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

What a fabulous story

Far beyond what I expected. One always knows that the initial suspect in a mystery is a red herring, but I was completely caught of guard when the real killer was revealed! Such a great read and I was actually sad when I reached the sweet ending. the narration was great. Clear and consistent. Altogether great experience!

Wrapping a mystery in a mystery

People are dying on Kettle Street,and the killer seems to have made Greg the spectator. Receiving clues to the murders, Greg meets Beth and together they try to unearth the killer and the police, believing in coincidence aren’t helping.
You have to believe your best is enough in life, we are all our best.
I was drawn in to the story, characters and couldn’t stop listening.
Really enjoyed this story.

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.

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.

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.

Like listening to Alexa !

This might be a great story, but the narration is like listening to Alexa, it’s robotic and false sounding... gave up after chapter 1

Solid 5 stars

what an engaging listen. Likeable characters, enough intrigue to keep you interested throughout the whole book. Clever, interesting, likeable - what else can I say, have a listen and enjoy this intelligent, not so cosy, murder mystery

Murder and Mug Handles

What a fabulous book! The two very likeable protagonists are Greg, whose life is ruled by his OCD, and Beth, who has mild cerebral palsy. They join together to try to find out who is murdering the residents of Kettle Street and sending clues to Greg. But there is also a wonderful cast of other characters, all beautifully drawn. The book is fast paced with snappy dialogue and there are plenty of red herrings to lead you astray. I thought I knew who the murderer was, but I was outsmarted by that crafty Mr. Bowen!

Running through the main murder plot is a sub-plot of a writing course, where the tutor, a famous crime novelist, teaches his students (including Beth) how a cosy crime novel is constructed, and we also hear excerpts of the novel Beth is writing. It’s all very cleverly done, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I listened to the audio version and the narration by Helen Clapp was perfect for the book.

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.

Unlistenable Narration LISTEN TO A SAMPLE FIRST

The narrator has literally one tone of voice and employs no modulation of pitch, pace or any other feature of narration.

As a result, I simply could not listen to it or stick with the story; I kept losing focus and realising I’d missed whole chunks.

The narrator sounded like she was grinning as she read - perky and robotic; like Siri or Alexa or the voiceover person who does tv audio description

Shame as I was really looking forward to the story

Couldn't stop listening

I have been hearing a lot about this book in the last couple of years and kept meaning to read it but never quite got round to it. Once i found it on audible i got it straight away and now wonder why i never read it before as it is a great story.

The book follows a man with ocd who finds out his neighbours are being murdered but made to look like accidents or suicide.

With a woman who has cp he investigates and after some red herrings is finally told who is doing it and why.

Like Greg I never guessed who was doing it, and why but it all tied up nicely in the end.

I also really enjoyed the story in the story as well.

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

I loved this book

Interesting theme, multiple possible villains, and a very touching description of two persons with disabilities. So enjoyable.

really clever writing I really enjoyed all aspects

really clever in and out of OCD and how it paralyses with a really clever story and plot

read by a robot. unlistensble. just no.

if Helen Clapp is breathing person, then I apologise for any insult, but...
this either is being read by a robot voice, or the narrator is pretending to be one.
It's horrific and alienating, and I managed about 90 seconds before deleting it.