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Murder for Christmas cover art

Murder for Christmas

By: Francis Duncan
Narrated by: Geoffrey Beevers
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Summary

A classic mystery for the festive season: mulled wine, mince pies...and murder.

Mordecai Tremaine, former tobacconist and perennial lover of romance novels, has been invited to spend Christmas in the sleepy village of Sherbroome, at the country retreat of one Benedict Grame.

Arriving on Christmas Eve, he finds that the revelries are in full flow - but so, too, are tensions amongst the assortment of guests. Midnight strikes, and the partygoers discover that it's not just presents nestling under the tree...there's a dead body, too. A dead body that bears a striking resemblance to Father Christmas.

With the snow falling and the suspicions flying, it's up to Mordecai to sniff out the culprit - and prevent someone else from getting murder for Christmas.

©2016 Francis Duncan (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"With some 20 crime novels to his credit, a relaunch seems long overdue." (Daily Mail)
"Who can resist a seasonal whodunnit? This is a bah-humbug's ideal read." (Lady)
"The book nods towards Agatha Christie but retains a crackling atmosphere of dread and horror that will chill the heart however warm your fireside." (Metro)
"A wonderfully cosy read and a great way to while away a winter's evening." (Nudge)
"This is a golden age murder mystery that'll certainly appeal to lovers of Agatha Christie - or anyone who enjoys a good, old-fashioned whodunit.... This is a book that could be read at any time of year but would certainly make perfect festive reading. It has humour, excellent characterisation and a gentle tone that would sit well following the after-Queen's Speech nap." (crimefictionlover)

What listeners say about Murder for Christmas

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic narrator

Just brilliant period mystery and the narrator was exactly as you would expect Morticai to sound like

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20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

riveting!

perfect for the cold, dark nights. compelling story with that feeling of a good old fashioned Christmases of childhood, the warmth it engendered expertly blended with an equally good old fashioned murder. the performance of this piece just added layers of tinsel, snow and something sinister. perfect match!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable

Where does Murder for Christmas rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I like who-dun-its and this is a fun one. No competition to Agatha Christie but in a similar mold. So I would give it six out of ten where Christie is ten.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The Christmas theme was attractive but not really developed. The characters weren't developed either. Less than one dimensional! The murderer could have been anyone for any reason.

Did Geoffrey Beevers do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

I didn't like the performance. It was done in an oldie worldy voice I guess to make it feel old fashioned. I don't know why. A straightforward voice would have been better

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to it over three days walking and looked forward to it. It's light, unstressful and the 'who dun it aspect' appealing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good story. Terrible narrator.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I liked the story. A touch dated, but added to the charm. The atmosphere for a Christmas read is perfectly pitched. An isolated country house surrounded by snow. The narrator let it down. A monotone in a plumby accent. No expression. Like wading through treacle. A shame. Won't put me off the author though.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Good. Didn't guess who did it.

How could the performance have been better?

Different narrator. Anyone really. Someone with no experience could have done better.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best book for quite a while

What about Geoffrey Beevers’s performance did you like?

At the beginning of the book I was not sure if I liked Mr Beevers voice, but very quickly I became attuned to it, so that by Chapter two I found him east to listen to; by the end I could have listened to him for much longer.
In fact it was because Geoffrey Beevers is the reader for "Murder has a Motive" that prompted me to download it

.

Any additional comments?

I have read crime novels for many years but until Audible recommended "Murder for Christmas" I had never heard of Francis Duncan. I am glad I have followed their advice and shall read the rest of his works when they are re-published...But only if Geoffrey Beevers reads them!
I wonder what other works by unfashionable authors are waiting to be re-discovered?

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

old fashioned murder story

If you like your murder clues to be vague and unlinked until the last chapter when the big revel comes then this is the book for you. not quite Agatha but of a similar vein. I enjoyed it's easy, relaxed style. Chewing gum for the mind.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent for a Christmas read

An excellent and relaxing story for Christmas - fairly predictable but who cares! There are some good twists and turns and the main character is rather sweet - he loves sentimental love stories but is quite hard headed when it comes to the crunch. The story was fun and the setting suitable for Christmas.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

MURDERER FOR CHRISTMAS

I just brought it on a whim I just wanted to say that I'm glad I did
Great story line and well narrated I'd recommend this book for a easy to listen to audio book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Purple prose, but well narrated.

A self worthy piece that plods amicably along with a 'Mr Marple' wannabe amateur sleuth in the lead. I

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Guessing to the last!

Easy listening, at times a bit predictable and laborious, but narrator covers this with his intriguing style: both together make a ready escape from reality!

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2 people found this helpful