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The Sunshine Cruise Company

By: John Niven
Narrated by: Maggie Ollerenshaw
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Summary

Susan Frobisher and Julie Wickham are turning 60. They live in a small Dorset town and have been friends since school. On the surface Susan has it all - a lovely house and a long marriage to accountant Barry. Life has not been so kind to Julie, but now, with several failed businesses and bad relationships behind her, she has found stability: living in a council flat and working in an old people's home.

Then Susan's world is ripped apart when Barry is found dead in a secret flat - or, rather, a sex dungeon. It turns out Barry has been leading a double life as a swinger. He's run up a fortune in debts, and now the bank is going to take Susan's home.

Until, under the influence of an octogenarian gangster named Nails, the women decide that, rather than let the bank take everything Susan has, they're going to take the bank. With the help of Nails and the thrill-crazy, wheelchair-bound Ethel, they pull off the daring robbery but soon find that getting away with it is not so easy.

The Sunshine Cruise Company is a sharp satire of friendship, ageing, the English middle classes, and the housing bubble from one of Britain's sharpest and funniest writers.

©2015 John Niven (P)2015 Random House AudioBooks (UK)
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What listeners say about The Sunshine Cruise Company

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  • Overall
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Amusing

Funny story, kept me amused for a while. If you don’t like a lot of bad language it’s not for you.

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  • Overall
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I loved this book

Where does The Sunshine Cruise Company rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed every minute of this book. I place it at the top.

What did you like best about this story?

Brilliant characters, great unique story, great ending and, of course, the humour.

What does Maggie Ollerenshaw bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Maggie Ollerenshaw if one of my favourite narrators. She can do the cockney accent to perfection.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I don't care about the tag line... call it whatever you like... just please, please, please make this book into a film. I can just imagine some of the brilliant British older actors and actresses starring in it. Just make sure it's a British film with British actors!

Any additional comments?

Message to John Niven: more books like this one please.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb...Love John Niven

This is an excellent piece of work. Really enjoyed the listen. Totally recommended!! Top work Mr. Niven 😁👌

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Funniest book I have read for ages.

I found myself laughing out loud on the train which got me some very strange looks. Although there is quite a lot of swearing and some potentially horrific scenes, they are written in such a way that you forget what you are r listening to because of the way it is written. Deafly going to look out for his other books.

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7 people found this helpful

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Brilliant!

Brilliant story, I couldn't put it down; laughed out load at several points, best story I've heard in a long time!

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4 people found this helpful

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Brilliant again

Please please please make this into a movie. I cried with laughter for the best part of 10 hours. Amazing

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2 people found this helpful

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Well written - made me laugh

Great story and narration. Wonderful sense of humour and an engaging story. Had a hard time stopping.

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1 person found this helpful

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Brilliant

I have seldom laughed out loud so often! I will listen to this book over and over and recommend it to everyone as an antidote to grey days.

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

Slower start but worth it

As always, John Niven delivers although I would say this is slightly different to his other stories. Slower start but funny throughout and great ending.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely Brilliant

I was recommended this book and went into it not knowing anything. I have never laughed so much with a book before. This has to be one of the funniest, well written, loveable characters, fantastic storyline books that I have read. I cannot praise it enough. The narrator made the characters come alive. I'm just sad it came to an end!

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3 people found this helpful