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  • The Speaker of Mandarin

  • A Chief Inspector Wexford Mystery, Book 12 (Unabridged)
  • By: Ruth Rendell
  • Narrated by: Michael Bryant
  • Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (531 ratings)
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The Speaker of Mandarin cover art

The Speaker of Mandarin

By: Ruth Rendell
Narrated by: Michael Bryant
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Summary

There were some things about Chief Inspector Wexford's trip to China that he could never have dreamt of: That an old woman would haunt him from one city to the next. That a man would be tragically drowned. Or that, back in England, he would be investigating the murder of one of his fellow tourists.

©2009 Ruth Rendell (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Speaker of Mandarin

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    259
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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Story
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Different reader, same quality

I'm not sure why some reviewers don't like the actor reading this. Sure, it's a bit disorientating when there are at least three different performers reading the available Wexford range; but this was as well done as the rest, merely different.

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

narrator not as good as previous one

no punctuation and at times didn't know which character was speaking , story was good but hard to follow because of the droning narrative

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

Learned a lot about China

Really enjoyed the story, but having grown up with George Baker playing Wexford it was hard to hear his and Mike Burdens voices swapped over.

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

Not my favourite, but still good RR

Not as keen on this narrator as others. IMO he gets Wexford and Burden’s accents the wrong way round. But the story is decent enough and kept me guessing to the end.

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

Great plot

Interesting story and characters as usual - but the narrator just didn’t fit my view of Wexford and Burden.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Good

Good storyline narater was not what I expected but I got used to it and really enjoyed it

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

awful narrator

Great book, ruined by the narrator who rushed through the narration and halfway through switched the accents of two main characters, got quite confusing since Wexford has had the same lovely burr throughout the series thus far, but suddenly he lost it completely and passed it to Burden.

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

Enjoyable read

Very well narrated and a good story. Not one of the best but enjoyable all the same.

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

Really liked the structure

The lead up in China was intriguing and a departure for a Wexford book. I didn’t think it was for me at first but then I got totally sucked in

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

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this book although old I still enjoyed it the narrator is ok but good value for the cost

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