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  • Beware the Past

  • By: Joy Ellis
  • Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
  • Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (1,419 ratings)
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Beware the Past cover art

Beware the Past

By: Joy Ellis
Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
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Summary

One terrible case always haunted detective Matt Ballard. Now many years later, the killer seems to be back. And this time he's after Matt. 

When Matt Ballard was starting out his career, three boys were murdered in the same area, the remote and bleak Gibbet Fen. When the main suspect was killed in a hit-and-run, the killings stopped. But Matt was not satisfied that the real murderer had been caught. 

Over 25 years later, Matt gets a photo in an unmarked envelope. It's of the Gibbet Fen crime scene. And the picture was taken before the murder took place. More photos arrive, relating to the historic murders, as well as intimate pictures of Matt's very secret private life. 

Then another murder happens, with some of the hallmarks of the old case. Has the killer returned, or is this just a sick copycat determined to ruin Matt's life and reputation?

©2017 Joy Ellis (P)2018 Tantor

What listeners say about Beware the Past

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

love Joy Ellis hated this -

I feel like I am stabbing a friend love Ms Ellis;s work, NORMALLY

Pushed credulity to the limit dreadful reading especially female voices

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33 people found this helpful

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

Good story, less good reading.

Unfortunately , I did find the reading style off-putting: sounded rather like my Sat nav.

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28 people found this helpful

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

very good read

I was gripped by this story. Had to keep listening constantly. I found the narrator's imitation of women's voices annoying he made them all sound simple and stupid.

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28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Good story, but really disappointing narration. Everyone but main protagonist sounded like a David Walliams character. Struggled to finish.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Harder work than it should have been

the story was ok but I really didnt like the narrator. i made it to the end finally but it felt like hard work. its not the author because Ive read another of hers and it was good and i have another lined up. maybe listen to the sample and see if you like his voice and charavters any better?!

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Disappointing narration

Good story but poor narration almost made me abandon the story. I found some of the voices (particularly female characters) very childlike and unbelievable, very grating.
Very sorry to say that it very much put me off, which is very sad.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Horrible narration spoiled story

The narration felt like I was listening to a children’s story as it was so over the top. It really spoiled the enjoyment - the intonation was so unnatural.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Engrossing

The story line is so convoluted it keeps you guessing right to the end.
The characters are interesting.
You start to try and work out what exactly is going on only to have each theory disproved or was it!!! Very clever writing.
My only grumble is the narrator he really does not do women or accents well. I was 2/3 through the book before I realised Bryn was welsh and I’m from Wales. He sounded more West Country to me.
When he was doing a female voice it became very bland with no characterisation at all.
None of the above stopped my enjoyment of the story but a different narrator would have increased it.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bit disappointing

Good story but irritating narration and poor research. The narrators regional accents were poor and confusing. The adoption information was factually incorrect which I hound very distracting. A shame because otherwise a gripping yarn!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Slow

I don't know if it's the narrator or the slow unravelling of the story but I couldn't concentrate on it and kept having to back track. I found the main protagonist very unlikable, and the others boring. Sorry love Joy Ellie's other books.

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7 people found this helpful