Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories

By: Julian Hawthorne - editor

Narrated by: Scott Woodside

In the six volumes of the Library of the World’s Best Mystery and Detective Stories, Julian Hawthorne presents us thrilling and mysterious short stories from all corners of the world. Some of the stories appeared in this 1907 collection for the first time translated into English, and many of them come from unexpected sources, such as the letters of Pliny the Younger, or a Tibetan manuscript. In the first volume, we find stories written by American authors.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Reader should have learned French.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The first few stories were written by French authors. Unfortunately the reader had not learned French and he mispronounced such simple words as "monsieur" which he pronounced as "moan-sewer." As a lifelong mystery reader, some of these stories were predictable. So, I look for how the story is told. They were so-so overall.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Scott Woodside?

Anyone who knew how to speak French.

Was Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories worth the listening time?

Not really.

Unfortunately very poor narration

The narration is odd and poor, completely unnatural, with odd pauses, and poor pronunciation. Disappointing.

When did Zoroaster become Zoo Roaster.. Mon Sewer.

OK so the content was OK.. historical tales, many of which were not just detective tales but OK from a historical standpoint... and that part was good... but I had to wade through the gut wrenching mispronunciations of the storytellers narrator. Really Mon Sewer, and Zoo Roaster .. it just make the entire effort seem flawed...
If you are getting paid to read this stuff in English... then we expect you to read it in adult English not pedantic English.... really a bummer

Library of the world's best mystery and detective stories

This was the slowest most boring book I have listened to in a long time. The title could not have been more misleading.

Esoteric tales, inept and bland (AWFUL) reading

MUST PLAY SAMPLE BEFORE CHOOSING). I can’t imagine how much better some of these stories could be if a voice actor narrated. Instead I imagine a 6th grade teacher reading to class. Choice: save for insomnia cure or focus carefully and imagine hard what the author intended.
There is much sampling of 19th century short stories. Overall quaint. More historical interest than entertainment.
Chapter 6 may be a worthy fable for some. Chapter 8 becomes a parody in the last minute as the accused confesses so he “may go to the galleys” (ship’s’ kitchen). It’s repeated thrice so I wonder if this is the joke of the narrator or translator or just an amateurish error. Sorry if that’s spoiler.
Chapter 9 may be the best as it’s an intended satire from a famous work and it’s short. It’s clever and rates an added star.