Plan for the Worst

Chronicles of St. Mary's, Book 11

By: Jodi Taylor

Narrated by: Zara Ramm

Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

The 11th book in the best-selling Chronicles of St Mary's series. If you love Jasper Fforde, Ben Aaronovitch or Doctor Who, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor.

You know what they say. Hope for the best. But plan for the worst.

Catch up with the tea-soaked disaster magnets in their latest madcap adventure as they hurtle their way around history.

©2020 Jodi Taylor (P)2020 Audible, Ltd

Audio book perfection has been achieved!

Dear Never-heard-of- this-series-until- today-reader,

This book is amazing, but don't buy it just yet! Go find "Just One Damned Thing After Another" and start from the beginning. To fully experience and appreciate this latest book (and holy cow (bull?) what a revelation this one contained!), you need to experience the prior ten books. Clear your schedule, you will be living in a St. Mary's world for a while and will miss it when you are forced back into reality.

Jodi Taylor has created something amazing with this series. Each book has inspired me to read up on the actual historical event/events that are depicted in the stories. I'm pretty sure these books have made me smarter. :) It's really a shame that most people don't discover how interesting history is until later in life. If only Jodi Taylor had written my high school & college history books...

Zara Ramm's performance is perfect. Her comedic timing and subtle voice differences for each character should be studied by other audiobook narrators. This series has a lot of characters and she's given each of them a consistent vocal personality, and she does it seamlessly.

This is the 11th book in the series and I think it's the best one yet. I was completely taken by surprise at the turn of events (in a satisfying way!) and never saw it coming. I will say no more about this book than that because I would hate to ruin the magic for future readers.

I will read ANYTHING by Jodi Taylor

I never even read the synapses before buying a Jodi Taylor book, and I’ve never been disappointed. Her characters are likable, smart, and multifaceted. Her ability to tell a good story, top notch! She mixes history, comedy, and amazing plots to create stories I can’t put down! Well done!

Not my favorite

I have truly loved many of these books and I own them all on audible. And it’s nice to finally be rid of the increasingly improbable arch villain Clive. I think Jodi has done a remarkable job with this series and I am grateful. But to be honest, this book felt too long with too little real plot and too much filler. And the cadence of having endless internal dialogue during an imminent crisis happens so often that I was actually tempted to skip ahead many times. I think the series has run down and I’ll just stick to relistening to the first few books.

Wow! A lot of payoffs of long standing storylines

Another stand out offering from the author. This volume ties up several long standing storyline threads. In fact, it could be viewed as a series wrap up. Let's hope that is not the case as these characters have become beloved friends. Here you will meet Vikings in the New World, witness royal treachery, the destruction of Thera and nearby Crete, a murder mystery, a birth, a death (of someone we know), the Time Police, future St. Mary's, a giant teapot in action, a rapid fire poultry gun, and assorted time shenanigans.

I enjoyed every minute. Highly recommended.

Once again a heroine too stupid to believe

Once again I’m completely disgusted with the long, drawn out, excruciating stupidity of a heroine who is TSTL. The manufactured suspense intended by making the heroine a complete idiot is annoying rather than suspenseful. I found myself fast forwarding through large swaths of every action scene because I got so tired of endless idiotic and repetitive introspection or absolutely obnoxious stupidity of the heroine. It’s disgusting and insulting to every reader to think that this level of moronic behavior is entertaining.

A delightful and witty series

Not your typical time travel series. Our author is very witty with a lot of very interesting insights. I recommend reading or listening to all of the books with the interspersed short stories in order. Each novel builds upon previous novels and stories but the author gives enough detail So you’re not lost. This is a fun series and I recommend it.

Fantastic!

I'm always sad at the end of the book because I have to wait so long for the next one. Loved the twists in this one. If I ever get to meet Zara Ramm I know I will call her Max! She really makes the story fun!

disappointed beyond belief

I have enjoyed all of The Chronicles of St. Mary's series until I got to this book. it seemed like she strung five or six short stories together. It had no flow and drug on and on without clear navigation. The only salvation was the narrator. Had it not been for her i would have returned it.

Always a delight

if you haven't read or listened to the Chronicles of St. Mary's, you certainly should. Well written, poignant and sometimes laugh out loud hysterical, this series is a delight.

Loved it!

I am a fan of Jodi Taylor. Her way of describing things is just elegant and funny at the same time. And the St.Mary's series is absolutely great (although I enjoyed other books as well)! I love the humor and wit and I could definitely work there as a historian (great team! and my attention span is as long as theirs...). Would be an honor and a privilege...
And I love the narrator as well - Ms. Zara Ramm does excellent work!

Brilliant!

As a devoted Jodi Taylor fan I pre-ordered this book and was waiting with eager anticipation for it’s arrival but a few days before it arrived to download, I was rushed to hospital with a serious medical condition. The doctors seemed concerned...However I was more concerned about possibly missing the chance to listen to the next in the instalment of ‘The Chronicles of St Mary’s’. ‘ Plan for the Worst’ than over my medical emergency.
My first thought as they conveyed the seriousness to me with a pessimistic air was...
Oh no! I am so close to listening to Jodi Taylor’s new book, could this mean I won’t ever get to listen to the excellent Zara Ram’s narration of ‘Plan for the Worst?’ As this gloomy thought plunged me into despair, I sulkily told the doctors if things were as bad as they thought they ‘might be’. They had better get a vet!

However after a week incarceration in one of NHS’s finest establishments, during which I was liberally dosed with a week’s worth of strong intravenous meds I made what the specialist told me ‘was a pretty amazing quick recovery’. (Well I did have a good incentive to aid rapid recovery)
Doc: “How are you feeling now?”
Me: With what I hope was a convincing smile “Absolutely fine! So can I go home now please?”
The Doc discharged me to convalesce at home, with warning to come back if I didn’t get any better or worse.

Anyway I have at last listened to ‘Plan for the Worst’ and “WOW! Absolutely Brilliant!” The incentive that aided my recovery exceeded my expectations. The exciting and nerve wracking story line that kept me on the edge of my convalescent bed was probably responsible for the blip in my recovery, but brushing my long suffering husband’s concerns to rest, aside, (I was unable to stop listening until Zara had read the nail biting but wonderfully satisfying final chapter)

So don’t waste any time in downloading this book, after all we never know what fate has for us round the corner do we? (A bit like Max)
Do download the series of ‘The Chronicles of St Mary’s’ if you are new to the books and enjoy the ride.

They are back with a vengeance!!

Get ready for a bumpy ride as this book has it all tears, laughter, fears and thrills. I listened to the whole book in one day because I knew I would not sleep with it half done.

The team scoot through history, London to Crete with stop offs along the way. Nothing too big or small for our beloved author to deal with.

Do not try to read as a stand alone but start at the beginning with the first book. I envy you because you have found a real treat.

Patchy

Not one of the best St Mary’s. Felt more like a bunch of short stories with a thread running through them. I’m more excited about the next Time Police installment: the first was Jodi Taylor at her best.

meh

Big holes in the story. Main characters doing things just so the story can take its course.

Never disappointed by St Mary's

Loved it, got a bit confused in parts but that is more to do with listening late at night! Hopefully there is possibility of expansion and continuation irrespective of coins!

Excellent... again.

I'm desperate for the next book already. It's going to be a long wait. 😔 Narrator is perfect too.

She does it again

Brilliant performance and madcap humour throughout.
The only down side for me (without giving plot away) was the cliffhangers didn't work after listening to the time police novel.
That said I loved it especially the twist at the end, didn't see that one coming up!

Loved it!

Laughed like a drain, Markham's a legend. A baddie, not saying who, gets what's coming to him as well which was very satisfying.

St Mary's is as great as usual

Can't remember when I have enjoyed a series as much as this. The unique voice of Jodi's sorry telling is compelling.
I really care about the characters and what happens to them.
Highly recommended.

Wow!

Lots of life and death situations. Heart wrenching and gut churning moments. Pretty much another day at At Mary's!
Oh and some startling revelations too.