Long Upon the Land

By: Margaret Maron

Narrated by: Margaret Maron

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

Margaret Maron, New York Times best-selling author and Mystery Writers of America grand master, returns to Colleton County with an exciting new Deborah Knott mystery....

On a quiet August morning, Judge Deborah Knott's father, Kezzie, makes a shocking discovery on a remote corner of his farm: the body of a man bludgeoned to death. Investigating this crime, Deborah's husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, soon uncovers a long-simmering hostility between Kezzie and the slain man over a land dispute. The local newspaper implies that Deborah's family may have had something to do with the murder - and that Dwight is dragging his feet on the case.

Meanwhile Deborah is given a cigarette lighter that once belonged to her mother. The cryptic inscription inside rekindles Deborah's curiosity about her parents' past and how they met. For years she has wondered how the daughter of a wealthy attorney could have married a widowed, semi-illiterate bootlegger, and this time she's determined to find the answer.

But why are Deborah's brothers so reluctant to talk about the dead man? Is the murder linked to Kezzie's illegal whiskey business? And could his courtship of Deborah's mother have something to do with the bad blood between the two families? Despite Deborah's promise not to interfere in Dwight's work, she cannot stop herself from doing everything she can to help clear her brothers and her father from suspicion....

©2015 Margaret Maron (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Author makes poor narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

If it were mine, I would have paid a professional narrator.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Deborah Knott. I like all of these books. I am, myself, an attorney and a part time judge, so I enjoy that aspect of the book, particularly.

What didn’t you like about Margaret Maron’s performance?

She's monotonous, and doesn't differentiate the voices of the characters. I also note a sing-song rhythm in the performance.

Was Long Upon the Land worth the listening time?

Yes, but I do think it cost too much for what I got.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

What happened to CJ Critt!

I hate it when authors suddenly decide to narrate their own books. They are authors not narrators. I am sure there are a few authors that also make great narrators but very few people are great in two fields.

I read Margaret Maron books because she is a good writer and writes books FUN to read. But I listened to the books rather than read them because of C.J. Critt. She made the character come alive and was believable. And - now that is the voice in my head - no matter how good Margaret Maron might be as a narrator the only one for her main character is Critt!

Ms. Maron - please write more books! And, please bring back C.J. Critt!

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Love Deborah Knott Series

I have read them, and started listening to every Deborah Knott series book. I love then and wish Margaret Maron would write them faster. Have to wait to long in between for the next one. I have one complaint, the last book and this was narrated by Margaret herself and she just sounds too old for the Deborah character. I really liked C.J. Critt who did a couple of them and Kate Forbes. Margaret would be great for the older characters but just doesn't fit for Deborah, please bring back C.J. Critt Mrs. Maron, don't know why you decided to change up, and I love your books and I am a faithful follower, just bring a younger voice. Great book, keep them coming.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Enjoyable tale in the series - but I miss CJ Critt

If like me you have followed this series from the first to the nineteenth book--you'll certainly enjoy this tale. Not very the best of the series, but an entertaining mystery and a warm and satisfying exploration of a bit more of the history of the Knott family and Colleton County. The mysteries were well-done and believable, plus I was pleased that I did not figure out some of the twists and turns ahead of time.

I don't know the reason for it, but the loss of CJ Critt as performer/narrator is a jarring disappointment. Critt is a wonderful performer and in the first 17 books of the series became and still is the true Deborah Knott in my mind. It is tough to complain about Margaret Maron's narrating since we are such big fans of her writing! But writing and narrating are different skills.Technically Maron's narration had only a few deficiencies: for example, pronouncing 'pragmatic' to rhyme with 'frog.' Critt gave us a younger, middle-age voice that fits Judge Knott's age over the time span of the series. Maron's performance provides a sweet grandmotherly voice that sounds out of place for contemporary Deborah. Overall, Critt's full, rich voice captures the dreamy atmosphere and pace of the Carolina south.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Just wish it was even longer;-)

This was another great book by Margaret Maron. I've read all the Deborah Knott mysteries and a couple of the Sigrid ones, too. I don't like murder mysteries because I have an extremely low tolerance for violence or assault (lol law & order gives me the creeps), but her books are just so well written and she weaves such a good story that it doesn't even matter. You feel like you're there, like her family is yours, and it doesn't hurt that I grew up in rural North Carolina, so it feels like home to me. I like her books that focus on different regions of North Carolina (and even NY), but the ones that focus on her family interactions, family history, and unsolved mysteries of the past are extraordinary; this one doesn't disappoint.

CJ Critt has read all of the previous books on audible so it was surprising to hear Margaret read it, but of course she does an awesome job, too; while Critt is a fantastic performer/storyteller, I thought Margaret did an especially good job with voices like Kezzie's. Overall another great mystery (a few hours shorter than the last couple books); I'm bummed it's over so maybe I'll start the series again;-)

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Terrible narration, good story

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The story is good, but the narration is terrible. I am not sure why the author wanted to read this book, but was a bad decision

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

The narration was so bad that I barely made it through to the end.

How could the performance have been better?

A different narrator

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes

Any additional comments?

I have read or listened to every book in this series. If the author persists in doing the narration, I will stick to reading the books.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Wish the Knott family would adopt me!

I dearly love spending time with Deborah and her large wonderful family. I am constantly reminded of my grandmother and it's like visiting what her own young life might have been like in West Virginia.

Having Margaret Maron read in her gentle southern voice is a blessing. Thank you, Margaret!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Both simple and complex

I have been reading Maron for several years now. I love the characters and the clever mysteries. Hear Ms. Maron actually reading the story was great fun. Her accent gives the characters life. This story deals with several mysteries, from the past and the present. Great fun. Buy it, read it or listen; you'll like it regardless.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

good as ever

I love this Deborah Knott series , This is great digging back to the past. She does a great job of wrapping us in the cozy blanket with old friends, and a little murder thrown in

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

More of the Knott family history.

Would you consider the audio edition of Long Upon the Land to be better than the print version?

I rarely read books any more. Love audiobooks.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I always love Kezzie Knott.

How could the performance have been better?

I love the way she weaves a story, incorporating so much local color.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Her voice is too old for the characters, and everyone sounds the same. Bring back the previous narrators please.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed learning more about Miss Sue and how she and Kezzie met.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful