The Attenbury Emeralds

By: Jill Paton Walsh

Narrated by: Edward Petherbridge

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on the characters created by Dorothy L. Sayers.

The recovery of the magnificent gem in Lord Attenbury's dazzling heirloom launched a shell-shocked young aristocrat on his career as a detective in 1921. Thirty years later, a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Suddenly, the new Lord Attenbury—grandson of Lord Peter’s first client—seeks his help to prove who owns the emeralds. As Harriet and Peter contemplate the changes that the war has wrought on English society, Peter, who always cherished the liberties of a younger son, faces the unwanted prospect of ending up the Duke of Denver after all.

©2010 Jill Paton Walsh and the Trustees of Anthony Fleming, deceased. (P)2011 AudioGo

The joy of Lord Peter

What joy one more Lord Peter story. If I could have one author added to audible it would be Dorothy Sayers. The Lord Peter novels were the first recorded books I checked out of the library and I was hooked. Please bring Dorothy Sayers and Lord Peter titles to Audible.

Peter Wimsey Rides Again

If you have missed the continuation of Dorothy Sayers' beloved series under the loving hand of Jill Patton Walsh, you are in for several treats. This is the third book in the extended series, and one of my favorites. Edward Petherbridge does a lovely job of reading it. (I believe he is the same Edward Petherbridge who played Peter Wimsey in the 80s). I DO recommend reading them in order, of course. Any of them will stand alone as a mystery - but the continuation of the personal histories of the Wimsey family is best carried on in proper order.

Having it read to me in a British voice is a delicious treat. I highly recommend both the Kindle and the audible combination.

Wonderfully Captures the Wimsey Spirit

Lord Peter & Harriet are long-time favorites. I really enjoyed Walsh's continuation of the story, which I had not read before in any format. For me it is the beloved characters more than the mystery that rated the 5-Stars. And the slowly unfolding mystery was a good read, if not up to Sayers very high standard of detective fiction. Hoping Audible will continue to fill in the missing stories by both Sayers and Walsh.

I was enthralled

Maybe a little slow, but altogether a great addition to the original series. Good plot. Lots of interest. Well performed. Deals seriously with the changes to England since the 2nd world war.

The Attenbury Emeralds

EXCELLENT!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it!! It was wonderful reading about the Wimseys again…they seemed so real. The narrator was excellent, like Hugh Fraser for Agatha Christie!! Dorothy Sayers would be proud. Can’t wait to hear the next book!!

Kept me company

Sometimes while i was listening to this book i felt like i was reading one of those thick popular epic paperbacks from the 80s. It’s not so much a mystery story as a serial type story with a mystery meandering through it. I liked it but i had to recalibrate what i expected. I appreciated some parts like about the aftermath of WWII but other parts like the plotline about the majara ja made me cringe a little. We’re more sensitive to stereotyping now i guess. It’s always hard to get the balance right between cultural depictions and stereotypes though. But i digress. The narrator needs more range. This story called for someone like timothy west. I don’t know what this narrator was trying to do. Read a bedtime story? Adopt a tone of understatement and irony? Not wake up the kids? What? Other than that it was entertaining enough. It won’t distract you if you’re doing something but you won’t remember being intrigued.

Meandering like a drive in the country

Having the actor who played Wimsey when he met Harriet is great, the other actor read the earlier books and was also great. The Wimsey mysteries are never in a hurry, but they immerse you in their world and keep your attention. My only issue was how a ceramic death was handled. I just didn’t believe everyone would take it in stride like they did. Yes they’re aristocrats but there was no inner grief. Given the person who died, I give the author a demerit for this. It’s out of character for everyone involved to just dust their hat and carry on. Otherwise a great read, much better than other books that have tried and failed to continue famous detectives.

A Triumph

Walsh captures the Sayer's style in her first standalone sequel to the Lord Peter Whimsey stories. I was terribly excited to see that Edward Petherbridge was the narrator! His performances in the1980's Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery miniseries was definitive. His voice is a bit soft, and and shows his age, but as Peter is in his 60's in this book it compliments rather than detracts from the atmosphere of the story.

Only for existing Dorothy L Sayers fans

It is an okay book, really a bit of a cozy. It is a book for those that miss the Peter and Harriet characters enough to enjoy a paler version of the originals.

Good story, but not for the car

I love the original Dorothy Sayers books. Jill Paton Walsh does as excellent job of continuing the series in most respects. The main difference is that Lord and Lady Peter no longer toss quotations back and forth as freely, which is a relatively minor thing.

Others have commented adversely on the sound quality of this recording. When I first tried to listen to it while driving, it was unintelligible. When I gave it one last try, NOT in the car, it was totally clear. Maybe the speakers, maybe a cleaner download, whatever the cause, no longer a problem.