Guilty by Definition cover art

Guilty by Definition

The Clarendon Lexicographers, Book 1

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Guilty by Definition

By: Susie Dent
Narrated by: Louise Brealey, Jack Edwards, Susie Dent
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About this listen

 This audiobook features an exclusive introduction from Susie Dent, and an exclusive Q&A between Susie and Youtube's Jack Edwards.

When an anonymous letter is delivered to the Clarendon English Dictionary, it is rapidly clear that this is not the usual lexicographical enquiry. Instead, the letter hints at secrets and lies linked to a particular year.

For Martha Thornhill, the new senior editor, the date can mean only one thing: the summer her brilliant older sister Charlie went missing.

After a decade abroad, Martha has returned home to the city whose ancient institutions have long defined her family. Have the ghosts she left behind her been waiting for her return?

When more letters arrive, and Martha and her team pull apart the complex clues within them, the mystery becomes ever more insistent and troubling. It seems Charlie had been keeping a powerful secret, and someone is trying to lead the lexicographers towards the truth. But other forces are no less desperate to keep it well and truly buried.©2024 Susie Dent (P)2024 Bonnier Books UK Amateur Sleuths Crime Fiction Mystery Women Sleuths Exciting

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All stars
Most relevant
Great to hear about Oxford and how dictionaries are made and keep up to date - cleverly woven through a mystery.
The clues were lost on me - maybe seeing them written as opposed to be audiobook would have given me more of a chance to experience these better.
Also I felt as an audible book many of the new words I was introduced to didn’t sink in - maybe they could have been spelt out to for the audio version?
I’m looking forward to a 2nd and maybe this time I’ll read as opposed to listen to get even more enjoyment from it. Overall really enjoyed the story and the unique way of telling.

Finding the Truth in words

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Really enjoyed this book. Would be nice if first of a series. Sorry when it finished.

Excellent

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An engaging tale which, at times, seemed to stall but then another clue. I enjoyed the trip into the ‘weird’ world of dictionary people. Look forward to a sequel. Well done Susie

The Chorus was a surprise

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The first chapter didn't reel me in, but from the second chapter on it went whoosh and didn't stop.

Very engaging characters and a good plot.
Lots here for fans of the English language and cryptic crossword lovers.

Highly recommended.

Engaging and entertaining

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A thrilling mystery which is also educational with the lexicographer using the characters to display how dictionaries are made. Fabulous

An amazing foray into fiction by Susie Dent

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Guilty by Definition is a murder mystery, but above all a splendid feast of words.

After working in Berlin , Martha has returned to Oxford to join the lexicographers at the (fictional) Clarendon English Dictionary. Her sister Charlotte had been a valuable part of the team there, ten years previously when she had disappeared without trace. The mystery had never been solved. As Martha is happily settling back, the handwritten postcards start arriving. Strongly suggesting hint that writer knows what happened to Charlotte all those years before, each one carries a cryptic message buried in a Shakespearian quotation. Together the team involve themselves in the painstaking ‘untwining’ of these complex linguistic tangles which finally give up their secrets.

I loved it, as will all readers who are ‘philobiblists’ in general and lovers of acrostics, cryptic crosswords and etymology in particular. The gradually developed inter-relationships within the team make for very human characters. The particular strength of the book however is the inclusion of now obsolete English. The way s in which the subtleties of the literal and metaphorical meanings of these archaisms are woven into the story are sophisticated and stimulating. I particularly love ‘witship’ for wisdom, ‘injuritise’ to harden the heart, and ‘desiderate’to long for something that is lost. And how exactly right is to ‘grob’ meaning to search with one’s hand in the darkness!

The narration is adequate although mediocre but the recording includes a bonus: an interesting Epilogue in which Jack Edwards interviews Susie Dent about herself and the writing of her book.















A splendid 'untwining'!

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Excellent!! So so enjoyed it. Beautifully written. Great characters. Loved the clues. Missing it already.

Fabulous book

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The story had a good pace and the characters were well developed rather than being stereotypes. The ending was not unexpected but concluded well. Hearing a new word at the beginning of each chapter was a nice way of educating without being preached at and did explain the overall content of the coming section.

Another story like this would be interesting, but not a sequel. I think the character’s stories are completed.

Learn while you listen

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This is accomplished and smart storytelling with pace, endearing characters and interesting locations that made me steal time to drink in chapter after chapter . . .
Love how words are weaved into the text and given a lovely background story of their own.
Highly recommended
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Excellently crafted novel

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I thought this was a really good debut novel from Susie Dent.
Good characters and great storyline.
I got a little confused by who did what in the last hour of narrative but down to me. I think maybe a bit more detail of why they did what they did. I enjoyed it. well done Susie.

world's behind the words

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