The Zebra-Striped Hearse Audiobook By Ross Macdonald cover art

The Zebra-Striped Hearse

Lew Archer, Book 10

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Zebra-Striped Hearse

By: Ross Macdonald
Narrated by: Edward Asner, Kathryn Harrold, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Pantoliano
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.16

Buy for $17.16

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Celebrated private eye Lew Archer is hired by a father intent on preventing the marriage of his daughter to a penniless and possibly murderous artist. The chase takes Archer from Mexico to Lake Tahoe and from the San Francisco Bay area to Los Angeles as more than one murder crowds the investigation.

©2000 KCRW (P)2000 Ross MacDonald
Crime Thrillers Fiction Hard-Boiled Mystery Private Investigators Suspense Thriller & Suspense Detective Thriller
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
Intricately Conceived Plots • Twisting Surprising Endings • Excellent Cast • Complex Layered Writings • Intriguing Mystery
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Although distributed under the BBC name, this was originally produced by LA radio station KCRW, which did several such large-cast unabridged readings back in the day. Harris Yulin directed and plays Archer. Others in the cast include Tyne Daly, Richard Masur, Harry Shearer, and Bruce Davison.

Excellent Novel and Performance by Large Cast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I never listen to mystery books. Just not my thing. However, this story is so iconic and touches on every good part of the genre. Then the performances bring the whole thing to life! I recommend this book to everyone.

Just this once.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I liked the intricacy of the plotting — and laughed at the two california actors’ ridiculous pronunciation of Camino Real (are they sleeping together under the same rock). The essay that follows the novel is worthy.

Complicated noir

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Macdonald is one of the best noir mystery writers from the 50s and 60s. His plots are all similar in that the key to solving a mystery is in the past and hinges on motives. Knowing this is of little help in unravelling any particular mystery as his plots are full of twists and turns and the end is usually a surprise. Unlike many modern mystery writers, whose books can be used for door stops (e.g. Elizabeth George and Robert Galbraith), Macdonald's novels are short as we learn little about Lew Archer, his protagonist. It's all about the mystery. "The Zebra-Striped Hearse" is typical Macdonald: Archer sorts through a basket full of interesting characters in order to solve several murders and in the end the reader exclaims, "I didn't see that one coming." This one is special as it is presented as a BBC radio production with big name actors (e.g. Edward Asner as Lew Archer). Enjoy!

If you haven't read any Lew Archer novels, don't be afraid to start anywhere. Each is an independent mystery as there is no character development of Archer, the tough guy hero. He used to be a police detective and is divorced; all there is to know.

Typical Archer mystery as done by full BBC cast

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

if you've not read or listened to his works, please start now. His deftly wrought writings are layered, complex and, well, just perfect. This was my first. I believe it is the start of a roll.

Ross MacDonald is a treasure!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This was produced by a radio station in Los Angeles, and it has some high priced talent. It’s quite good.
The last 3 chapters are a biography of the author. Skip it unless you’re a big fan.

Good Production

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The story is better than most Plus books and the performance with the large cast is excellent. I recommend for those who like vintage detective mysteries.

Nice Surprise

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The cast of narrators is amazing and the twists are engaging. Such. Good story and the prologue explains his own personal life and its struggles,

Psychological character portrayals

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

And then, a twist here, a turn there…an intricately conceived plot! Very much enjoyed the story and the performances.

Twists and Turns

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

If you cherish high-quality luminary prose interwoven into the contemporary fiction genre of detective novels— you must experience the brilliance and insight of American literary titan, Ross Macdonald, aka Ken Miller.

American Detective Fiction At Its Finest

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews