The Mangle Street Murders

By: M. R. C. Kasasian

Narrated by: Emma Gregory

Length: 7 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Gower Street, London, 1882: Sidney Grice, London's most famous personal detective, is expecting a visitor. He drains his fifth pot of morning tea, and glances outside, where a young, plain woman picks her way between the piles of horse-dung towards his front door. Sidney Grice shudders. For heaven's sake - she is wearing brown shoes. The Mangle Street Murders is for those who like their crime original, atmospheric, and very, very funny.

©2013 M. R. C. Kasasian (P)2014 W F Howes Ltd

Critic Reviews

"One of the most delightful and original new novels of the year, this is the first in a series that could well become a cult. Grice and Middleton promise to become a positive treat. Catch them now." ( Daily Mail)

Easy listening detective story

I enjoyed the book. I made for an easy listening. The only points which were a bit annoying was the constant effort put into by both male and female characters to remind us that back then men thought they were clever and women hopeless. Although true in effect I doubt men would spend so much time making the point and women taking every opportunity to set them right. This "modern"day attitude towards women's rights kind of killed the atmosphere at times

Not Quite My Pot of Tea

Attracted by the number of positive reviews I decided to give this one a spin. It's clearly being enjoyed by a lot of people. It just wasn't on my frequency though, I've possibly read one or two too many books where it's a smugness competition between two equally clever and dumb lead protagonists.

It's well read by Emma Gregory. I thought her performance and delivery suited the book very well. Indeed there were some very good parts. March's childhood memories of being taken to a hanging by her father were powerful. There were also one or two genuinely amusing scenes including the two police constables with the grappling hooks by the marsh.

In the end though, it didn't quite grab me as it obviously has others. I think the smug characters came dangerously close to caricatures and once the lack of humanity in the Grice character failed to make me laugh it was uphill going. The publisher describing the book as "very, very funny" definitely felt a shade over-optimistic.

Still, lots of others like it and it does have a clever plot so there are certainly worse ways to spend a credit!

34 of 37 people found this review helpful

Funny, entertaining and unpredictable

Would you listen to The Mangle Street Murders again? Why?

Yes, the plot twists and turns and the subtle humour would be great for a re-listen.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and quick wit.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh out loud on several dog walks!

Any additional comments?

Really good book for those mystery lovers who like humour to the dark side.

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

A very good read

This detective story did not disappoint. The main character was absolutely brilliantly constructed. The relationship between him and his ward was extremely entertaining.

The narration was perfectly performed, allowing the story to flow seamlessly.

I would definitely recommend this book to those who want to read a light and entertaining book.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Unfunny Victorian personal detective

Bought this as it had great reviews.

Unfortunately not my cup of tea. It was described as very funny, but this was grossly exaggerated.

Sidney Grice personal detective and hero of the hour has nothing likeable in his character. March his charge and side kick is moderately likeable but still rather silly.

The story was good, and I liked the Victorian setting, however there are lots of funny detective stories out there to chose from.
This one infortunately failed to deliver by making the principal characters so unlikeable.

On a positive note Emma Gregory was a good narrator.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Bravo and now for the next book!

I purchased this book on a whim and expected it to be a light hearted but fairly vacuous spoof. Instead I was delighted to find that this is a witty but gripping detective story with two very engaging characters in the lead. March is a beguiling heroine, brought up on the battlefield by her army doctor father and with the sensibilities of a modern woman living within the constraints of Victorian society. Her guardian Sidney Grice is a notorious detective with uncompromisingly despicable views. Their relationship is therefore a thunderous war of attrition and the joy of this story is their entertaining and occasionally hilarious sparring matches. Listen out for March's brilliant retort to the despicable police officer and Sidney's battles with his too large glass eye. Absolute gold dust.

The narrator pulls this of brilliantly and this was a fabulous listening experience. I am so happy there are more books in this series and will undoubtably purchase them all.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Good Fun

How to describe this story?? Homage? Parody? Satire? Whatever it's described as, if you enjoy the Holmes stories but are not a purest or scholar, you should enjoy this book. The main character has many of the traits of the great man but also, in some case, the opposite. I will not give anything away but I found this book witty and quite enthralling. There are many 'in jokes' which raised a smile. Looking forward to more.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

A Rare Treat

Where does The Mangle Street Murders rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I couldn't possibly say where The Mangle Street Murders ranks amongst all the audio books that I have listened to so far - I listen to a prodigious number. Suffice to say that I rated it highly enough to write a review, something that I have not done before.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the way that the story presented itself as a Victorian penny dreadful quite realistically, whilst in fact being a pastiche. The humour was written with a light hand and was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

Have you listened to any of Emma Gregory’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of Emma Gregory's other performances but thoroughly enjoyed her work this time with only one exception - her consistent mispronunciation of the words 'pince nez'! I have to say that it nearly drove me mad, in fact it is the only reason why I did not give her performance five stars! Normally pince nez do not crop up that frequently in the average novel but sadly in this one they did!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Glass eyes and pince nez :)

11 of 14 people found this review helpful

Excellent characters and good story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Mangle Street Murders to be better than the print version?

Yes the narrator is very good giving the characters their own voice and identity.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Mangle Street Murders?

I enjoyed the duos interaction especially Marchs replies to misogynist remarks.

What does Emma Gregory bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

A repeat question I think, however she is an excellent reader a joy to listen .

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Marchs sadness at times is moving as this kind of character development is often missing from detective novels, except when it's the clichéd man with drink/marriage problems etc. Her issues seem more real somehow.

Any additional comments?

One reviewer complained about sadism I have to say I could not see it as revelind in misery myself, some people like to sanatise this period in fiction, their were great horrors then in front of peoples eyes which were ignored at the time, maybe we should ignore them no longer. Would recommend YA lit to such people, though not Jaquline Wilson as that may be too real for them. I think its a pity to write off a book because of one or two short scenes you don't approve of.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Wonderful

It may be said many times that ' a person could not put the book down' but this really was one of those. What a wonderful story with truly interesting funny characters. It had me both laughing and cringing in parts as it did express often how people spoke to females in this Victorian time period. A murder whodunit with plenty of twists. Highly recommend

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Unloveable main character

This was an excellent and well crafted plot, but I had a great deal of trouble engaging with the main characters. Grice is supposed to be an endearing eccentric, but for most of the book he was just a total... well.... I can't think of a clean enough word! And I found the female lead March's constant references to smoking annoying. However, having said all that, just before the end Grice showed some signs of positive development, and the plot was so interesting that I might give book 2 a go.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful