The Bookseller's Tale cover art

The Bookseller's Tale

Oxford Medieval Mysteries, Book 1

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The Bookseller's Tale

By: Ann Swinfen
Narrated by: Philip Battley
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About this listen

Oxford, Spring 1353. When young bookseller Nicholas Elyot discovers the body of student William Farringdon floating in the river Cherwell, it looks like a drowning. Soon, however, Nicholas finds evidence of murder. Who could have wanted to kill this promising student? As Nicholas and his scholar friend Jordain try to unravel what lies behind William's death, they learn that he was innocently caught up in a criminal plot. When their investigations begin to involve town, university, and abbey, Nicholas takes a risky gamble - and puts his family in terrible danger.

©2016 Ann Swinfen (P)2017 Ann Swinfen Historical Mystery Crime Fiction Student

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Oxford is one of my favourite places on the planet. History is a passion. Literature is a calling. Having all three beautifully woven together in a delightful murder mystery is a delight. A lovely listen and I am now looking forward to the rest of the series with relish. If you too love Oxford and or history you will find this exquisitely researched book a delight.

A lovely tale set in a wonderful place

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This was one of those gentle stories that will never challenge you. I do not think less of it for that. Sometimes you don't want great literature; writing that will wrack you with angst and leave you wringing your hands at the the state of the human race. Sometimes you just want to be told a story that will take you on a brief escape somewhere else and lull you back into your real life with as small a jolt as possible. This is one of the latter.

The main character is quaint and endearing. His family situation leaves scope for both a small level of independence and yet he remains bound by responsibility and so the reader won't be wondering if he'll sail off into the horizon at any point. The setting and time frame makes the plot interesting and fairly original - most author's go for historically more documented times. I suppose this means that the author is less likely to be caught out of with the odd historical inaccuracy.

Generally, a relaxing and engaging tale that may have been a bit more lively will a less monotonous narrator.

Simple but satisfying.

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Oxford medieval crime enjoyed very much good story keep me listing looking for to hearing another

medieval crime drama

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Having listened to numerous books read by David Thorpe, I have been very disappointed with this because of the monotonous tone of the narrator. I couldn't get into the rhythm of the story as a result and struggled to get through it, hoping it would improve. sadly, I won't listen to the rest of the series because of the narrator.

Tedious

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My review does contain a minor spoiler.

This is a well written murder mystery, VERY well set in the period immediately following an outbreak of plague in Oxford. Dialogue is a bit saccharine at times. The mystery is well maintained, the reader is outstanding.

My hangup and spoiler is this. Sometimes, a plot twist is glaringly transparent, except to the hero. This level of stupidity is a shame, especially in such a throwaway manner as follows:

The hero is tracking the perpetrators. They attack him. Try to kill him. Threaten harm to his sister. Threaten harm to his family with a deadline. That, to ANY normal person, is not the time to let your 6 year old child walk the dog. When the child then goes missing, on schedule as threatened by the villans,, our hero wanders the streets for hours, hoping his daughter is looking for her lost dog....really?

other than the silly behavior and maudlin use of children, the story is great.

Very enjoyable, not perfect.

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