The Drowning Spool

By: Monica Ferris

Narrated by: Betsy Bronson

Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

Even though running Crewel World keeps Betsy plenty busy, a little extra cash on the side doesn't hurt. So when the local senior complex, Watered Silk, asks her to teach a class on the tricky punch needle technique, Betsy jumps at the opportunity to win over some new customers.

Unfortunately, the business that Betsy drums up is not of the needlework variety. A young woman is found floating in Watered Silk's therapy pool, and Betsy's sleuthing skills are immediately called upon to figure out who drowned her. But the list of suspects is more twisted than any Betsy has encountered before. The young woman had three lovers - each with a motive for the murder. It's up to Betsy to sort out the snarl of romantic entanglements and find a killer.

©2014 Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

narration ruins the story

What disappointed you about The Drowning Spool?

The narration was awful. Of all the Crewel World mysteries I have this was the poorest narration I have experienced. While Betsy's voice was good the other characters all had either whiney similar voices,or comical type accents whether male or female. Godwin's voice was terrible. Officer Jill Cross's voice, usually conveying calm and an authoritative air also had that strange nasal twang that almost all the female voices had. It was really distracting and I couldn't enjoy the story at all.

Would you be willing to try another one of Betsy Bronson’s performances?

NO.

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

I was disappointed in the narration.

Any additional comments?

When providing the snippets to listen to the story before buying, please pick a section where more than one voice is used if at all possible. I listened to the snippet and Betsy's voice was good - but had I heard any of the others I would never have purchased this title.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Really?

What didn’t you like about Betsy Bronson’s performance?

The plot of this story is really good. I have gone through all of the narrators and Betsy Bronson's performance was horrible. I felt like I was listening to a gaggle of small children. You are an adult, speak with tones that depict adult characters. Sure the one for Wilma worked but the remainder were just terrible. Adding this name to my list of don't get the book if she is the narrator.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Narrator not true to previous ones

I've been listening to all the Betsy Devenshire mysteries. The publisher has used several different narrators and this one is the worst. None of the characters are close to the voices used in previous books and every one is either very nasalized or forced too deep. It was very distracting to the story.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Narrator did characters that were not believable

Would you listen to The Drowning Spool again? Why?

No, I would not listen to this again.

Would you be willing to try another one of Betsy Bronson’s performances?

I think that Betsy Bronson's voice was easy to listen to until she did other characters. I usually feel like I'm connected to the story, this one I felt like I was listening to a cartoon. I would listen to her without character voices.

Any additional comments?

I listened to the whole book but had a hard time getting through it. I have listened to all of the other books and I loved them. I could not connect to this one.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Please do not use this Narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yes, keep Susan Boyce as the narrator. Betsy Bronson is awful.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Godwin for his comic relief

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator tried too hard to change voices for each character both male & female. She didn't do it well and it distracted from an interesting story

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Maybe

Any additional comments?

I love this series. I have listened to them many times and find them an enjoyable read. This one was a good story but bad narrator.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

terrible narration

I really enjoy Monica Harris's books, and have listened and truly enjoyed every one in the series that preceded this, but I could not finish this because I found Betsy Bronson's narration intolerable. The voices she used for the various characters are terrible. the worst of these were the voices she used for two African-American characters, one of whom is a close friend with the main character. Bronson introduced a racially-stereotyped voice to, no doubt, ensure that listeners would identify the characters as black. She even infused it with a Southern accent! Seriously? Once she introduced these voices, I couldn't go any further with the book.
This audible book should have been reviewed before being released. A poor/bad narration definitely ruins a good book. If I could this "return/exchange" this book, I would do so.

Terrible narrator

This was the worse narrator I’ve ever listened to. She was totally inept at male voices and really ruined the book for me.

Still going strong

Monica Ferris is still going strong with this series. The narration left a lot to be desired. There was no distinction between characters. I still enjoyed this book/audiobook.

Like a mother reading to a child.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, for the story... Maybe as an actual book, not as audio with Betsy Bronson as the narrator.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Drowning Spool?

I love the character of Wilma. She is so fun, and she has a litlle bit of michieviousness about her that is super fun! I want to say more, but I don't want to be a spoiler...

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator used voices that I use when reading to children. As a woman doing a male voice, speaking in a deep voice. I once read that when trying to do a male voice as a woman there are better ways of handling it. Also, for all women other than the main character she used the same voice, high and screechy... This didn't apply at all. Fortunately, when Betsy was speaking or no one was speaking she did a good job. I would say she needs to work out ways to breathe life into characters that are less like caricatures and more like good acting.

Did The Drowning Spool inspire you to do anything?

All of the needlecraft mystery books have inspired me. I have picked up crocheting again, and cross stitch and am attempting projects I haven't even thought about in years. It's really wonderful.

Any additional comments?

I have listened to the books several times over (with space in between) The characters themselves are really awesome. They aren't perfect, they aren't all loveable, I don't agree with the views of every character. The authoer (Monica Ferris) does a good job of making the reader feel like a part of the book. She draws you in with descriptions of needlework, and into true personalities. The characters are not one dimensional by any means.

Narrator didn't help, but good story!

Betsy Bronson's narration has gotten so many raps in the reviews here that I almost didn't get this book. The narration is a bit annoying, but the story is good. There are scenes in the story where Betsy & Connor are reminiscing, singing the old English music hall songs that they love, and I must say that Betsy Bronson's singing voice was a plus.

Yes, pretty much all the voice "styles" of the characters we have grown to know seem crazily wrong, but for me the story still prevailed.

Still recommended!

Betsy Bronson is no Susan Boyce

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I love the Betsy Devonshire books, but the narrator on this one is sadly not good at believable character voices.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Betsy Bronson is a good straight reader, but gives Phil, Doris and Conor ridiculously low voices, and then some female characters squeaky high ones. I personally found it very, very infuriating. The usual reader Susan Boyce is so much better.