This Rough Magic cover art

This Rough Magic

The classic, unputdownable adventure and suspense novel from the Queen of the Romantic Mystery

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This Rough Magic

By: Mary Stewart
Narrated by: Helen Johns
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About this listen

 The pioneer of romantic suspense, Mary Stewart leads her readers on a thrilling journey to a Mediterranean island paradise in this tale of mystery, murder and intrigue, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym.

Lucy Waring, a young, out-of-work actress from London, leaps at the chance to visit her sister for a summer on the island paradise of Corfu, and what's more, a famous but reclusive actor is staying in a villa nearby. But Lucy's hopes for rest and romance are shattered when a body washes up on the beach and she finds herself swept up in a chilling chain of events.

I shuddered, and drank my coffee, leaning back in my chair to gaze out across pine tops furry with gold towards the sparkling sea, and surrendering myself to the dreamlike feeling that marks the start of a holiday . . .

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd©1964 Mary Stewart Crime Thrillers Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Romantic Suspense Suspense Thriller & Suspense Thriller Fiction Crime Exciting Celebrity Ancient Greece Ancient History

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All stars
Most relevant
Beautifully narrated - pitch perfect. I have read this story several times and loved it, but this audio version brings it wonderfully to life. A delightful experience

Superb

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Interesting that in spite of the occasional reminder of the age of this story, it still packs the same compelling punch. Helen Johns captures the period quality without it seeming hackneyed or compromising the quality of the storyline.

An old favourite standing the test of time

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Very well written....old fashioned narrative but enjoyable.
First read this when I was just 16...now 70!
Author excellent.
Narration very good ....until the pronunciation of the most common Greek surname in fiction. PAPADOPOULOS! Totally hilarious....

Good

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I genuinely enjoyed this story from beginning to end. Not an author I have come across before but now I feel “where have I been!”

I was transported to Corfu and a very intimate and secret world I felt privileged to step into.

To categorise this story is difficult because one minute you are in a romance, then a drama then woosh and you are knee deep into an exciting thriller! It wasn’t what I was expecting from it (an a to b crime story) and I’m delighted it wasn’t.

I can’t recommend it highly enough.

A magical thrilling journey with a little love thrown in!

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The author was recommended to me as having a similar style to Dick Francis'. I can't really agree with that as the pacing was much slower, particularly in the first half, and the plot was pretty simple - after the first two hours it's pretty obvious who the villain is, there are no real surprises anywhere down the road, and most of the characters where a bit two-dimensional and quite predictable. However, I still enjoyed listening to it as the protagonist was rather likable, her love for the beauty of the Ionian sea shone through, and the pace picked up some after the first two hours. The characterisation of Corfu and the Greeks was on the touristy-clichéd side, but as the protagonist is a visiting actress, that was fine by me. Especially some of the later action sequences were well written and rather suspenseful. Overall, I liked listening to it while driving, but I wouldn't listen for a second time.

Enjoyable, but rather slow paced and predictable

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