Murder as a Fine Art

De: David Morrell

Narrado por: Matthew Wolf

A brilliant historical mystery series begins: in gaslit Victorian London, writer Thomas De Quincey must become a detective to clear his own name.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts. Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Masterful . . . brilliantly plotted . . . evokes 1854 London with such finesse that you'll gear the hooves clattering on cobblestones, the racket of dustmen, and the shrill call of vendors."—Entertainment Weekly (Grade: A)

"Morrell writes action scenes like nobody's business."—New York Times Book Review

"A literary thriller that pushes the envelope"—Associated Press

Marvelous atmosphere, good mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author's meticulous research pays off as you follow a fictional version of Thomas de Quincey and his daughter through Victorian London. I normally am unpleasantly distracted when people of another age express modern views, but in the case of Emily de Quincey, it is quite plausible and in character for her. I learned so much about Victorian London from this novel, while enjoying the suspense and the characters. If you enjoy solidly researched, well-written historical mysteries, this should be right up your dark and deserted alley.

Very interesting historical fiction thriller!

It was a great story, compelling characters, and very historically accurate. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who like Murder mysteries, historical fiction, or any combination of the two!

Pretty good

The narrator did a fine job with district voices and read in a compelling fashion. The story is filled with fascinating details about Victorian England, weaving them into the narration sometimes seamlessly, sometimes more clumsily, but I found them always interesting. The plot is fair, and the antique design methods kept me engaged. once the killer is revealed conclusion seemed to be somewhat predictable and pat. Even so, I wondered if a sequel would be available with the 2 detectives and the daughter forming an interesting triangle.

Great story + fantastic narration = A Fine Art!

Would you listen to Murder as a Fine Art again? Why?

This time era has always held a fascination for me since I discovered Sherlock Holmes when I 10 years old. The story sounding intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a go. It is VERY evident that Mr. Morrell did extensive research into the time & location in which he set his story. Characters are fleshed out well & both intellectually & emotionally distinct, plot is tight & the descriptions are so detailed you can't help but feel you're right along beside the characters on the spooky, fog-laden streets of London. I should add the details aren't done in a laborious way. He walks the tightrope of giving you what the reader/listener needs, to create the visual without being bogged down. No synopsis...you can get that above; but his blending of historical fact & fiction is seamless. I almost forgot at times it was a fictional portrayal of a few factual characters. It was engrossing & kept my attention throughout.

Which character – as performed by Matthew Wolf – was your favorite?

The main protagonist....De Qunicy. Morrell's writing of the character & Wolf's performance made him jump out in 3-D fashion. Brilliant, flawed, frustrating & courageous....that only begins to describe the complexity of this character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

One of my biggest praises is Matthew's Wolf's narration of this great book. I have the Kindle version as well; but often I chose to actually 'read' very little of it. Why? Because the job he did on the narration was that WELL DONE! Surprisingly I found myself just 'following along' with the highlighted Kindle passages as I listened. I don't think a man can ever do a true-sounding woman's voice justice, so the voice of Emily wasn't the best. However, the slight change in syllable emphasis, pitch & tone of his voice with the other characters gave the feel of a multi-person cast. It truly captured the essence of the time & place.

Any additional comments?

Whether you read or listen, I can't recommend this book more highly. It certainly is one of the most enjoyable reads I've experienced & definitely one of the finest narrations I've heard for a work of fiction ever.

I liked so much... I gave as gifts

Where does Murder as a Fine Art rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

High enough to send as gifts to sis and another friend

What did you like best about this story?

Loved the history. Ended up getting the "Confessions of an Opium Eater"