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The Mystery of Mercy Close
- Narrated by: Niamh Daly
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
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The Mystery of Mercy Close
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Summary
The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Marian Keye’s heartbreaking stunner of a novel, The Mystery of Mercy Close, read by the actress Niamh Daly.
“I employ this thing called The Shovel List.” “A shovel...?” “No. A Shovel List. It’s more of a conceptual thing. It’s a list of all the people and things I hate so much that I want to hit them in the face with a shovel.”
Meet Helen - youngest of the Walsh sisters and a law unto herself. She’s easily bored, has an inability to filter her thoughts and was fired from every job she ever had before she found her true calling as a private investigator. But times are tough for PIs, and Helen’s had no choice but to take on the search for AWOL boyband has-been Wayne Diffney: The Wacky One. It’s not all bad this game of Where’s Wayne.
It may have brought her charming crook of an ex Jay Parker back into her life, but it’s giving her an excuse to avoid the usual Walsh family dramas and the intense looks from her gorgeous boyfriend Artie that make her heart beat wildly with lust and panic in equal measure. But most of all it’s an excellent distraction from the huge swarm of black vultures gathering over her head. If she hides out in her target’s empty house on Mercy Close for long enough maybe they’ll go away...But as Helen begins to unravel the mysteries secreted on Mercy Close she discovers a kindred spirit in a man unwilling to be found. Could someone be telling her to look a little closer to home?
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What listeners say about The Mystery of Mercy Close
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-09-12
The mystery of mercy close
I have just started this book and to be honest I'd rather have a tooth pulled. I have read all of M Keyes books loved them all!!! This novel is really hard work I'm not sure if it's the narrator her voice is awful highly irritating. Her depiction of the characters are flat boring and the male characters sound very similar.
I've given it one star as I said it's a struggle to press play to listen to a lifeless story. Maybe if I was reading this myself the characters would jump off the page as with her other novels. Listen to sample before you buy I say.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Niome
- 18-12-13
A good story if you are running out of options
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
It was time spent - I'm glad I have listened to it, however, it took a while to really get into and I had to focus on listening which was unfortunate.
If you’ve listened to books by Marian Keyes before, how does this one compare?
I really enjoy listening to Marian Keyes books, but I was not 100% sure I truly enjoyed this book. It was a distraction rather then something I really wanted to listen to.
Which character – as performed by Niamh Daly – was your favourite?
The main Character
Did The Mystery of Mercy Close inspire you to do anything?
No not really.
Any additional comments?
If you are comparing this and another book, take the other book,
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jane
- 10-03-13
The only thing that has ever got me running!
I have been trying to run for about 20 years. I've never succeeded, until I downloaded Helen Walsh's story. Hard though it was, I only allowed myself to listen to it whilst I was running...
I've just finished the book able to run for 30 minutes and I am eternally grateful to Marian Keyes (and Helen)
To be fair, I do enjoy Marian Keyes, and have loved each and every one of the Walsh sisters stories (I'm gutted that Helen was the last one to be told)
I found the pace of the story, and the narration just right to keep me engaged.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ms
- 31-07-13
Hilarious
What did you like most about The Mystery of Mercy Close?
It was funny but dealt with a serious issue in a sensitive but factual way
I thought Mammy Welsh was as funny as ever; some parts made me cry with laughter and one with sadness.
A great read/listen - would recommend
What did you like best about this story?
All of it - hugely entertaining
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
When we had to deal with the main characters severe depression and her almost indifference to dealing with her condition in any other way but following it through to the end in her own way
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Craftgirl22
- 29-01-14
Another Walsh sister!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, because although Marian Keyes has now written about every single Walsh sister, this is another funny story from one of my favourite authors. I suppose it is chick lit but it feels a bit more real and I love the Irish accents.
What other book might you compare The Mystery of Mercy Close to, and why?
It compares well to all the other Walsh sister books in that it is up to the same standard as those.
What does Niamh Daly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Niamh brings the story to life. Excellent characterisation.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed a lot, sometimes out loud which did draw some glances on the street!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sue
- 29-06-13
Storyline a bit weak
Took a while to get into this story, almost abandoned it at one point. Carried on and became more enjoyable. The Irish humour kept me gong.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- stella
- 13-04-13
What an eye opener
Quite an intriguing read, some dark places visited. Made me read more about mariane Keyes, and realised that she was writing from her own experiences. This made it all the more interesting. Amazing scarf reference/rant, and I agree...... You can NEVER have too many scarves!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Sarah P.
- 15-01-19
Too long and slow!
I’m a huge Marian Keyes fan but this book was missing something. The story didn’t really get going until the last 2 hours - by which point I was willing it to finish.
Also I didn’t match the Helen Walsh in this book to the previous Walsh family books, she didn’t feel right at all.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sarah
- 10-09-17
strangely riveting!
somehow this story hooks you in and you just have to stay with it .
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ann D
- 06-04-14
Enjoyable!
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes probably, but too long for me to do that.
Any additional comments?
This was a good pacey read/listen. Intelligently written, with characters that really came to life. I loved Helen. In all, it made me want to listen to/read more of Marian Keyes books.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- myrthasg
- 13-11-12
A study on depression & a mystery
The mystery part is good, you won't be able to decipher until almost the end, just a little bit ahead of the protagonist and then revising the clues said "of course!" but that is the fun, right ?
The depression... I believe it is done in order to illustrate how a person suffering from endogenous depression feels and her interaction with the rest of the world: family, friends, job,etc. And I think M.Keyes does a good job, The symptoms, failures and / or successes of the treatment are textbook. Reminded me of some of J. Picoult's novels (house rules, my sister keeper, handle with care etc.)
So, to me the achievement of this listen is that going thru this little mystery the listener learns the suffering of a person with e. depression and by knowing and understanding this terrible disease one becomes more respectful and compassionate towards these patients, at least that is what I believe.
Also I should point out that it is a shock this dark version of M.Keyes. there is this black humor and kind of bitter wit towards the world as it is now (mostly the economy). But again it is the color of the glass through which the protagonist watches said world.
The performer is great.Very, very good !
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- lisapisa
- 20-03-13
if u love marian keyes, you'll find this boring
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
out of everything she's written, this flops (sorry Marian)
What was most disappointing about Marian Keyes’s story?
I know Marian has suffered major depression, I have too ... I empathise. But your fans have a certain level of fun, excitement + a smidge of naughty/dodgy behaviour of your characters to keep your fans amused.
But for the author to use the key protaganist, Helen, one of the Walsh sisters to go through severe depression and what she did, experienced etc. I felt Marian Keyes was using this character as a cathartic to go through her own experiences and issues.
Fair enough for her. But not for her readers/listeners .. we want to be enterained and pay to read/listen, and not feel we're sharing the same kind of mental overhaul she went through, and then she got paid tons of bucks to write this book.
If she wasnt a bestselling author, and sent this book to every publisher in the world, it wouldnt have been published by anyone.
Sorry, Marian, but its true, and deepdown you know this. You cant's turn out this kind of pap, when your fans have devoured your last 8 books with glee.
Which character – as performed by Niamh Daly – was your favorite?
the key character - Helen, Niamh was exciting and kept me listening, through a very predictable plod of a tale. It's not the narrater's fault that she had a bad read to narrate. Without her, I would've let it go and just skipped to the end within the 1st hour.
Could you see The Mystery of Mercy Close being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
No
Any additional comments?
I know Marian has suffered major depression, I empathise. But your fans have a certain level of fun, excitement + a smidge of naughty/dodgy behaviour of your characters to keep your fans amused.
But for the author to use the key protaganist, Helen, one of the Walsh sisters to go through severe depression and what she did, experienced etc. I felt Marian Keyes was using this character as a cathartic to go through her own experiences and issues.
Fair enough for her. But not for her readers/listeners .. we want to be enterained and pay to read/listen, and not feel we're sharing the same kind of mental overhaul she went through, and then she got paid tons of bucks to write this book.
If she wasnt a bestselling author, and sent this book to every publisher in the world, it wouldnt have been published by anyone.
Sorry, Marian, but its true, and deepdown you know this. You cant's turn out this kind of pap, when your fans have devoured your last 8 books with glee.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brenda
- 04-03-13
Dark, Light and Altogether Wonderful
I literally laughed out loud. Wonderfully entertaining, I enjoyed every minute of it.
There couldn’t have been a more perfect choice of narrator for this book. Niamh Daly did a remarkable job.
I highly recommend this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ada Harsema Engdahl
- 05-04-19
Listened twice so far
Really enjoyed this audio book. Marian Keyes toes the line between funny and dark so well, and this book keeps you interested all the way through. Very heartwarming ending and the narrator's interpretation is great too, especially for mammy Walsh!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Linda
- 15-06-13
Interesting Detective I'd Say
I am not a big fan of Helen Walsh but I had to respect the lady. She had her quirks for sure but managed to get the job done. I was particularly impressed with Marian Keyes' descriptions of depression and what it feels like to be in the throes of an illness that you can't seem to get a handle on. The inability to escape your own brain, is truly terrifying - truly - and as such resulting suicide attempts are not the result of any rational thought, simply a means to an end for true sufferers of depression or manic-depression.
Hats off to Marian Keyes for her unique glimpse into mental illness and her ability to convey that it is not a weakness of character but an ailment unto its own. Helen Walsh is no lightweight, she is a strong, confident woman.
The story of the band, well, I wasn't really into it but the rest kept me going. I really like this narrator too.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anet
- 10-03-13
Depression and Recession in Ireland
Very well narrated, this novel gives a chilling insight into depression, and how the Irish experienced their fall from grace. While the plot was a little light, the narrative and wit, and the downward spiral of the heroine more than made up for it and perhaps that is ok. I loved the ending, and it wasn't that predictable after all! We are reminded that happiness it not a permanent state even if you don't suffer from depression.
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