Death Stalks Kettle Street

By: John Bowen

Narrated by: Helen Clapp

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's Summary

Some accidents are no accident....

Someone is murdering Greg Unsworth's neighbors and staging the deaths to look like accidents.

Greg knows the truth, but when he's grappling with OCD and simply closing his front door and crossing the road are a battle, how is he supposed to catch a serial killer?

From the internationally best-selling author of Where the Dead Walk, Vessel, and Cold Sweats & Vignettes comes a cozy murder mystery with a difference....

Meet Greg Unsworth, afflicted with OCD, who begins to realize that a series of fatal accidents on his street are in fact a series of murders. After encountering Beth Grue at the scene of one such crime, the two bond over their shared fears and suspicions, and struggles: Beth has cerebral palsy. When the police repeatedly dismiss their concerns, they take matters into their own hands and attempt to discover the killer's identity and expose him....

©2016 John Bowen (P)2017 John Bowen

Ok, I guess

The author provided me with a complimentary copy of this audiobook with no expectation of a review. This was a little slow and boring for me. There was a lot of repetitiveness, appropriate I suppose since one of the main characters has OCD, but it made the story slow and kind of dull. There's supposed to be a romance but I didn't "feel" it. I didn't even care much for the victims or to know who the killer was. It just didn't seem to flow very well at all IMO.

Complex, interesting story

Enjoyed the story. Got annoyed with the emphasis on theOCD counting rituals, got the point after listing to the count from 100 two times.

Good Who Done it??

I enjoyed this book, and as others have said is a good cosy thriller, I liked the main characters,both had disabilities, Gregg has OCD and finds it hard to leave his house without checking and Beth has CP so to trying to solve who is murdering Greggs neighbours is no easy task for these two good guys, lots of good twists in this book, you think you know who did it and then that person dies too so you're back to square one trying to figure out who did it?

I thought that Helen Clapp the narrator did the book justice and I would defiantly read another book by John Bown, this book is a good read and little bit quirky to keep your attention and wanting more.

Good, different and engaging

Any additional comments?

My first book by John, an audio book offered for an honest review.

This is a great book, there are so many books out there on the market that are detective/crime novels and they are all very similar, but this one is different, first of all it is a who dunnit, but you don’t have a damaged detective with a past who is dealing with his or her own problems but real life people, ok, so these people also have their problems but the whole story if different, fresh and very good.

I really enjoyed the background details of both Greg, who is dealing with OCD and Beth who is dealing with cerebral palsy, the author has written great details and both characters have come alive and they both make a great team.

This is an intriguing book, very engaging and enjoyable. Highly recommended and well worth the read.

Great audio version of this book

If you could sum up Death Stalks Kettle Street in three words, what would they be?

interesting, heartwarming, mystery

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

yes - not sure where it was going or who done it till the very end

Which character – as performed by Helen Clapp – was your favorite?

Greg

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Accidents aren't always an accident

Any additional comments?

Great audio version of this mystery book - nice way to enjoy the story having someone else read it to you.

great story well performed

Some great twists have really enjoyed this audio book. Well worth the listen. Will be looking for more from this author.

How many murders?

I enjoyed this who-done-it, with one character who suffers with OCD and a second with mild cerebral palsy.

The killer is staging murders on Greg Unsworth's street, and making them appear to be either accidents or suicides. Greg is sure the police are missing something but his severe OCD prevents him from even crossing the road without counting in reverse from 100, so he's hardly in a position to go chasing around for evidence.
Beth Grue is a librarian suffering from cerebral palsy, but she is suspicious about the death of an elderly lady who she found at the foot of her stairs when she dropped off some library books. She and Greg form an unlikely partnership, to try and prove that the deaths are murder, before another can take place.

I enjoyed the way the author wrote, he has a lovely style, and Helen Clapp made an excellent job of the narration.
There was just one part that brought this down from a 5* novel for me - Beth was attending a class on how to write a murder mystery and used this as an opportunity to pick her lecturer's brains about the thinking of a murderer. Unfortunately I didn't like the lecturer and found the classes irritating.

John Bowen was a new author for me, but I shall definitely be taking a look at his other books soon.

A masterclass within a story

Really enjoyed this. The two quirky main characters are flawed like all of us. The story kept me guessing who the killer was right up till near the end. The book writing lessons helped me think more about the story and the whys and wherefores. Really enjoyed it 5 stars

A Great Listen

Where does Death Stalks Kettle Street rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Really enjoyed this book, kept me on the edge of my seat

What does Helen Clapp bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Love her narration

Any additional comments?

Had no idea who it was going to be in the end, I really thought I had it sussed!

What a cosy story

I loved my first cosy crime story, equal measure of bodies and humanity very good.

A Cozy Thriller! I didn't know one existed!

Thank you John Bowen, for a charming, entertaining murder story which really felt like a cozy listen! I loved the main characters. Both had disabilities to overcome in e everyday life let alone on the track of a prolific murderer. And by George they did it! I'll look out for more books by this author. Although my usual taste is darker and more gory, this was a pleasant contrast, if murders can be that! The narrator was not really to my taste, but I think that was more to do with me than her. Her diction was excellent and she had no real faults, but I didn't enjoy listening to her voice for hours. On the whole a very pleasant surprise listen!

Full story & well worth listening to or reading

Great storyline. It just kept going and held my attention throughout.
At 1 point I thought it was someone then it wasn't then thought someone else but it wasn't!
The narrator did a great job and kept the flow really well.

Unexpected warm hearted thriller

What did you like most about Death Stalks Kettle Street?

This was a genre I haven't read much. I like my thrillers gory and challenging. This is based on the 'Cosy Thriller' genre, which to be honest, I never heard of. But I really liked the fact that the main characters were outwardly showing their challenges (Beth has CP, Greg suffers from OCD) and that definitely put a different lien.
I didn't read in one go, which I often do...because I reflected on some chapters and revisited some chapters I missed nuances in.
So... out of my comfort zone but a really good story and one that kept me gripped.
Definitely recommend.

What other book might you compare Death Stalks Kettle Street to, and why?

Leigh Russell - Geraldine Page series. Not the same storyline but maybe the same genre.

What does Helen Clapp bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Loved her. Great range. Will definitely read her again.

Out of this world fantastic!

Any additional comments?

First and foremost my heartiest congratulations to Helen Clapp on her fabulous narration. Brilliantly done. I read this book some time ago and was absolutely blown away by the concept. John Bowen is an author of unparalleled inspiration and writes absorbing and heartfelt stories that grab your heart, mind and soul. This one, in particular, is so captivating and expresses so eloquently the difficulties the 'less-abled' face on a daily basis but without shaming, preaching or taking any kind of moral high ground. You've got to be a super special and extra talented author to be able to achieve all that. Books such as this make me want to go back to my primary school teachers and thank them from the bottom of my heart for teaching me to read. I've read it, I've listened to it and, when it's made into a film, I'll watch it in the cinema. An absolutely brilliant audio book that you won't want to miss.

A lovely little whodunnit.

A wonderful story that had a few red herrings.

The narration was beautifully clear (but the Irish accent a little dodgy!)

I really enjoyed this book.

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