Death of the Limping Man

Urquhart & MacDonald Murder Mysteries, Book 1

By: D.E. Ring

Narrated by: D.E. Ring

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Barrachois overlooks the cold, watery edge of the world. It’s a small city crooked by necessity, but an oddly safe place–joyous, even. Until two little kids witness the death of the limping man.

With an unerring eye for period atmosphere, crime fiction writer D.E. Ring builds a layered, mesmeric portrait of a town thriving in the years after WW2. It's pragmatic and unconcerned about its crooked tendencies. It's a smuggler's paradise, and the Mafia has long been involved.

But crime is changing with the times.

Newcomer Inspector Jimmy Urquhart, young veteran and rookie cop is not ready to be in charge of its highest profile criminal case in decades. But he is. The City Clerk–man of rectitude, polio survivor, photogenic favorite of press and public–has been run down in a wintry alley. Murdered.

In a place that just shrugs off larceny, this is different. Shocking.

As Jimmy and local reporter Alexandra MacDonald begin to peel back the layers, rumors swirl about the murdered man–of infidelities, of mob money, of secrets, and of violence. In the best golden age whodunnit tradition, the victim proves to be as elusive as his killer.

©2023 D.E. Ring (P)2023 D.E. Ring

Clever mystery, compelling characters

A town in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, getting used to life after WW2. A pillar of the community is run down on a quiet street, with only two children as witnesses. Rookie Inspector Jimmy Urquhart, an Ontario native still getting used to island ways, is on his first date with reporter Sandy "Notepad" MacDonald when he gets the call to investigate. He and Notepad soon realize that the victim had many secrets, dating back to before the War -- but so do most of the townsfolk.

Ring spins a great yarn while capturing the idiosyncrasies of a small community that's also a cultural melting pot of Scots, Irish, French and Italian. And Jimmy, Notepad and Sgt. "Pretty" MacDonald are characters you want to spend more time with.

Ring is also an excellent narrator, with a rich, soothing voice that captures the rhythms of the characters' speech patterns.

I look forward to future adventures!

Engaging whodunit!

Inspector Jimmy Urquhart, new to Nova Scotia, has landed a very high-profile case involving mob money, adultery, brutal violence, and more. Together with a news reporter, Alexandra MacDonald, they begin to methodically solve the mystery.
The author, D. E. Ring, crafts and weaves a murder mystery in which the victim is as elusive as the killer! The pair must work together. However, the secrets around the victim prove to be time-consuming and date back to before WWII. The complication of the war and the tight-knit community and mixed cultures keep them busy and the listener riveted. The plot is well-written with just enough plot twists to keep it interesting and engaging. Ring takes his time with the development of each character essential to the story and leaves the other characters with a bit of mystery surrounding them.

As the narrator, D. E. Ring delivers a fine performance. His voice is rich and vibrant capturing the personality of each character vividly. The voice of each character is deliberate and well done. His delivery is well-timed, and he speaks clearly.

For the whodunnit fan, this is an engaging book!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.