Twilight of Empire

The Tragedy at Mayerling and the End of the Habsburgs

By: Greg King, Penny Wilson

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

On a snowy January morning in 1889, a worried servant hacked open a locked door at the remote hunting lodge deep in the Vienna Woods. Inside, he found two bodies sprawled on an ornate bed, blood oozing from their mouths. Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary appeared to have shot his 17-year-old mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, as she slept, sat with the corpse for hours, and, when dawn broke, turned the pistol on himself.

A century has transformed this bloody scene into romantic tragedy: star-crossed lovers who preferred death together than to be parted by a cold, unfeeling Viennese Court. But Mayerling is also the story of family secrets: incestuous relationships and mental instability; blackmail, venereal disease, and political treason; and a disillusioned, morphine-addicted Crown Prince and a naïve schoolgirl caught up in a dangerous and deadly waltz inside a decaying empire.

What happened in that locked room remains one of history's most evocative mysteries: What led Rudolf and mistress to this desperate act? Was it really a suicide pact? Or did something far more disturbing take place at that remote hunting lodge and result in murder? Drawing interviews with members of the Habsburg family and archival sources in Vienna, Greg King and Penny Wilson reconstruct this historical mystery, laying out evidence and information long ignored that conclusively refutes the romantic myth and the conspiracy stories.

©2017 Greg King and Penny Wilson (P)2018 Tantor

The Story of the Beginning of the End of a Dynasty

A good recounting of the death of Crown Prince Rudolph. This book touches on the flaws of man, his place in the imperial family, and his role as the heir to the empire.

Major rumors of the deaths at Mayerling are discussed, but one fact remains, especially for those who wish to believe that His Highness was distraught and depressed to unclear thinking. Rudolph rose at about 6 am on his last day; was dressed, and gave orders to his valet for days hunting party as well as breakfast and when he wished to be aroused from a nap at 7:30 am by his valet. Shortly after this, the valet hears two gunshots in close succession, smells gunpowder, attempts to open the door to the Crown Prince's apartment, finds it locked and tries to enter Rudolph's apartment through the Crown Princess's apartment but finding that connecting door also locked. The valet does attempt to call Rudolph's name but receives no answer, and so, lets the matter drop. Oddly, the valet does not summon any one, or all, of the three police guards who are posted to duty at Mayerling. Oversight? Sheer forgetfulness? Or orders not to?

One version of the death scene is simply a single gunshot to the head of each victim with a fully nude Mary Vetsera on the right side of the bed closest to the door. Rudolph is on left side of the bed, still dressed, legs over the side, gunshot wound to the right temple with a massive exit wound to left top and rear of his skull, presumed a murder suicide. Another version is the two victims were both murdered with the Crown Prince's body showing evidence of a struggle and the revolver not being his with all Chambers containing empty shells. A curious statement from a carriage driver to the effect that "the beaters and others will not be needed because the Crown Prince is dead." This statement is not explored as to how this servant knows this and the circumstances leading to this observation.

The murder-suicide account is accepted; yet, various cover stories are thrown up by the Imperial government as well as documents disappearing regarding events at Mayerling. There is just enough information existing to leave nagging questions. Yet the tragedy is enough to begin the end of the Habsburg empire.

Eh?

It should be a fascinating, heartbreaking story. Instead, this version is a gratingly read, poorly directed question mark. The emotionless way the reader (who has the most annoying voice I've ever heard) reads, you would think were were listening to a recipe for tuna casserole rather than a murder mystery. Ugh. Returning.

Exceptional account of a most tragic event

“Twilight of Empire” is a stirring account of tragedy, intrigue, and a most awful act that left the world wondering why. This book sheds light on the reasons this tragedy happened, without sensationalist speculation. No one really knows exactly what happened on that tragic night or why. Anne Flosnik’s narration is melodic and sets the perfect tone for the tale.

Is this narrator actually an AI bot?

The narration is rather painful to take in—stilted, severe, with occasionally odd emphasis. I persevered in order to learn more about these events, but it was rough going.
The structure of the book itself is sound. Given the information presented and assuming all sources are traceable, the conclusions drawn seem both logical and well-presented.
O, and prepare thyself for a completely useless and eye-roll inducing bit of trans + homophobia from the authors about 4/5 of the way through…?

Not me for

I could not listen to this narrator. I tried very hard as I was interested in the story. I had to return it.