Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Report for Murder

  • Lindsay Gordon Crime Series, Book 1
  • By: Val McDermid
  • Narrated by: Caroline Guthrie
  • Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
  • 3.7 out of 5 stars (355 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Report for Murder cover art

Report for Murder

By: Val McDermid
Narrated by: Caroline Guthrie
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £13.99

Buy Now for £13.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

1979 cover art
The Third Sin cover art The Crossing cover art
Sleep Tight cover art
The Body in the Marsh cover art
The Birthday Mystery cover art
Brought to Book cover art
Above Suspicion cover art
No Name Lane cover art
Murder in the Valleys cover art
Murder at Hawthorn Cottage cover art
Dead Secret cover art
Say It With Poison, Mitchell and Markby Village, Book 1 cover art
Cut Short cover art

Summary

The first novel in the Lindsay Gordon series.  

Freelance journalist Lindsay Gordon is strapped for cash. Why else would she agree to cover a fund-raising gala at a girls' public school? But when the star attraction is found garrotted with her own cello string minutes before she is due on stage, Lindsay finds herself investigating a vicious murder.  

Who would have wanted Lorna Smith Cooper dead? Who had the key to the locked room in which her body was found? And who could have slipped out of the hall at just the right time to commit this calculated and cold-blooded crime?

©1987 Val McDermid (P)2018 W.F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"The real mistress of psychological gripping thrillers; no one can plot or tell a story like she can." (Daily Express)

"The Queen of Crime reigns." (Independent)

What listeners say about Report for Murder

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    117
  • 4 Stars
    96
  • 3 Stars
    95
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    22
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    115
  • 4 Stars
    74
  • 3 Stars
    87
  • 2 Stars
    29
  • 1 Stars
    25
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    104
  • 4 Stars
    80
  • 3 Stars
    94
  • 2 Stars
    30
  • 1 Stars
    24

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not up to Val Mc Dermid’s usual standard

Love Val McDermid’s writing, her use of language, intelligently constructed plots and in-depth research. Clearly a fan. I found this book light weight and was disappointed on so many levels. More ‘chick-lit’ than gritty crime writing. Sorry Ms McD but not one of your best.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

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

Another great book from Val McDermid

This was a really great listen from a master of Scottish crime novels. I can never wait to find one that I haven't already listened to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Not the best

I was really looking forward to listening to this as its a new series for me. However I was rather disappointed, just not the standard we have come to expect from Val.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Disappointed

Usually throughly enjoy her books. This one however was disappointing.
Poor and predictable story line.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Far below Val McDermid’s normal standard

The plot was very weak, with poorly formed characters. If this had been Val MxDermid’s first book we would never have heard of her. I recommend people give this a miss.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Very interesting plot

Plot and characters' roles were sometimes confusing due to lack of Val's usual clarity and the narrator's loss of consistency in separate characters' voices. Lindsay's and Cordelia's voices, however, were very good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Disappointing

I love listening to Val McDermid's books but was disappointed by this one. I am not sure whether it was the setting and / or lack of action. Overall hard going!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Disappointing

I love Val McDermid but was disappointed with this book. It's great to have a series with an investigator who isn't a policeman. In this case Lindsey Gordon is a journalist. Unfortunately the book, with it's public school setting seems very old fashioned. It read like an adult version of Enid Blyton's Malory Towers books. Lindsey was quite an unlikeable character who came across as self opinionated and preachy. I recently listened to 1979 by the same author, which is also about a female journalist, and that book was much superior.

I will give the second book in the series a try though in the hope that Lindsey Gordon in a different setting is more likeable!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Least favourite so far, narration unconvincing

Who narrates an audiobook is key to the story being portrayed convincingly and can be a personal preference too for the listener. Unfortunately the voice grated on me when English accents were used. I did not find Lindsey’s partner’s character or voice had any depth whatsoever. Shame as I’ve always enjoyed Val McDermid books

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

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

a good listen

after reading all the not so complimentary reviews on this book I almost returned it unread, I am so glad I didnt. although it wasn't as gritty as some of he authors other books it was an enjoyable listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful