Gentlemen and Players

This is arguably Joanne Harris' best novel, combining
stunning characterization with her remarkable talent
for weaving nail-biting tension and eerie mystery into
the minute of life a la normality. But it is the
narrator, Steven Pacey, who gets the brownie points
for this book. His interpretation of the characters is
nothing short of perfect, as is his pacing, tenor and
clarity of voice. Overall this is one of the best
audio books of the genre.

Had I stopped listening at the half-way mark this would have been a fairly pedestrian but well-written thriller with a fairly predictable plot. But then the twists come - completely unforeseen and astonishing. They are so overwhelming that one wants to re-listen to see where one missed the clues - but there are none. In the end I thought this one of the very best thrillers I had heard. Harris is superb in the way she leads the reader on - the story just credible enough to keep reading until it suits her to unleash her arsenal of surprises. The narration is truly brilliant - subtle changes in tone and pitch convey different characters very well. I can't really say more without revealing too much. No doubt about the five stars - see for yourself.

This was my introduction to Joanne Harris's longer fiction, and I am very impressed. It's a great, twisting story with a deliciously alluring villain, whose frank narration alternates with that of jaded elderly romantic Roy Straitley, physical emblem of St Oswald's school for boys, which the other narrator is out to destroy.

Harris recreates the otherworldly feel of the staffroom beautifully, and the reading by Steven Pacey is excellent. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed listening to a book this much; Pacey's timing is perfect as he reveals the layers upon layers of Harris's story.

Superbly written and read, this novel has quite a different setting for a thriller - and the end result of that combination is really very intoxicating. It's quite slow to unwind but it's the attention to detail that pulls you in and keeps you hooked. I took particular notice of the other reviews - mainly because it's my first Joanne Harris novel - and I have the greatest regard for Steven Pacey. All of that paid dividends and I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole journey through this novel. Get ready for a great twist at the end. Brilliant!

When the penny dropped near the end, I said: "Ohhhhh!" aloud. SUCH a cleverly plotted book with wonderful characters - goodies and baddies alike. I found myself running further than planned most days because I didn't want to unplug, and as others have already said, Steven Pacey's narration was perfect. Subtle alterations of tone were enough to differentiate clearly not only between the characters, but also the time periods in which they were speaking. Really wasn't expecting this story from Joanna Harris. Loved it.

There were times when the author racked up the tension so much I could hardly bear to keep listening. This is an amazing psychological thriller with a gasp out loud twist at the end. Dark, gripping and very well read. This is a great listen.

I haven't read this story, and think I may not have stuck with it if I had tried, but the superb narrator made it possible to enjoy the rather (Ithink) implausible plot, and listen through to the end with pleasure. I will definitely be looking for other Steven Pacy-narrated stories.