The Birthday Present cover art

The Birthday Present

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The Birthday Present

By: Barbara Vine
Narrated by: Ruth Sillers, Paul Blake
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About this listen

Ivor Tesham is a handsome, single, young Member of Parliament whose political star is on the rise. When he meets a woman in a chance encounter–a beautiful, married woman named Hebe–the two become lovers, obsessed with their illicit and adventurous trysts. But when Ivor plans for a surprise daring sexual adventure as a birthday present for Hebe, things take a disastrous turn it's late spring of 1990 and a love affair is flourishing: between Ivor, a rising star of the Conservative government, and Hebe, a stunning North London housewife stuck in a dull marriage. On the eve of her birthday, Ivor gives Hebe a present to remember: a mock-kidnapping in which she is to be snatched from the street, bound and gagged, and then delivered to him. It’s all intended as mock-dangerous foreplay, but then things take a disastrous turn. After an accidental death, Ivor begins to receive anonymous letters that reveal shockingly specific details about the affair and its aftermath. Somehow he must keep his role from being uncovered–and his political future from being destroyed by scandal.

©2008 Kingsmarkham Enterprises (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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All stars
Most relevant
One of my favourite by this author. The male narrator took a time to get used to but loved the twisting story and tidy ending.

Loved it

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There is missing content around chapter 20. Irritating tho probs my doesn’t affect overall plot

Needs re-edit

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Notators we’re annoying Didn’t care for the main character at all. To much minor information

Long winded story

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Having read the reviews before I listened I was prepared to dislike the narrators and if so stop listening. However, they don’t grate and the two voices and strands mesh well and keep one hooked until the end. Another dark story to appreciate from Barbara Vine b

Barbara Vine keeps you listening!

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True thespians narrate this dainty dish fit to be served to a king. Hilarious, unconventional rock throwing at the ruling class with their pretentions and perversions woven through the rantings of the jealous psychotic, neurotic diarizing plain Jane best friend of the birthday girl. Ivo is a true hypocrite, his upper lip stiff in his helical aspirations with women and politics.

Well crafted, well written. Unexpected. Thank you Audible for the freebee.

VERY ENJOYABLE

Keeping His End up

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