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Kelly Garland

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So disappointing

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-19-24

I’ll bet Emilia Fox wishes she’d demanded a bonus every time she had to read “the hunt”. Honestly, they seem to have been used at least once in each paragraph of this story.
Worse than that is the lackluster story behind the words. It had such promise: murder, mystery, antiques- what’s not to love? I wish I had. Alas, I could not finish even 19 of the 57 chapters. The final straw was Ms Fox ( who I really like and often look for as narrator) giving one character’s “soft accent of someone from the (American) South” the old Deliverance white trash treatment. Whhutt urr yoo dooin heehr? Too much for me. Returning.

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2 people found this helpful

Delightful!

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

Reviewed: 01-12-23

A romp- an entirely enjoyable, ingeniously thought out romp! I’d love to hear from these characters again

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1 person found this helpful

Cute cozy. Narrated, apparently, by a baby

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

Reviewed: 05-21-22

The story was pretty good, modern elements plugged into tried and true mm formula. Mostly likable characters. But that baby voice. Idk if I can get through more installments if all read by this narrator. Everyone is a baby, except for Lois, an older character who sounds like the Wicked Witch from Oz. One other thing: More Watson, please, if I am to endure the lisping toddler voice.

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1 person found this helpful

Enjoyed! Except for the perplexing ageism

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

Reviewed: 05-13-22

I love this MC- she is smart, snarky funny without being the least obnoxious, optimistic, and just all around likable. I’d love to have her as a friend. The story was cleverly plotted, with little twists and surprises throughout. I look very much forward to future installments.
However, regarding the cellphone use and resulting savvy of persons in their 50s-60s, this author is remarkably out of touch. LIGHTWEIGHT SPOILERS: One character asks of someone, “would she even know how to send a photo from her phone? She must be about 60”. Child, please. And another over-50 consistently refers to a cellphone as a mobile cellular telephone or device, and mentions not knowing how to charge one. What? How does Ms Pershing imagine that those over 30 communicate with others or function at all in today’s world? Ridiculous- and insulting. Wise up please.

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17 people found this helpful

Needs a more scrupulous editor, but ok

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-09-22

This would have been much more cohesive- and enjoyable- had it had 45 mins or so lopped off. The protraction of the storyline gave too much opportunity for the protagonist to become obnoxious. What a know it all she is. With repetition, what she imagines is assertiveness on her part comes off as abrasiveness.
Another editor might have noted the several jarring. anachronisms in dialogue also. The rather proper English butler/valet says something is ‘way colder,’ the MC smarty pants uses the ‘NOT’ of modern sarcasm, and also ‘No way!’ Just as we would. As this story is set in the late 1910s, none of these terms would have been in use, of course.
The narrator is ok. Although somehow her inflections when voicing the MC serve to make her just the least bit more, well, grating.
I wanted to like this much more; I purchased 2 of the series during recent bogo; probably will not start the second.

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3 people found this helpful

I’m enjoying this series; however,

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

Reviewed: 03-06-22

I am inclined, I find, to despise a paragon, especially when a character’s beauty, intelligence, personal ethics, and magnanimity are all part of the incomparable package. Gag. So I was never going to be a fan of the Percy (Persephone) in this series. She even-and, of course- has a cool name. So *SPOILER OF A KIND* I am not happy that she is to be a large part of every installment. Likewise and more so, Lenox’s rhapsodizing about all the aforementioned virtues possessed by his heroine. It is just too much. More murder& sleuthing, please; less goo

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Delightful!

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

Reviewed: 03-04-22

I think Christopher- not Chrissy!- might be my new favorite character. I am so happy I purchased this title, and am thrilled there is a second offering in the series. Hope for many more!
PS: Author Benedict Brown speaks briefly at the end of the recording, and I must say he sounds as likable as his protagonist!

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4 people found this helpful

Murder at the Spring Ball Audiobook By Benedict Brown cover art

Delightful!

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

Reviewed: 03-04-22

I think Christopher- not Chrissy!- might be my new favorite character. I am so happy I purchased this title, and am thrilled there is a second offering in the series. Hope for many more!
PS: Author Benedict Brown speaks briefly at the end of the recording, and I must say he sounds as likable as his protagonist!

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2 people found this helpful

Lovely Christmas tale

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

Reviewed: 11-12-21

This is just a nice, sweet account of doing good and righting wrongs in the Scottish Highlands. Enough saltiness from MacBeth and others to level out the sweet, and a charming new character is introduced.
The only sour note for this listener is the intrusion of irritating, highly overrated Priscilla Hyphenated High Horse. Never could stand the woman.

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1 person found this helpful

Must Love Dogs: A Howliday Tale Audiobook By Claire Cook cover art

Death by narration

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
1 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 11-12-21

My hat’s off to any who make it through the parts of this book where the dad is speaking. Good lord. Don’t narrators have to audition??

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1 person found this helpful