Very disappointing

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The body count, the ridiculous conclusion, and the wooden performance.

Has The Tarnished Chalice put you off other books in this genre?

Only ones written by the same author.

What didn’t you like about Andrew Wincott’s performance?

Wooden in the extreme! Sententious, slow, over-emphasised in way too many places.

Did The Tarnished Chalice inspire you to do anything?

Only to never listen to anything by the same author or the same reader again!

Any additional comments?

This was the first book I have listened to from Audible that was thoroughly disappointing in almost every aspect. The situation was the only redeeming feature, along with the characters of Matt and to a certain extent Michael. I have wasted a lot of hours hoping that the wooden performance would prove worth struggling through, and gave up on it half an hour before the end when the most ridiculously unlikely person proved to be behind the inordinately unlikely body count.

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Cambridge heads to Lincoln

i enjoyed this story in the main but missed the familiar settings of Cambridge, however it was good to stretch our legs and take in new surroundings.
i found it hard to hold on to all the various characters losing track of who was who initially.
The storyline didn't seem quite so strong and the excess of deaths seemed to literally clutter the scene. I found the eventual twists and turns at the end a little unlikely, but I had sort of guessed where we might be heading, despite the odd fiery red herring!!
An enjoyable untaxing murde mystery none the less.

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Different !

I LOVE this series of books, but to have two in the middle read by a different narrator and with different voice characterisation rather spoils the storyline. The story however is as intricate and fascinating as always.

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3 people found this helpful

intriguing but over-complicated

A convincing and atmospheric description of medieval Lincoln, with two engaging main characters, however the plot was far too complicated to take in in audio book form. it felt like there were over forty characters, lots of sub plots and a dual timeline in which it kept referring back to events in Cambridge years before. I stuck with it and listened to the end, and the resolution was satisfying enough, but the sheer amount of plot stilted the enjoyment.

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Quite good, not her best!

I enjoyed this for the most part, BUT... I found it was tedious and dragged, even the narration, though good, was quite soporific. I found that I had to keep rewinding to catch up as my mind had just wandered off.

Nevertheless, it was a good story, and I did enjoy it, I struggled a bit to keep up with all the different players though!

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2 people found this helpful

I cannot

Despite pronouncing Cynric’s name properly in the previous audiobook Wincott now seems to have forgotten how to say it.
His attempt at a Welsh accent is appalling too...
And if he says “grih-MACE” instead of “grih-MISS” one more time I am going to scream.
I can’t wait for David Thorpe to come back in the next instalment.
A great book spoiled by a mediocre narrator.

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1 person found this helpful

Excellent book

I have enjoyed all the Matthew Batholoman books, though I do miss the original narrator

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Another enjoyable tale

Always enjoy Susanna Gregory! Lots of history wrapped up in impossible intrigue! Narrator needs to vary his constantly ironic tone but you get used to it.

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A disappointing 'Mills and Boone' narration.....

A well loved historical murder mystery made hard work by an almost 'romantic' style narration, with Baron Hardup thrown in. Completely off putting from a reading style probably more suited to children's books.

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bit slow

to be honest I would not have listened to this all the way through, except for the fact that I didn't want to miss anything in the ongoing story outside this case. I complained in the past about the previous narrator being too slow, but, I apologize because I want him back. I did not like this narrator and I think it was because of him I have not enjoyed this and the previous book.

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1 person found this helpful