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Bellman & Black  By  cover art

Bellman & Black

By: Diane Setterfield
Narrated by: Jack Davenport
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Publisher's summary

As a boy, William Bellman commits one small, cruel act: killing a bird with his slingshot. Little does he know the unforeseen and terrible consequences of the deed, which is soon forgotten amidst the riot of boyhood games. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to be a man blessed by fortune - until tragedy strikes and the stranger in black comes. Then he starts to wonder if all his happiness is about to be eclipsed. Desperate to save the one precious thing he has left, William enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner, to found a decidedly macabre business.

And Bellman & Black is born.

©2013 Diane Setterfield (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

What listeners say about Bellman & Black

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

If you loved the Thirteenth Tale you will love this. Enthralling!

I was totally engrossed by this book from the beginning. I “Felt” this. The Narrator was perfect for this wonderful story. I’m going to listen to it again and again.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I looked forward to reading another book from this author of The Thirteenth Tale. However,I did not enjoy Bellman and Black. Very slow and somewhat predictable story. I frequently had to go back and relisten to parts because my mind would wander.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Nothing like the Thirteenth Tale

This book barely kept my interest. The thirteenth tale was 100 % better. I'll look for her next one.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Wanted it to be better

Love Dine Setterfield’s writing, but this one just did not do it for me. I was hoping for more character development with other characters then just Bellman. This one was just not up to my expectations. O well!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Historical drama with a touch of the Supernatural

Fantastic! Absolutely enthralling. Not a mystery like other Diane Settterfield books (which I also loved), and this was cited by other reviews as a complaint, a disappointment. Don't Fall For It.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

very slow start but worth it

in my opinion and my opinion only both of these authors books were amazing slow to start the swim slowest yet but once you can mark the halfway mark it is entrancing creepy and overall an amazing story

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Well written but not like Thirteenth Tale

I listened to Thirteenth Tale first which was very interesting with twists and unexpected revelations. B & B is quite different. Very well written but without the same intrigue and discovery.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A magical piece of storytelling.

While it wasn’t quite what I expected, I was completely taken in my this fascinating telling of a man’s life and the special connections his future made to his past. I was second guessing myself constantly as I tried to predict the motivation of certain characters and how the story would ultimately end. Be a she is such a great author, I was surprised more often than not. The twists and turns were compelling, and I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best of 2013

This is an absolutely extraordinary book by a brilliant author. Don't miss it. Absolutely spellbinding! The narration is done by Jack Davenport who lends the perfect voice for the characters. Although to be honest I could listen to Davenport read a phone book and be perfectly content.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Classical

Very detailed, poetic writing. The story is a bit long and a tad aimless. Narration of the audio book is superb and made the experience of the novel feel more Gothic.

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