The Sculptress

By: Minette Walters

Narrated by: Sandra Burr

Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Everyone knows Olive Martin, the huge and menacing woman who was found five years ago with the carved-up bodies of her mother and younger sister. Everyone knows how she pleaded guilty to murder at her trial. And everyone knows not to anger the Sculptress even now that she is safely locked in prison for a minimum of 25 years.

When Rosalind Leigh accepts a commission to write a book about Olive, she finds herself wondering what lies behind all of these facts that everyone knows. When Roz first visits her in prison, she finds that Olive is not quite what she expected. And if - as Roz is repeatedly warned - Olive lies about almost everything, then why did she confess so readily to two hideous murders? The deeper she is drawn into the shadowy world of the Sculptress, the more firmly she is convinced that Olive is hiding something - perhaps even her innocence. But whom could Olive be protecting - and why?

©1994 Minette Walters (P)2009 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Edgar Award, Best Novel, 1994

Good story, poor narration

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

Yes, but only if they can overlook the tedious narration.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Sculptress?

The last few sentences...

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Sandra Burr?

Anyone British. Most Americans do dreadful British accents and Sandra Burr's accents were labored and forced. I was always aware that she was an American "acting" the part. It was distracting.

Could you see The Sculptress being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It has already been filmed as a BBC film.

Any additional comments?

This book made me want to read more Minette Walters.

Should’ve Paid More Attention to the Reviews

If I recall correctly, thankfully I bought this as a Daily Deal rather than having paid full price or using a credit. Agreed with many reviewers - not sure why the narrator would bounce between the appropriate and necessary British accent and American - distracting indeed. I also found the myriad characters & concurrent-yet-not-quite-related storylines confusing. I stuck through til the end, but only out of stubbornness.

The Sculptress

Beautifully written and narrated.
I loved the story till the end could not guess the ending
Would highly recommend this book

Sculptress

What made the experience of listening to The Sculptress the most enjoyable?

I think the narrator was great, but the story was riveting to me.

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

Yes, it did. There were two mysteries going on at the same time, the old mystery and the new one created by the writer.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hard to say, the love story was lovely. But several scenes from the investigation and subsequent reveal were also.

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

A different kind of locked room mystery.

Any additional comments?

This is a kind of timeless mystery that still leaves you wondering. I really like this author's work.

The narrator spoiled it!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I am aware of the story line having seen it on UK TV decades ago and was interested to hear the book for this reason, as I know there is a twist but can't remember the end. However the american accent trying to do British accents was a mixture of poor Audrey Hepburn accents!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Sculptress?

The prison guard who sounds like Eliza Doolittle (before) and the British main character who sounds like Audrey in a Roman Holiday with an american accented inner dialogue (which is actually a blessing)! Olive comes from DaRlington not Dallington and surely even Americans frown, not frowen - and I'm not through the first hour yet!

How could the performance have been better?

Select any British accented narrator - Pauline Quirk who played Olive in the UK Drama would have been excellent....at all the accents.

Could you see The Sculptress being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It was and it starred Pauline Quirk who was brilliant in it.

Any additional comments?

Really you couldn't find any British accented person to narrate this book?

Good voice acting

A good whodunnit - keeps twisting to the end.
I have to complete writing this for some reason I don't understand

Enjoyable

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes- really liked the book, nice story and pace.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Sandra Burr?

Anyone else. The narration detracted significantly from the book. The accents and the different voices were pretty bizarre, and made the main character in particular come across as very prissy and a little annoying, where the actual writing didn't necessarily need to come across that way.

Narration is the worst I've heard.

The story was probably a decent tale. More unique than many these days, but the performance was impossible for me to get through. I believe it was a North American narrator; in any case the accents she produced were painful to hear. She should have just read in her own accent and used her own country' s accents to delineate the characters. Spoiled the novel.

Good story but.....

Poor narration truly distracted from a good mystery. The romance portion was something of Marilyn Monroe/Scarlett O’Hara and caveman Rhett butler...a romance that can only be described as adolescent and prurient. On the other hand a god story with developed and interesting characters.

Top-notch crime fiction

Unlike the other review here, I didn't find the romantic plot twist a distraction from the story. The twists and turns of the narrative were first-rate and the plot kept me guessing until the last few chapters. Great stuff and a terrific listen.