Some Danger Involved

Barker & Llewelyn Series, Book 1

By: Will Thomas

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

An atmospheric debut novel set on the gritty streets of Victorian London, Some Danger Involved introduces detective Cyrus Barker and his assistant, Thomas Llewelyn, as they work to solve the gruesome murder of a young scholar in London's Jewish ghetto. When the eccentric and enigmatic Barker takes the case, he must hire an assistant, and out of all who answer an ad for a position with "some danger involved", he chooses downtrodden Llewelyn, a gutsy young man with a murky past.

As they inch ever closer to the shocking truth behind the murder, Llewelyn is drawn deeper and deeper into Barker's peculiar world of vigilante detective work, as well as the heart of London's teeming underworld.

Brimming with wit and unforgettable characters and steeped in authentic period detail, Some Danger Involved is a captivating novel that introduces an equally captivating duo.

©2004 Will Thomas (P)2016 Tantor

Very interesting story

I've enjoyed listening to this mystery and will be watching for more titles by Will Thomas. The characters are very well rounded and believable. The loss of one star for performance is that I felt Mr Barker's voice should be deeper and gruffer, but the accents were spot on. I liked the variety of people throughout the story, their various areas of expertise, quirks and how they handle unexpected events.

Some Danger Involved

Wow! Just the kind of book. I have been looking for! Thank you Will Thomas and keep writing more books! Antony Ferguson is a wonderful narrator!

Perky and charming

This is a typical run of the mill mystery story, it follows the basic Holmes format, but it has a twist. It's a little quirky, a little odd, and a lot of fun. I enjoyed this little side jaunt from the typical mystery.

It's a light hearted story that was easy to follow. I was kept entertained until the very end of the book. It is a book that isn't for "hard core" mystery fans as it follows the typical Holmes type of pattern. Not much gore, not much violence, not much mystery. It is fun, and it is a good book for those not seeking raunch, romance or more than a light read.

This is mystery written in the style of those who want to entertain, not frighten. I found myself laughing at some of the slightly pun like humor, groaning at some of the twists that were bound to happen, and surprised at the twists I didn't see coming. The characters are well fleshed enough to catch my interest, and I understood who they were and where they were coming from.

Antony Ferguson read in a manner that kept me wanting to listen. I wasn't bored or annoyed by his voice, which is a big deal. Too often, the narrator can wreck a perfectly good book.

As for the plot... well, no spoilers from me... Just remember, there is "some danger involved" and watch your step.

Enjoyable series

I like the writing, the characters, the plots, the portrayal of Victorian London--not easy to do from a contemporary perspective--but this series is not helped by Antony Ferguson's narration. He's not bad, and won't keep me from finishing the series, but he doesn't add a star like good narrators can.

He over-enunciates every single word, and doesn't make much distinction between most of the characters save Barker--and his version of Barker's Scottish speech becomes irritating over time because he makes the rhythm the same regardless of circumstance. He delivery is tediously stilted and too emotionless. The only characters who sound at all natural are the some of the lower class who have cockney-type accents. Perhaps he thinks that's how everyone with any education in Victorian England spoke, but I doubt that's true.

Overall, I recommend these books. Especially for those who like period mysteries.

Thoroughly enjoyable reading

I enjoyed every moment of listening to this new book. The reader was perfectly suited to the task and handled a wide variety of characters with ease. Very much enhanced the experience. Please hurry up with the next one!

A Action Mystery Writer

Will Thomas is a fabulous writer and Anthony Ferguson breathed life into the characters. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes you will find Mr. Barker is a more modern and active version of the London Inquiry Agent.
Some Danger Involved pits brains and personality against brawn and ego.
Barker and Lewellen are an odd pairing but they each bring intelligence and strong personalities to the page.
I will definitely be looking for more books by Will Thomas, especially more of Barker and Lewellen!
Action packed, fast paced and fun!

Slow moving

Story was a bit slow moving and we would lose interest as it went along. Performance/reader was good with voices.

If you like Sherlock Holmes

If you could sum up Some Danger Involved in three words, what would they be?

Sherlock meets Watson

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

No, a slowly developed story. Ending a little strange, and questionable

What about Antony Ferguson’s performance did you like?

He did a good job,the right intonation and deferences between the characters

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Just likeSherlock Holmes

Loved the narrator and enjoyed these characters

Would you listen to Some Danger Involved again? Why?

Probably won't listen to the story again. Too many books, too little time, but will certainly buy the rest of the series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Since we learn a lot about Thomas Llewelyn in the story, as he is the narrator, he was my favorite character. However, Cyrus Barker makes a tantalizing authority figure and I assume more will be revealed about him in future books.

Don't miss this one.

This is a detective story based in England in mid 1800s with bizzare yet compelling characters. The murder invades the Jewish community and the details of the settings and the rituals ring true to these modern Jewish ears. The narrator manages so many voices and dialectic that I was never in doubt about who was speaking. I will follow this series to see where else they go.