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A Sight for Sore Eyes
- Narrated by: David Threlfall
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction
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Abridged!
- By Elvira Coot on 05-11-21
Summary
Two damaged children: Teddy Brex, whom no-one loved, and so found it easier to relate to objects or things which never let him down; and Francine Hill, who was discovered sitting by the body of her mother, her skirt red with blood. She couldn’t tell the police or her father anything to help track down the killer.... Children grow up in different ways. Teddy became a handsome young man, Francine was beautiful - a sight for sore eyes. But it was death that brought them together.
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What listeners say about A Sight for Sore Eyes
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Susan Random
- 15-02-16
A Sight For Sore Eyes
I think that I've read this novel at least twice in its printed form, but it was great to be able to hear David Threlfall's audio performance. The plot centres around Teddy Brex, a young man, hailing from North London whose love-starved upbringing and childhood injury turns him into a damaged adult. The object of Teddy's affections, the beautiful, refined and intelligent Francine Hill, witnessed her mother's murder whilst a child and the later addition of an overbearing stepmother, causes issues in her life.
It's classic Rendell - brilliant, well-crafted and above all, insightful and entertaining. All of the main characters are incredibly believable and in the case of Francine especially, the reader is able to sympathise with her plight.
The narrator, David Threlfall, is brilliant and the range of different accents he is able to provide is fantastic.
Just great. Readers/listeners may be interested to know that one of Rendell's later Wexford novels, 'The Vault' is a sequel to 'A Sight For Sore Eyes'.
22 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 27-12-17
Ruth Rendell at her best
I could not stop listening to this enthralling and enjoyable book. A must for everyone
7 people found this helpful
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- B. Murphy
- 02-03-15
Brilliant
Ruth Rendell rarely disappoints, and this is one of her best slow burners. The narration was ok, not the best but not the worst either.
6 people found this helpful
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- franjangle
- 22-11-18
Long-running unfold of fate
Wonderfully alive characters playing out their various futures towards a series of tense and convincing endings. You can see all of them in technicolour, listen in on their thinking patterns, understand why they do what they do almost by accident, even the central villain. But the foreboding almost made me put it down and run away, though glad I didn't as all is satisfactorily concluded, in a way.
4 people found this helpful
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- Kirstine
- 08-08-21
Classic Ruth Rendell
The author is adept at creating dysfunctional and weird characters and this novel is full of them. A gripping story so effectively written that it makes the reader/listener feel real sympathy for some characters and heartily dislike others. As with many of the author’s books there’s a pervasive feeling of jeopardy and threat.
3 people found this helpful
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- Pam
- 30-07-15
Twisted plot and clever
Not my favourite. But I love David Threlfall and Ruth Rendell. So good plot and good story!
3 people found this helpful
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- SM, Scotland
- 18-06-21
Gripping tale and very clever plot
If you enjoy Barbara Vine's/Ruth Rendell's psychological thrillers you'll enjoy this. Good reading by David Threlfall too.
2 people found this helpful
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- Catherine. Mercer
- 27-11-20
Excellent
Loved it as usual, did not want it to end, brilliant can't wait to read the next one
2 people found this helpful
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- Manx Miss
- 27-09-21
Classic Ruth Rendell
Well written Interesting tale of murder linking three people.
Well narrated . Well crafted plot
1 person found this helpful
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- Katharine Kirby
- 12-06-22
The first of two leading down to The Vault…
So enjoyed this gripping tale with such depth, narrative richness and complex plotting. Use of place so believable you could go and find it, dangerous relationships and tension ramping up by the minute. I loved it and went on to download The Vault straight after, kept me listening through a difficult time personally. Audible is the best of company I am delighted to have discovered this at the beginning of the first lock down, thank goodness for it!
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- Anne
- 26-02-11
A Sight for Sore Eyes by Ruth Rendell.
Ruth Rendell certainly knows how to keep you interested in a story and David Threlfall delivers it to you in a way that you can't stop listening. I thoroughy enjoyed this book and I will listen to it again. The main character Is like no other I know but so plausible. Great listening.