Long Upon the Land

De: Margaret Maron

Narrado por: Margaret Maron

Margaret Maron, New York Times bestselling author and Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, returns to Colleton County with an exciting Deborah Knott mystery . . .

LONG UPON THE LAND

On a quiet August morning, Judge Deborah Knott's father Kezzie makes a shocking discovery on a remote corner of his farm: the body of a man bludgeoned to death. Investigating this crime, Deborah's husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, soon uncovers a long-simmering hostility between Kezzie and the slain man over a land dispute. The local newspaper implies that Deborah's family may have had something to do with the murder-and that Dwight is dragging his feet on the case.

Meanwhile, Deborah is given a cigarette lighter that once belonged to her mother. The cryptic inscription inside rekindles Deborah's curiosity about her parents' past, and how they met. For years she has wondered how the daughter of a wealthy attorney could have married a widowed, semi-illiterate bootlegger, and this time she's determined to find the answer.

But why are Deborah's brothers so reluctant to talk about the dead man? Is the murder linked to Kezzie's illegal whiskey business? And could his courtship of Deborah's mother have something to do with the bad blood between the two families? Despite Deborah's promise not to interfere in Dwight's work, she cannot stop herself from doing everything she can to help clear her brothers and her father from suspicion . . .

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS:

In DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS, practically the whole clan shows up at the hospice where Aunt Rachel has interrupted the process of dying to deliver a rambling account of all the things that have been on her wandering mind. It's quite a lovely deathbed aria, narrated in the honeyed accents of the region. But someone must have feared Aunt Rachel might divulge a buried secret because that someone creeps into her room and smothers her with a pillow.

Maron knows how to adorn a solid murder mystery with plenty of ancillary entertainments. But her broader theme involves the way families flourish when they work together for the common good. While there are charming scenes of group projects like building a pond shed and assembling a bluegrass band, the clan members Maron really cherishes are those who devote themselves to caring for the elders of the family. Living saints they are, every last one of them.
—New York Times Book Review

Praise for DESIGNATED DAUGHTERS:

In MWA Grand Master Maron's outstanding 19th mystery featuring judge Deborah Knott of North Carolina's Colleton County (after 2012's The Buzzard Table), Deborah's elderly aunt, Rachel Morton, lies near death in a hospice. Rachel attracts a crowd of friends and relatives as she talks of "babies, fires, and unpaid debts, of someone who beat his wife and of cowbirds and vegetables and broken jars." A distraction allows a killer enough time to slip into Rachel's room and smother her with a pillow, thus ending her ramblings, which apparently concealed deadly secrets. Unraveling those secrets-some 60 years old-is a slow, difficult process with lots of suspects among friends and family. Maron achieves a delicate balance as she explores differences between mistakes, sins, and crimes, and shows that justice is not always arrived at by conventional means. Humor (e.g., Deborah outfoxes an unscrupulous auctioneer) and social issues (e.g., the difficult role of caregivers to the elderly) add to the warmth of a large family with all its foibles, squabbles, and quirks.—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Enjoyable tale in the series - but I miss CJ Critt

If like me you have followed this series from the first to the nineteenth book--you'll certainly enjoy this tale. Not very the best of the series, but an entertaining mystery and a warm and satisfying exploration of a bit more of the history of the Knott family and Colleton County. The mysteries were well-done and believable, plus I was pleased that I did not figure out some of the twists and turns ahead of time.

I don't know the reason for it, but the loss of CJ Critt as performer/narrator is a jarring disappointment. Critt is a wonderful performer and in the first 17 books of the series became and still is the true Deborah Knott in my mind. It is tough to complain about Margaret Maron's narrating since we are such big fans of her writing! But writing and narrating are different skills.Technically Maron's narration had only a few deficiencies: for example, pronouncing 'pragmatic' to rhyme with 'frog.' Critt gave us a younger, middle-age voice that fits Judge Knott's age over the time span of the series. Maron's performance provides a sweet grandmotherly voice that sounds out of place for contemporary Deborah. Overall, Critt's full, rich voice captures the dreamy atmosphere and pace of the Carolina south.

Margaret Maron✅

Yes, I agree CJ Critt gave a more youthful, spirited, no nonsense side of Judge Deborah Knott. I have no idea why Margaret Maron decided to narrate her last two books in this series, but I respect and enjoyed her readings. I have enjoyed so much the forward to chapters, the preacher and the pragmatist, the NC history, and the developments of each book in story and characters. Thank you Margaret Maron! 😊

Best one yet!

best story, best plot, loved learning about Knott & Stevenson family history. Hope it isnot the end of the series.

good as ever

I love this Deborah Knott series , This is great digging back to the past. She does a great job of wrapping us in the cozy blanket with old friends, and a little murder thrown in

Best one yet

I only listen to detective stories. I like this series because it has good family values and shows that police and detectives can also have a good family life also. This one is my favorite so far because it looks into the past and fills in the blanks on how this family got started.

Both simple and complex

I have been reading Maron for several years now. I love the characters and the clever mysteries. Hear Ms. Maron actually reading the story was great fun. Her accent gives the characters life. This story deals with several mysteries, from the past and the present. Great fun. Buy it, read it or listen; you'll like it regardless.

A fitting end to the series

And Margaret Maron is a wonderful narrator. In fact, I’ve told her that if she’ll read one of the earlier books I’ll buy it again.
I hear some of you: but CJ Critt! Yes, Ms Critt is excellent ... as Stephanie Plum, of Trenton NJ. She doesn’t do so well as genuine southerner Deborah Knott.

Just wish it was even longer;-)

This was another great book by Margaret Maron. I've read all the Deborah Knott mysteries and a couple of the Sigrid ones, too. I don't like murder mysteries because I have an extremely low tolerance for violence or assault (lol law & order gives me the creeps), but her books are just so well written and she weaves such a good story that it doesn't even matter. You feel like you're there, like her family is yours, and it doesn't hurt that I grew up in rural North Carolina, so it feels like home to me. I like her books that focus on different regions of North Carolina (and even NY), but the ones that focus on her family interactions, family history, and unsolved mysteries of the past are extraordinary; this one doesn't disappoint.

CJ Critt has read all of the previous books on audible so it was surprising to hear Margaret read it, but of course she does an awesome job, too; while Critt is a fantastic performer/storyteller, I thought Margaret did an especially good job with voices like Kezzie's. Overall another great mystery (a few hours shorter than the last couple books); I'm bummed it's over so maybe I'll start the series again;-)

Love Deborah Knott Series

I have read them, and started listening to every Deborah Knott series book. I love then and wish Margaret Maron would write them faster. Have to wait to long in between for the next one. I have one complaint, the last book and this was narrated by Margaret herself and she just sounds too old for the Deborah character. I really liked C.J. Critt who did a couple of them and Kate Forbes. Margaret would be great for the older characters but just doesn't fit for Deborah, please bring back C.J. Critt Mrs. Maron, don't know why you decided to change up, and I love your books and I am a faithful follower, just bring a younger voice. Great book, keep them coming.

Wish the Knott family would adopt me!

I dearly love spending time with Deborah and her large wonderful family. I am constantly reminded of my grandmother and it's like visiting what her own young life might have been like in West Virginia.

Having Margaret Maron read in her gentle southern voice is a blessing. Thank you, Margaret!