The Case of the Murdered Muckraker

By: Carola Dunn

Narrated by: Lucy Rayner

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

In late 1923, the newly married Daisy Dalrymple and her husband, Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard, come to America for a honeymoon visit. In the midst of a pleasure trip, however, both work in a bit of business - Alec travels to Washington, DC, to consult with the US government, Daisy to New York to meet with her American magazine editor.

While in New York, Daisy stays at the famed Hotel Chelsea, which is not only close to the Flatiron Building offices of Abroad magazine, where she'll be meeting with her editor, but home to many of New York's artists and writers.

After her late-morning meeting, Daisy agrees to accompany her editor, Mr. Thorwald, to lunch. But as they are leaving the offices, they hear a gunshot and see a man plummeting down an elevator shaft. The man killed was one of her fellow residents at the Hotel Chelsea, Otis Carmody, who was a journalist with no end of enemies - personal and professional - who would delight in his death. Again in the midst of a murder investigation, Daisy's search for the killer takes her to all levels of society - and even on a mad dash across the country - as she attempts to solve a puzzle that would baffle even Philo Vance himself.

©2002 Carola Dunn (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Too, too tiresome

The arrogant, stupid, bad tempered America cops where bad enough, but the high pitch whiny voices that only bats could hear made me want to scream.
I’ve never listened to a book which this many shallow characters.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Do not waste your money!

I’ve enjoyed some of the Daisy Dalrymple mysteries especially those narrated by someone other than this narrator. She’s horrible. I couldn’t stand listening to her American accents and her exaggerated vocal tones. Plus the story is just not as interesting as some of the others. I did not even finish listening to it — that’s how bad it was.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Meh....

This book was O.K. It never really caught my attention, Daisy has become annoying again and Alec, her Husband, just laps it up like her obedient hound. I'll probably get the next one, I might as well continue since I'm about 1/2 through the series. I just hope the next one up in the series is better.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Better in text

It was nice to have a story with a different setting, but several of the characters were horribly annoying to listen to. It wasn't so bad in text but the repeated 'oh dear's were incredibly annoying (and in an oddly upper-midwestern accent) the bumbling fledgling FBI agent was also grating to listen to. I would just read this one, rather than listen, tho it's hardly the fault of the narrator. I did 'find fault' with the plodding pace of dialogue for daisy's editor. It just made him seem daft, not intelligent.

The story was good, tho 'who-dun-it' was quite obvious to everyone (even the characters) early on. This one needed a few more red herrings, tho it was still enjoyable. It just wasn't really a mystery...

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Excellent!

As I expected, Carola Dunn brought Daisy, Alec and all those involved in the mystery to life. My FAVORITE part of this book (or any of the other Daisy Mysteries) is the journey across America. That's all I will say.
The narrator, also, brought everyone to life with her personality catching voices An excellent read AND listen
Thank you Ms Dunn for sharing you talent with us.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I beg to differ

Where does The Case of the Murdered Muckraker rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This one is very good. I love the changes of scenery even if they are implausible. A lot of people didn't like the American accents, but that's OK. A British woman is reading the book so I gave her a break. Flying was very dangerous in the 20's. In fact Bessie Coleman, one of the real people depicted in this book died after falling from her plane during an air show. Weather like was described in this book would have grounded both planes.

What does Lucy Rayner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice inflections are spot on.

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

He who lives by the pen shall die by the pen.

Any additional comments?

A noticed a few comments regarding the segment with Bessie Coleman. I wish that if writers aren't going to be realistic then I would rather they just leave minority characters out of the book. At no time, no matter how rich, would a white man lobby for a black woman to stay in a white hotel in the 20's. There were laws against this. Britain had the same issues regarding race as the US does/did. Daisy, as an upper class white woman wouldn't have spoken to Bessie let along rode in a conveyance with her. I will leave opinions regarding the characterization of the Irish to Irish people. Other than that, I liked the book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

It's pronounced pæns nay, not pince nezz!

I love this series, but I am so tired of narrators who don't know how to pronounce words! Both this narrator and the previous one in the series need to read ahead and double-check words they don't know! If this one say pince nezz one more time in this book, instead of the proper pronunciation of pince-nez, I'm going to move on to another series.

Tedious narration of characters

Listening to the Cabot sisters voices was almost enough to make me vomit. “Oh dear, sister “ was so overdone. Listening to the New York accents of the male characters reminded me of cheap movies. Dreadful

story good. narrator not so

narrator's voice too strident for my ears. I prefer the narrator from the first few books in this series.

Disappointing

What disappointed you about The Case of the Murdered Muckraker?

I wasn't impressed with the many stereotypical Americanisms used. Why do authors insist on putting "G** Dam*" somewhere in the story when portraying American men? Not all American men or women use that vulgarity and I was disappointed in the narrator and her portrayal of the American characters. The stereotypical "darlings!" and "Great Scott"s were over the top as well.

Has The Case of the Murdered Muckraker turned you off from other books in this genre?

I sure hope not! I have really enjoyed the series. I can totally empathize with other listeners/readers, in their assessments that this book is hopefully just a one off. I plan on returning the book and going on to the next one.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The very annoying American character portrayals. The New York accent she tried was abysmal.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment and offense.

Any additional comments?

For those that still liked this book; good on you! For me it simply wasn't something I enjoyed.

Excellent!

Very good performance by narrator. I'm glad I found this series. I really enjoy the stories and the social history.

Awful

Any additional comments?

This has to be the worst Daisy Dalrymple book it has been my misfortune to listen to, or even read. If I said it was boring it would be an understatement. Shame really most of her other books I have enjoyed, although the one before this one was not as good as it might have been.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful