A Lesson in Dying cover art

A Lesson in Dying

The first classic mystery novel featuring detective Inspector Ramsay from The Sunday Times bestselling author of the Vera, Shetland and Venn series, Ann Cleeves

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

A Lesson in Dying

By: Ann Cleeves
Narrated by: Simon Mattacks
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Only £0.99 a month for the first 3 months. Pay £0.99 for the first 3 months, and £8.99/month thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Start my membership

About this listen

A Lesson in Dying is the first mystery novel in the Inspector Ramsay series by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series.

Who hung the headmaster in the playground on the night of the school Halloween Party?

Almost everyone in Heppleburn either hated or feared the viper-tongued Harold Medburn. Inspector Ramsay is convinced it was the headmaster’s enigmatic wife but Jack Robson, school governor and caretaker, is determined to prove her innocence.

With the help of his restless daughter Patty, Jack digs into the secrets of Heppleburn, and uncovers a cesspit of lies, adultery, blackmail and madness . . .

Continue the classic whodunit series with Murder in My Backyard.

Ann Cleeves Classic Crime - engaging mysteries to savour, beloved characters to meet again.

Praise for Ann Cleeves:

'Ann Cleeves is a stone cold genius' – Marian Keyes, author of My Favorite Mistake

'Everything Ann Cleeves writes is incredible' – Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club

'Ann Cleeves’s elegance as a wordsmith, the ingenuity of her plots, and the depth of her characters can be matched by few writers' – David Baldacci, author of The 6:20 Man

 Crime Crime Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Small Town & Rural Suspense

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Three for a Girl cover art
Angels Fall cover art
Murder in Tuscany cover art
A Quiet Life in the Country cover art
Broadland cover art
Criminal Damage cover art
Admit to Murder cover art
Beneath the Abbey Wall cover art
Silvermeadow cover art
The Agora Letters: 19th Century Historical Murder Mysteries cover art
Almost the Truth cover art
The Chester Creek Murders cover art
The Price of Guilt cover art
The Bonnie Dead cover art
The Girl in the Ice cover art
Paradise Postponed cover art

Critic reviews

A fine writer
Cleeves is quietly carving out a reputation as the new Queen of Crime
Ann Cleeves is a skilful technician, keeping our interest alive and building slowly up to the denouement. Her easy use of language and clever story construction make her one of the best natural writers of detective fiction
Nobody does unsettling undercurrents better than Ann Cleeves (Val McDermid)
Ann Cleeves has an enviable talent . . . I love these books
All stars
Most relevant
Couldn’t stop listening to it. Very good plot. Excellent voices from the reader. Very believable.

Very good plot

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I do enjoy Anne’s books but this was a
Little disappointing. Not as complex a story as others I’ve read. Still as enjoyable though.

A short book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is the first novel I’ve read/listened to by Ann Cleeves. My father was a big fan. Enjoyed the book and the narration. Listen to it in under 3 days, which I think says alot! If say it’s a great paced book, which leaves the reader/listened trying to guess. Lovely descriptions used. Really enjoyed.

Great listen, off to download another!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I normally love Ann Cleeves’ books but the plot here was pretty dismal. She always writes great characters.

Not up to the author’s normal standard

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
…a pretty good, well constructed and interesting story nonetheless. And beautifully performed by the excellent Simon Mattacks. Recommended.

Not Vera or Perez but…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews