Murder as a Fine Art

By: David Morrell

Narrated by: Matthew Wolf

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Gaslit London is brought to its knees in David Morriell's brilliant historical thriller.

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 43 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.

©2013 David Morrell (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"An absolute master of the thriller." (Dean Koontz)

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.

very well done

I had reached a point with David Morrell's books where I couldn't remember if I'd read his books just by looking at the title and sometimes the summary. So I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this book which appeared to be a stab at a new genre for him. Having lived most of hs adult life in Iowa and New Mexico, it was intriguing that he would try and write a murder mystery set in London in the mid 1800's. He pulled it off quite well and if he continues with the genre I'll give him another try. The painstaking research this effort must have taken to tie a real life character, some 40 year old murders tied into crimes of the time were very well done. This wasn't a crime thriller like many where it becomes a page turner but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and would recommend giving it a try.

Dark, foggy days indeed.

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

As an insomniac I started listening to audiobooks as an alternative to simply staring at a dark ceiling. This book should be near the bottom of my favorites for keeping me up even longer.

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

The plot was great but it was the events that really happened (some pretty shocking) and the author's and narrator's ability to make you feel as if you're in the dark waiting for a knife in the back that kept my attention.

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

Mr. Wolf did a fantastic job with all the characters even though a man doing a woman's voice doesn't work too well but there was instance when he did a female voice that sent shivers up my spine. NO SPOILER! As much as I wanted to seek him out and choke him for that I understand that is what he is paid for.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Of course not. I wanted to go to sleep but this was a much more entertaining version of counting sheep. If anyone is looking for a nodder, this ain't it.

Any additional comments?

Anyone interested in history and likes a good mystery can appreciate this book.

Engaging Historical Mystery

Murder as a Fine Art was a richly detailed, engrossing read. Really loved how David Morrell switched POVs to give the reader a wider perspective of the mystery. Morrell used a couple of unique writing techniques (reading from a character's memoir/omniscient voice) that made the reading experience all the more enjoyable.

interesting approach to sharing some history

I liked it, a little slow to start, but a good story and well told

Fun historical mystery

Really enjoyable listening for your morning commute with interesting historical police procedural elements thrown in.

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"