show Whodunnit? on ABC.

Ten excited guests arrive at the Westlake Estate, expecting a lavish retreat. They are the winners of a sweepstakes to "Live Like a Billionaire for a Week." But what was supposed to be a promising escape soon turns into a horrific nightmare. Within hours of arrival, the guests sit down for an extravagant dinner. When they pull their party poppers as instructed, a loud chorus of bangs resounds, followed by earsplitting screams as the guest seated at the head of the table bursts into flames and slumps to the floor. The others are told they must solve the crime or be the next victim. The killer, their diabolical host, is hiding among the frightened guests. Is the murderer the well-toned trophy wife, the retired deputy sheriff, the stoned college dropout, or perhaps the sweet, homely grandmother? The killer toys with them, inviting the guests to explore the lavish estate, from the stables to the hedge maze, in an effort to uncover the gory details of how the murderer pulled off such a gruesome murder. Alliances are forged carefully and information is shared warily, since none of the remaining guests knows whom to trust. The next to die a hideous death will be the one with the least accurate solution to the latest murder. In the end, only three guests will remain: the winner, the loser, and the killer.

Full of tricky plot twists and over-the-top schemes, Whodunnit? Murder in Mystery Manner is riveting required listening for mystery fans. Listeners are treated to an edge-of-their-seat thriller as they participate in solving the crime. It's Clue meets Ten Little Indians.

Anthony E. Zuiker is the creator and executive producer of the CSI franchise, which includes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, and CSI: NY. His mystery reality show, Whodunnit?, is his first foray into unscripted television. He lives in Los Angeles with his three children and his wife, Michelle.

Whodunnit is performed by the show's host/butler, accomplished narrator Gildart Jackson.

©2013 Anthony Zuiker (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Entertaining

I loved the book from page 1 it keeps the flow without leaving out details. The narrator did a great job making you feel part of the story. I would read more like it again!

Not satisfying

The performance was excellent, but the story wasn't satisfying. Too many loose ends and unexplained facets: Why did the killer do any of this? How were the victims chosen to be part of this plan? Who was the killer to have access to this huge opulent estate and the various tools they used? The story is clearly an underdeveloped ripoff of a classic Agatha Christie tale. I listened all the way to the end (I did want to know, and the actor was good), but left feeling unsatisfied and cheated.

I would have paid for this

What did you love best about Free: Whodunnit??

I plan to search for this author and purchase more books by him. I really enjoyed trying to figure out who done it. all the evidence was laid out and you learned as the characters in the story learned. I really like this book. sci fi fantasy and mystery books are my entertainment source, Id rather read or listen than watch the mindless madness on TV.

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

did not figure it out until the last few chapters

Have you listened to any of Gildart Jackson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

the end at when the killer cursed Jiles

what fun

Where does Free: Whodunnit? rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's up there. Always liked the old mystery radio shows my dad used to listen to and this is a great throwback. The reader is fun too and seems to enjoy the read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Free: Whodunnit??

Getting to know whether u figure the crime or not.

Which character – as performed by Gildart Jackson – was your favorite?

Giles the butler.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It's gives u a good chuckle and keeps u interested. Easy to listen to on way to work each day.

Any additional comments?

I've purchased the next one too. Looking forward to it. Not finished with this one yet. Reminds me a lot of agatha Christine's 10 little Indians story. Remember seeing previews for this show to come on, it didn't last long but hope the audible series continues

A Good Mystery

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending was totally unexpected.

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

Yes..but I had to break it up into several sessions.

Any additional comments?

You will never guess the killer!!!!

WHODUNNIT?

For anyone who enjoys English Murder Mysteries, you will LOVE this one! It is completely delightful with many turns and twists that keep you guessing and an ending you would never be able to guess! All of that - AND - it's free. It's the first book in the WHODUNNIT? series. The second book is also free. I hope there will be many more of these mysteries, and it would be wonderful if they were free, too.

Keeps the mind going...

I drive 1100-1200 miles four days a week as a merchandiser in rural South Dakota. I start at 4:00 AM and drive 8 hrs in a 10 hr day. Needless to say, I need something besides the coffee to keep me company.

Giles and the gang did just that. From the beginning I was hooked by the "murder game" that enhanced the simple plot. As each new murder came about, I found myself analyzing all the pieces of the puzzle and trying to find out Whodunnit!

I rate this book very high simply because it kept my attention right to the very end, something that when you're driving for long distances at a time is sometimes hard to do.

Surprised

Any additional comments?

I was quite surprised at how much I actually liked this book. The beginning of it was a little slow but I tell ya it picked up quickly and kept you on the edge of your seat!

Mystery - yeah, that's all I got.

Would you consider the audio edition of Whodunnit?: Murder in Mystery Manor to be better than the print version?

Yes, but only because I have this an I have never seen the print version. Really audible, if I am going to listen to the book, there is a good chance that I am not going to have the print version. Why even have a question like this? The noodle heads who come up with these can't come up with more compelling questions? I know it's a generic thing, but put some thought into it. Why would it matter if this is better than print? If the world were to end we didn't have a source of power, which version would you rather own? Hell, that was as good a question as your print question. The answer for my question is the print version because when you are done reading it you can use it for many things.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a mystery which gave you enough information to start formulating your guess as to who it is but misleads you a bit to not make you certain.

What about Gildart Jackson’s performance did you like?

Accents help out stories a lot, and he did a fine job on all the voices.

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

Not really, although it was well thought out and kept you interested, it still isn't the type of book I would listen to in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

The story is good, and if I was into this type of genre I'd probably give it a 5 star all the way across, but for me, it just didn't fill the void. It was entertaining, and it did keep me interested, but I don't listen to this type of audiobook for the reason that it doesn't grab me and make me want to listen to it like a mosquito is trying to suck your blood. I don't have the NEED to listen to it, but the WANT was there so I could finish the story once I started.

I most likely will not listen to this again, but I will suggest it to others.

Exhilarating!

I love sealed room murder mysteries. This one is keeping ALL my attention. I haven’t finished it yet, but I thought I should write this now. If you liked the movie “Clue” then you will love this book.
I recommend this book.