Opening Night
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Narrated by:
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James Saxon
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By:
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Ngaio Marsh
About this listen
Dreams of stardom had lured Martyn Tarne from faraway New Zealand to make the dreary, soul-destroying round of West End agents and managers in search of work.
The Vulcan Theatre had been her last forlorn hope, and now, driven by sheer necessity, she was glad to accept the humble job of dresser to its leading lady. And then came the eagerly awaited opening night.
To Martyn the night brought a strange turn of the wheel of fortune - but to one distinguished member of the cast it was to bring sudden and unforeseen death....
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Too much history, not enough story
- By Kathryn G. on 11-30-16
By: Sulari Gentill
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Lord Peter Wimsey: Novels 1-3
- By: Dorothy L. Sayers
- Narrated by: Graham Scott
- Length: 26 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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The first three mysteries for Dorothy L. Sayers' aristocratic sleuth: first, a body is discovered in a Battersea bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez, on the same night that financier Sir Reuben Levy disappears from his Park Lane home. Then, Wimsey returns to England when his brother, the Duke of Denver, is accused of murdering the fiance of their sister, Lady Mary, and a trial in the House of Lords looms; and finally, an overheard conversation in a restaurant begins an investigation of the strangely premature death of wealthy and terminally ill old lady Miss Agatha Dawson.
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Love Lord Peter
- By Mav's mom on 10-16-24
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Grey Mask
- Miss Silver, Book 1
- By: Patricia Wentworth
- Narrated by: Diana Bishop
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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The first of the classic mysteries featuring governess-turned-detective Miss Silver, who investigates a deadly conspiratorial ring. Charles Moray has come home to England to collect his inheritance. After four years wandering the jungles of India and South America, the hardy young man returns to the manor of his birth, where generations of Morays have lived and died. Strangely, he finds the house unlocked, and sees a light on in one of its abandoned rooms. Eavesdropping, he learns of a conspiracy to commit a fearsome crime.
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The shaky first of a long, strong series
- By Phebe on 07-21-15
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Crime and Punishment
- Penguin Classics
- By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Oliver Ready
- Narrated by: Don Warrington
- Length: 25 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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This acclaimed new translation of Dostoyevsky's 'psychological record of a crime' gives his dark masterpiece of murder and pursuit a renewed vitality, expressing its jagged, staccato urgency and fevered atmosphere as never before. Raskolnikov, a destitute and desperate former student, wanders alone through the slums of St. Petersburg, deliriously imagining himself above society's laws. But when he commits a random murder, only suffering ensues.
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Best translation on audible – mediocre narrator
- By Fantod on 04-29-20
By: Fyodor Dostoevsky, and others
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Death Makes a Prophet
- By: John Bude
- Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Welworth Garden City in the 1940s is a forward-thinking town where free spirits find a home - vegetarians, socialists, and an array of exotic religious groups. Chief among these are the Children of Osiris, led by the eccentric High Prophet, Eustace K. Mildmann. The cult is a seething hotbed of petty resentment, jealousy and dark secrets - which eventually lead to murder. The stage is set for one of Inspector Meredith's most bizarre and exacting cases.
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Fine story good writing
- By peter on 06-28-22
By: John Bude
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Dombey and Son
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 36 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In this carefully crafted novel, Dickens reveals the complexity of London society in the enterprising 1840s as he takes the listener into the business firm and home of one of its most representative patriarchs, Paul Dombey.
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Perfect pair
- By Philip on 03-25-08
By: Charles Dickens
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Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar
- By: Maurice Leblanc
- Narrated by: Walter Covell
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Maurice Leblanc, a writer of detective fiction during the same period as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, created Arsene Lupin, a sort of French Robin Hood. An inventive genius, a master of disguise, and an accomplished actor, Lupin operates in the choice chateaux and salons. He scorns sham and with great disdain leaves his card in a baron's residence. The card reads, "Arsene Lupin, gentleman-burglar, will return when the furniture is genuine."
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An Old Favorite Made Better
- By Donna Marie on 08-09-07
By: Maurice Leblanc
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The Secret Adversary & N or M?
- Two Bestselling Agatha Christie Novels in One Great Audiobook
- By: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Hugh Fraser
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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From the brilliant pen of Agatha Christie comes two novels featuring the beloved sleuthing duo: In the The Secret Adversary, Tommy and Tuppence decide to embark on a daring business scheme: Young Adventurers Ltd. But they get more than they bargained for when their first assignment for the sinister Mr. Whittington draws them into a diabolical conspiracy. Set during the dark days of World War II, Agatha Christie’s N or M? puts two most unlikely espionage agents, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, on the trail of a pair of Nazi spies who have murdered Britain’s top agent.
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Hugh Fraser is great!
- By Cheryl McInerney on 09-06-22
By: Agatha Christie
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Bulldog Drummond
- By: Sapper
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Demobilised officer, finding peace incredibly tedious, would welcome diversion. Legitimate if possible; excitement essential. When Captain Hugh Drummond, DSO, MC placed that advertisement, he was looking for adventure. What he finds is an international plot headed by the greatest criminal mastermind in the world.
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Fantastic Narration
- By nooch85 on 07-21-18
By: Sapper
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The Recognitions
- By: William Gaddis
- Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
- Length: 47 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Wyatt Gwyon's desire to forge is not driven by larceny but from love. Exactingly faithful to the spirit and letter of the Flemish masters, he produces uncannily accurate "originals" - pictures the painters themselves might have envied. In an age of counterfeit emotion and taste, the real and fake have become indistinguishable; yet Gwyon's forgeries reflect a truth that others cannot touch - cannot even recognize.
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Breathtaking, Dizzying, Stimulating, Funny
- By andrew on 11-17-10
By: William Gaddis
What listeners say about Opening Night
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Helen L.
- 09-14-16
Intensely written, performed and enjoyed
You don't have to know all about theater to enjoy the wonderful recreation of backstage and onstage life created here by mystery master Ngaio Marsh, who was also immersed in theater herself. This little troupe finds itself in a crisis. We are drawn in wondering first who will be killed (because someone always is) and then who did it? Plenty of motives and clues, as usual, brilliant and unbelievably speedy detection by Alleyne, but we still don't know who did it until the very end. How nice is that!
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- Lady Wesley
- 12-01-21
Fun at the theatre
Ngaio Marsh is known for setting several of her Golden Age-era mysteries in the theatre, which she knew very well as a vocation and avocation. Just for fun, I have been revisiting those theatre-set stories.
Opening Night/Night at the Vulcan (pub. 1951) is fascinating. I like the characters -- most of them anyway. (As an aside, I have noticed that even though Marsh loves the theatre, she may not love all actors. Some of them are very unpleasant, even if innocent of murder.) The mystery was very good as well.
Unfortunately, this is one of those books where Alleyn does not appear until more than halfway into the story, but once he does enter the stage he dominates. Marsh kept me guessing until the end.
James Saxon narrated many -- perhaps all -- of Marsh's books, and I have found his performances to be oddly uneven. In this case, he was excellent.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Virginia
- 05-21-23
One of Ngaio Marsh’s Best
A great British period piece. If you are a theater lover you will enjoy this one particularly. Outstanding narrator.
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- ltufromberkeley
- 09-04-21
classic Marsh
Starting as a valentine to theater, Marsh develops the characters so well that I found myself rooting for my favorites. Beautifully performed by Saxon. Highly recommended.
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- Bookish chick
- 04-21-16
Characters trump plot
Would you consider the audio edition of Opening Night to be better than the print version?
I read the book years ago and remember really enjoying it for the characters and the theater setting. Listening to it again years later, I see why I enjoyed it. While dated by time, the characters are interesting (except for the purposely annoying ones) and the insider's view of the theater is interesting. The murder is really secondary to the characters and their relationships.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Opening Night?
The opening moments with literally "starving artist" and her serendipitous finding of a job and food captures both attention and sympathy.
What about James Saxon’s performance did you like?
Real variety of voices.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The kindness of Badger and Jacko to Martyn is poignant.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Thomas
- 02-12-18
fabulously read with amazing voices
the reader represents cast of actors beautifully with expression nuance and great differentiation of both male and female voices
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- Jamie Kopp
- 08-31-17
love this series
Where does Opening Night rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
All of is series are great. It ranks in the top 10.
What did you like best about this story?
The characters are richly described.
What does James Saxon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I am an auditory learner so these are wonderful.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
No
Any additional comments?
Please continue this series.
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- TX lilbit
- 01-02-24
Classic with best narrator
Loved James Saxon and how he voices Allen and Fox. He’s the best and this is one of Marsh’s finest books.
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- Nick B.
- 02-01-24
Best writer for theatre murders
As usual Ngaio Marsh weaves a tale that brings the characters alive. Her knowledge of the theatre makes all the difference. As is often the case; the actual murder occurs rather late in the story but you become invested in the characters right away so it does not matter. And of course James Saxon is one of the best narrators.
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- Rick
- 11-15-20
Dull
Ngaio March loves the stage as a setting for murder as much as Agatha Christie loved the country house. I find the latter to be much more interesting. As for the book, it is certainly not a good sign when you get to the murder and you don't remember the victim being a character in the book. I decided to jump back a few hours and see what I had missed. It made me realize how often my mind wanders away from the story in a Marsh book. The book centers on a wanna be actress main character who is likeable enough. Alleyn does not appear until late and his solution is fairly standard. The reader did a decent job in this one, not his usual over acting.
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1 person found this helpful