A Lesson in Dying Audiobook By Ann Cleeves cover art

A Lesson in Dying

Inspector Ramsay, Book 1

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A Lesson in Dying

By: Ann Cleeves
Narrated by: Simon Mattacks
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A Lesson in Dying is the first mystery novel in the Inspector Ramsay series by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series.

Who hung the headmaster in the playground on the night of the school Halloween Party?

Almost everyone in Heppleburn either hated or feared the viper-tongued Harold Medburn. Inspector Ramsay is convinced it was the headmaster’s enigmatic wife but Jack Robson, school governor and caretaker, is determined to prove her innocence.

With the help of his restless daughter Patty, Jack digs into the secrets of Heppleburn, and uncovers a cesspit of lies, adultery, blackmail and madness . . .

Continue the classic whodunit series with Murder in My Backyard.

©1990 Ann Cleeves (P)2017 Isis Publishing Ltd Crime Crime Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Small Town & Rural
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It’s hard to believe that this book was written by Ann Cleeves. If you’ve read all of the Shetland, Vera and other great books that she wrote and decide to try some of her earlier works, don’t. Characters are either completely underdeveloped or run the gamut of all the usual stereotypes.

Her writing certainly got better since this book.

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I was happy to hear that this was one of Ann Cleaves’ first books…she definitely got better as I love her books and just assumed I would love this as well… but not so much.

Disappointed read

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Enjoyed listening to this first book, looking forward to listening to the next book while I knit.
Thanks

Enjoyed

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I love Ann Cleeves and everything she has written. However, when she sets the table for this story, all these characters are so confusing. Maybe I wasn’t listening close enough, but I was a little disoriented once I got it. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened as always with her stuff. Well done though well done.

A bit confusing in the beginning

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Love the author but this was hard to het into for me. Hope the series improves

So so

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A nasty school headmaster, the victims of his abuse, and a close-knit community make for an interesting murder mystery.

A new inspector

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The plot and story were good, but the character development (especially the detective) was not up to the standard I enjoy in other Cleeves novels.

Missing Vera and Perez

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Just ok, Cleeves certainly gets better. A short listen and don’t expect to grow any attachments to these characters, seems to be a straightforward narrative, with dull personas.

An earlier work

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It has been awhile since I have read an Ann Cleeves, one of the best crime novelists of our time.

Fantastic read

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Perhaps the fumbling detective is the disappointment. I found none of the characters appealing. Still, worth an afternoon’s reading.

Not up to Ann Cleves’s usual standard

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