A Christmas Grace

By: Anne Perry

Narrated by: Terrence Hardiman

Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

With Christmas just around the corner, Thomas Pitt's sister-in-law, Emily Radley, is suddenly called from London to be with her dying aunt. Leaving her husband and two children behind, she makes the long journey to her aunt's home in Connemara, an all-but-forgotten town on the coast of Western Ireland.

Emily soon discovers that a tragic legacy is haunting the once close-knit community. Violent storms ravage the coast and keep alive painful memories of an unsolved murder-and unsettling fears that a culprit may still be among them. Determined to lighten her aunt's spirits and help the troubled community, Emily sets out to unmask the killer. And when a lone shipwreck survivor washes up on the shore, he brings with him not only the key to solving the terrible crime, but the opportunity for the townspeople to make peace with the past-and with each other.

©2008 Anne Perry. All rights reserved. (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America

I loved this book

A story written so magnificently. I became part of it without any notion until the end. It stirred my feelings so. I questioned and became aware of my insecurities and strengths as the characters did in the story. Bravo Ms. Perry, Bravo.

Silence, Secrets, Truth and Grace

Emily Radley left London to go to the small town of Connemara in Western Ireland to care for her dying Aunt Susannah. A trip she dreaded to take, so near to Christmas time, to be with an aunt whom she had been long estranged from, Emily went much from a sense of duty. As a young woman, Susannah had eloped and married a Catholic, much to the dismay of her Protestant family, and remained in Ireland. As Emily arrived in the small Irish town, greeted by Father Tyndale, the parish priest, she soon learns that her aunt had another reason for summoning her to the village. A long ago murder had plagued the town, when a stranger washed ashore, and was later killed by a resident. Now a horrific storm has washed another stranger up on the sand, not unlike the first one. Before Susannah dies, she implores her niece, Emily to solve the mystery once and for all, so the little village can be free from the sin that has plagued them all. This is a wonderfully written story that takes place in 1895. The death of the first sailor has weighed heavily upon Father Tyndale, who knows all the villagers well, and has wondered for years, day in and day out, who the killer is. Now he fears that the new fellow might suffer the same fate. The relationship between Emily and Susannah warms, as Emily learns more about her aunt and the Catholic community where she lives. Great tale and great resolution from an excellent author.

A Christmas. Grace

I enjoyed this book. It is well written and narrated. I recommend this book as entertaining.

Good Christmas Read

A very good read with a nice message for everyone which makes it a lovely story for the Christmas season.

nice story

i enjoyed the story but there was a little skipping towards the end of the last part

Not a Christmas Story, but it was a good mystery.

I really enjoyed listening to this story. I really thought that the story would be completely different from what it was, but it really was good. I don't feel like it was a Christmas story at all. It was like more of a Mystery of who killed him. But you'll have to listen/ read the book to find out who did it.

A wonderful story

Emily finds herself in Ireland to visit with her aunt that had been banished from their family years ago. She is in bad health and not expected to live long

But there is a mystery in the village that has torn everyone apart and Emily sets out to solve it

Marvelous

Great story and performance but quality of tape not so

There were some crackling and hissing at one point of the tape. The quality of the tape should be reviewed.

awkward story

The narrator is great, but the story is belaboured and drags on. Nowhere near the quality of Perry's regular series.

hated the ending

I've listened to several stories by this author and I usually enjoy them. I liked this one up until the last three or four paragraphs when it got so overdramatic it made me want to scream.. it's just not probable.