The Highgate Cemetery Murder

A Tate and Bell Mystery, Book 1

De: Irina Shapiro

Narrado por: Imogen Church

His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: “Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I’m being followed.”

Hours later, the man’s cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn’t save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.

Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother’s notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what “milky way” meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?

©2024 Irina Shapiro (P)2024 Storm Publishing

Returned: Probably Very Good, but very Over-acted

I want to read this book, and will probably get it on paper or kindle, but I returned the Audible version after listening to the first few chapters. I could not tolerate the narrator any longer. She has a fine voice and reads well, but she *performs* every sentence, giving an overly dramatic reading that as often as not completely misses the tone of the story. Every moment is over-the-top emotional, riddled with stress, suspense, and an aggression that the text does not call for. It's over-acted in the style of middle-school recital or b-grade soap opera. I want to know what happens in this story, but I cannot bear to hear it from this narrator.

Great start to a new series!

I love everything Irina Shapiro has written! She comes up with amazingly twisted stories! I’m happy for a new series but hope to see more of Redmond and Haze and Nicole Rayburn.

Solid mystery, extensive descriptions of sexual violence.

The plot hinges on violence against women, much of it sexual violence. If hearing sometimes graphic descriptions of such attacks is difficult for you, then listen with caution. The mystery is solid, characterization and historical detail are strong.

Overly Dramatic Narration

The narrator was overly dramatic to the point of distraction. Not wanting to give up on the story, I made it through by advancing the speed, which made the listen a little more tolerable.

Exaggerated narration

The narration was so overly dramatic that it totally ruined the story for me. I might have enjoyed the book more if I was not constantly irritated by the narrator.