A Case of Suicide in St. James's

A Freddy Pilkington-Soames Adventure, Book 5

By: Clara Benson

Narrated by: Gethyn Edwards

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

When Douglas Westray, the son of an eminent aircraft manufacturer, is found shot dead in a locked room at a society ball, it seems obvious that it’s suicide - after all, he had two failed engagements behind him, and had lost the family firm a prestigious prize through his own neglect. But not everybody is convinced - including Freddy Pilkington-Soames, who soon discovers that there are still questions to be answered. Why was Douglas wearing the wrong shoes when he was found? What is the connection with a near-disaster at an air show? And was Freddy’s narrow escape from death under the wheels of a car an accident or something more sinister?

Assisted by his old friend, the wayward and irrepressible Lady Gertie McAloon, and pestered at every turn by rival reporter Corky Beckwith, Freddy finds himself drawn into a world of sabotage, blackmail, and shady deals which threaten to scupper the success of a new fighter plane before it even gets off the ground. But there’s more at stake than just money, and now it’s up to Freddy to untangle the clues and unravel the dark secret of a murderer who has already killed at least once and will think nothing of killing again.

©2019 Clara Benson (P)2019 Clara Benson

Least favorite of series so far.

In spite of title of this review, this was still enjoyable and I will be getting book six in the series when it arrives. This one was just hard to get interested in and I’m not quite sure why. Maybe too many characters initially that weren’t fleshed out enough to make them interesting enough to try to keep straight during the set up? I had to restart after I had put it to the side when it wasn’t keeping my attention. Once I did get back to it, had to start over to try to figure out all these bit parts and where/how/who they were connected with.
As I said, I will be continuing with the series but I’m so glad this wasn’t the first I had read in the five titles currently part of series or I would never have gotten to the other 4.

Love this series!

Fun characters, great sense of time and place. Narrator rather lugubrious so knocked the speed up to 1.05.

Excellent listen

Freddie is back on his best behaviour it seems, the twists and turns, the meandering way he thinks all add to make this a superb listen, the narrator was wonderful with his characterisation

Absolutely fabulous

I can’t say enough good things about this audiobook! Clara Benson, you are brilliant. Your characters are hilarious and Gethyn Edwards’ narration is superb. I’m quite in love with Freddy and can’t wait for his next outing!!