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The Tarnished Chalice

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The Tarnished Chalice

By: Susanna Gregory
Narrated by: Andrew Wincott
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On a bitter winter evening in 1356, Matthew Bartholomew and Brother Michael arrive in Lincoln - Michael to accept an honour from the cathedral, and Bartholomew to look for the woman he wants to marry. It is not long before they learn that the friary in which they are staying is not the safe haven they imagine - one guest has already been murdered. It soon emerges that the dead man was holding the Hugh Chalice, a Lincoln relic with a curiously bloody history. Bartholomew and Michael are soon drawn into a web of murder, lies and suspicion in a city where neither knows who can be trusted... Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Abraham Lincoln Fiction Crime Middle Ages
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I enjoyed this for the most part, BUT... I found it was tedious and dragged, even the narration, though good, was quite soporific. I found that I had to keep rewinding to catch up as my mind had just wandered off.

Nevertheless, it was a good story, and I did enjoy it, I struggled a bit to keep up with all the different players though!

Quite good, not her best!

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A convincing and atmospheric description of medieval Lincoln, with two engaging main characters, however the plot was far too complicated to take in in audio book form. it felt like there were over forty characters, lots of sub plots and a dual timeline in which it kept referring back to events in Cambridge years before. I stuck with it and listened to the end, and the resolution was satisfying enough, but the sheer amount of plot stilted the enjoyment.

intriguing but over-complicated

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Andrew Wincott does a reasonable job, but he is not David Thorpe.

it would be wonderful if this, and previous book in the series, could be re-recorded by David Thorpe.

The characters of the characters have been changed which make it difficult to follow.

I would certainly purchase.

The Tarnished Chalice

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I really like Susanna Gregory's stories: nicely complicated plots, interesting and well-drawn characters, thoroughly convincing historic context. However although I've always preferred the Audible performances read by Gordon Griffin. I've listened to Andrew Wincott reading 'Mark of a Murderer' and it was fine. However, I was really disappointed in his reading of this book; sometimes his interpretation completely changed the sense of the words, characters spoke with heavy overtones of meaning that the text simply did not imply, undue emphasis was given to trivial comments but not enough to significant moments in the plot - it really spoilt it for me. I found myself wondering what he author had really meant, and trying to reinterpret it.

On top of this, it was read painfully slowly at times - bored to the point of dropping off to sleep at times and having to re-listen just to pick up the plot. I was releved to find wasn't the only reader who thought this. Sorry!

Superficial performance spoiled good yarn

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Always enjoy Susanna Gregory! Lots of history wrapped up in impossible intrigue! Narrator needs to vary his constantly ironic tone but you get used to it.

Another enjoyable tale

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