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Death of an Author

By: E. C. R. Lorac
Narrated by: Simon Mattacks
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Publisher's summary

Vivian Lestrange - celebrated author of the popular mystery novel The Charterhouse Case and total recluse - has apparently dropped off the face of the Earth. Reported missing by his secretary Eleanor, whom Inspector Bond suspects to be the author herself looking for publicity, it appears that crime is afoot when Lestrange's housekeeper is also found to have disappeared. Bond and Warner of Scotland Yard set to work to investigate a murder with no body and a potentially fictional victim, as E. C. R. Lorac spins a twisting tale full of wry humour and red herrings, poking some fun at her contemporary reviewers who long suspected the Lorac pseudonym to belong to a man (since a woman could apparently not have written mysteries the way that she did).

©1935 The Estate of E. C. R. Lorac (P)2023 Soundings
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What listeners say about Death of an Author

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Surprisingly Complex..

I was quite impressed by the author of this book..
It was complex and fully packed with red herrings

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Everything You Want Out of a Mystery

A classic mystery, that is, with an emphasis on character and dialogue. The buoyant character of our chief inspector is infectious. His detective sergeant is skeptical yet surprisingly imaginative. Their chief suspect is an enigma and a treasure at the same time. And Simon Mattacks makes them even more engaging.

What's more, this is a book that, among other topics, discusses the idea of the mystery story as serious literature, something other than, as the publisher character here puts it, "here today and gone tomorrow". Certainly we should be glad this one is still here today.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Okay at first

but by the end I just didn't care. Narration a good fit for the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite so far

Lorac was skilled and clever and the performance of this book was well done. The flow and plot twists were superb, the threads were neatly tied, and characters consistent

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

And thoroughly enjoyable. The mystery was interesting, the characters thoughtfully drawn, and the conclusion surprising but plausible.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun Listen, Well Read

This was a recommendation after I finished the Lord Wimsey books, it was fun. I’ll explore more from this author.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Golden Age Mysteries

These books are my absolute favorite. No unnecessary cussing, sex. Just a great story. Wish there were more like this. ECR Lorac is one of the best.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Clever plot and excellent characters

I was hooked from the start.
The deceptive and progressive plot elements were pure gold

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Modern classic mystery

Intricate and surprisingly fresh. The puzzle is complex, but not ridiculous. The period details, particularly the transport is great.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting Mystery

Found this to be one of the more intriguing Lorac stories. The narrator isn't at all bad, but no one can compare to David Thorpe and his marvelous characterizations, so any narrator coming after is bound to be a bit of a letdown.

p.s. Hold the phone ... Having said that about David Thorpe, I just tried to listen to Crook O'Lune and the voice of the clergyman is bad enough that I'm skipping that one as an audiobook.

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