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  • Fall of a Philanderer

  • A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery
  • By: Carola Dunn
  • Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
  • Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (345 ratings)
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Fall of a Philanderer cover art

Fall of a Philanderer

By: Carola Dunn
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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Summary

In the summer of 1924, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is off on a holiday by the sea with her step-daughter Belinda, Belinda's chum Deva, and Daisy's husband, Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard. Daisy is anticipating a relaxing, nondramatic holiday. But Daisy doesn't have that kind of luck.

It seems that a low-rent Don Juan has been busily seducing the local womenfolk, and, in a town this small, no secret is kept for long. When the Fletchers' picnic is interrupted by the discovery of a broken body at the foot of the cliff, that of the philandering local innkeeper, the unflappable Daisy Dalrymple finds herself embroiled in a mystery.

In the continuation of her popular series, Carola Dunn vividly evokes the life and times of 1920s England, wrapped in a classic mystery to delight her many fans.

©2005 Carola Dunn (P)2006 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A lively historical cozy." ( Library Journal)
"Replete with well-drawn characters, snappy dialogue, and interesting plot twists...a charming series." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Fall of a Philanderer

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    190
  • 4 Stars
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    67
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Narration a bit off

This is an engaging, undemanding story that evokes English seaside holidays nicely. It was my first Daisy Dalrymple mystery, and I'll certainly try another. However, my enjoyment of this one was diminished by the off-putting narration. The attempted English accent is poor, and the characters' voices are barely distinguishable from each other. The diction, pace and sound quality are fine. I don't usually notice the narrator's voice once I've got into a story, but this one grated on me throughout.

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10 people found this helpful

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

awful narrator

Good story spoilt by awful narration. I'm sure she could have researched the terms used such as coxswain and Rowlands.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • KT
  • 18-10-21

Another reader with no grasp of English accents

The first books in this series were read by the worse narrator I’ve ever heard; strangulated vowels and bizarre pronunciation abounded. Then, the next few had a good reader who made a decent job of the accents. Now we have another horror. Cawfee, awffice for coffee and office, for example. Stresses on the wrong parts of words and total mangling of British English across the classes. At times she veered from American/Canadian to Australian. Not quite as dire as the first narrator, but very poor. It’s a shame, as I really like the stories. I listen despite the awful accents.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Disappointing

American narration sits oddly with this story about the English upper class Daisy Dalrymple. There is little character development, and the plot is disappointing.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Dreadful reading

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I really love my audio books and how they are read is as important as the story. Choosing the right reader, either one who has the right voice or has the acting skill to get it right, is as important as someone who gets the right mood for the story, gets the emphasis and sentence breaks where the author put them. In this case it is simply that the main character and about half the cast are obviously of a particular class and to be so far off what is naturally expected, produces a jarring effect that is distinctly unpleasant.

What didn’t you like about Bernadette Dunne’s performance?

Her accent. Daisy Dalrymple maybe married to a policeman, but she is an Honourable. She is of the between wars aristocracy and this reader makes no attempt to get it right.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

frustration and disappointment.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Story not bad - pity about the reader

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not really - there are better detective writers

What other book might you compare Fall of a Philanderer to, and why?

The Victorian murder mysteries by Emily Brightwell. They are lightweight stories.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Bernadette Dunne?

Not unless she was reading an American book.

Did Fall of a Philanderer inspire you to do anything?

No

Any additional comments?

The narration, as previous reviews have said, is really not up to scratch. This is obviously an American trying to 'do' an English accent. For instance she will insist on doing a long 'a' in the belief that that will make for an English, rather than American pronunciation. It was very irritating and really spoiled what might have been a jolly little story.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Thoroughly enjoyable story.

characterisation will developed, consistent. Story complex but totally believable. Narrator excellent,. Recommended read. Author evokes a holiday environment vividly. I enjoy rereading this book.

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

American narrator

I liked the story, well thought out and interesting characters. What I disliked was the fact that though set in an English seaside village, the narrator couldn’t pronounce the words coxswain, lever, shone, coffee etc without showing her American accent. What a shame! Very annoying. But a good story.

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

More padding than a wonderbra

A cosy murder mystery which was perfect listening while gardening. There was so much padding that missing small sections didn't matter.
The narrator's hilarious accent prevented a real immersion.
Nice little freebie.

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

Enjoyed the story

Easy story but terrible narration. Why did they change the reader no flow and such a bad assent

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