Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The Secret Hangman  By  cover art

The Secret Hangman

By: Peter Lovesey
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.35

Buy for $24.35

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Delia Williamson, a waitress and mother of two young girls, is reported missing. She is soon found in a public park, hanging from the crossbar of a children's swing set. The postmortem reveals that she has been murdered. Her current partner, her ex-husband, and a traveling salesman who frequented her restaurant are all suspects. Before Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond can solve the mystery, more will die. But even as he pursues a killer, he finds himself pursued by a secret admirer.

©2007 Peter Lovesey (P)2016 Recorded Books

What listeners say about The Secret Hangman

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    262
  • 4 Stars
    133
  • 3 Stars
    32
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    308
  • 4 Stars
    80
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    224
  • 4 Stars
    124
  • 3 Stars
    40
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    3

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Plot contrived, Performance top notch

The Secret Hangman is the first Peter Diamond book that has struck me as overblown. While I loved as always the scenic elements of life in Bath, the mystery just didn't come together. Diamond's personal plight seemed almost operatically fraught toward the end - it stretched my ability to suspend disbelief. Diamond sounded and acted like a 1930's movie cop in one chapter. This book is NOT my favorite in the series (which I love BTW.) Best part: Simon Prebble's great performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really Excellent Wring & Narration

These are serial books. I found the first book and began listening by accident, having crossed up the name of one author with Peter Lovesy. I was hooked immediately. This first book was not the beginning of the series. Normally I would have gone to the beginning book. For some reason, maybe earlier books were not yet in recorded books. I listened to all from that point on though. I count get enough. I have loved the processes of the DIC Peter Lovesy's personal life especially but also the revealing of and developments among this co workers. There's humor, tension suspense and one feels annoyance, agonies, a full spectrum of emotions. There's a subtle poignancy in the writing by Peter Lovesey. There's a keen thoughtfulness to his writing, that manages to reveal detail in a sort of concise and natural way, without slowing the action. The procedural and relational features of the investigative, and policing seems very credible and well researched, truly and insiders view.

I'm certain that it is this amazing and deft writing as well as the crime and suspense that hooks the reader into wanting more and dreading reaching the end of the series...like you know that you'll miss Peter Dismond and his team, your people and team! Withdrawal

Oh and can't forget the superb Narrative performance of , Simon Prebble in this book and most others.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent read!

Simon Prebble is a masterful reader. The plot is an usual type of murder mystery and also brings into focus Diamond’s humanity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Engaging and unusual plot

Well written and captivating. A mystery that ultimately is not brilliantly resolved but well worth the read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story with twists, keeps your interest

Interesting plot, narration exceptional. Peter Diamond is a curmudgeon but a very likable one. Must get more of the series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • M.
  • 10-08-16

Good story!

A good story, although a little slow in getting going.
A real surprise ending.
Enjoyed it!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I'm so completely hooked on this series of books. This one is also excellent, but I'm getting good at picking the antagonist. Still it's all about the journey. All about the journey and discovery :) highly recommended

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mystery solved

Really enjoy listening to Simon read these stories! Thank you Peter Lovsey for your mystery books!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • AM
  • 09-22-23

Spectacular

Another fantastic Perter Diamond story by Peter Lovesey exquisitely performed by Simon Prebble. It appears I have developed an addiction to this particular pairing - I cannot stop listening! It is so refreshing that Lovesey’s writing is consistently creative, avoiding the formulaic story telling so many other authors of series seem to lapse into after 5 or 6 books. Lovesey’s imagination is higher order, and Prebble has the acting chops to bring every nuance to vivid life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

Excellent story line. Gripping finale.
Simon Prebble is one of the best Narrators of books, in this story he excelled .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!