Winter on Leave

This is a rather splendid example of a murder-mystery in rural wartime England with Winter's clever detecting and solving this the murder.
He is recovering from some rather serious wounds and spending this time off with his new wife and his 16-year old daughter, but of course he can't let a murder go unsolved.
This is a very easy read/listen, the words flow evenly and the characters are quickly developed.
Melanie Fraser has once again done a splendid job with her voices making this story more interesting and a delight and I am quite happy to recommend the book/audiobook.
I received a free audiobook from the narrator and this is my unbiased review.

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Great series- a firm favourite.

What did you like best about this story?

What I enjoyed most about this story was that we got to see more Of Guy Winters as the family man and not just the Mystery Man. I feel that he has grown as a character and for me he is much more likeable in this book.

I enjoyed the role his daughter played in this story. She played a key role in the investigations and kept a cool head in difficult situations.
Her involvement marks a shift in the way women have typically contributed to Guy Winter's investigations. Up to this point women within Guy's world have chiefly been useful for sex. Their role amounted to reporting back intelligence gleaned from pillow talk with the men they had been sent out to spy on.

I love historical fiction and the fact that this series is set during the second World War makes it much more interesting. It is the perfect backdrop for the spying game and an endless source of suspense and intrigue.

Have you listened to any of Melanie Fraser’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Yes, I have listened to the series so far and the narration is consistently excellent. I know what to expect when I see Melanie's name on a production and I wouldn't hesitate to make a purchase safe in the knowledge that her narration is not going to disappoint.

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

Yes, I would have listened to this book in one sitting if I had been able to. It is a story that I will go back and listen to again.

Any additional comments?

I was gifted a copy and I have voluntarily written a review.

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1 person found this helpful

Winter in The Countryside

What made the experience of listening to Winter's Exile the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the continuing story of Guy his family and aquanticed with the backdrop of wartime Uk and all that meant for communities and individuals. I enjoyed being out in the sticks with the squire and all that. It I did miss the atmosphere of being in London. So many wartime stories are set in London that it feels like a personality in its own right.

What does Melanie Fraser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Melanie is a very classy narrator and is very well suited to this series. She purrs along like a Rolls Royce but can easily bring in deep emotion and passion. I listen to books because Melanie is the narrator.

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

No I wanted to savour it rather than binge.

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No rest for Guy Winter

4 1/2 stars

In Winter’s Exile, Guy Winter’s is recovering from injuries he sustained at the end of Winter’s Revenge. To allow him some quiet time for recuperation, he, his new wife, Elspeth, and his daughter head to a country estate. However, it isn’t long before Guy is pulled into investigating the murder of a local, a rash and rude young man Guy and his family met early on in their stay. Despite his injuries, Guy plunges into the investigation, determined to uncover who committed the murder. Complicating the investigation is the crash of a German bomber not far from where the body was found. One of the crew of that airplane is still missing, assumed to remain in the area. Was the squire’s son the victim of a German attack? Worse, yet, is when Guy’s daughter disappears without a note or any indication of where she might have gone. Is more foul play at work? Will she wind up another victim?

I think this book is the best in the Guy Winter’s series so far. It seems that everything from the earlier books comes together in this one. The story flows smoothly, with just the right amount of tension to continue holding the listener’s interest, and we see a more human side of Guy.

Ms. Fraser’s narration is smoothly done and brings this story to life. That’s no surprise as she’s accomplished the same with the earlier three books in the series. Her voicing of both characters and action gives this audiobook a three-dimensional feel, and it brings the listener into the relationships and investigations. I’m particularly fond of her interpretation of Elspeth, Guy’s former neighbor and new wife. She comes across as spunky and loving, intelligent, and quite the proper Englishwoman. I’m looking forward to listening to the next book in this series.

I received this book as a gift from the narrator. While I appreciate her generosity, all opinions expressed in this review are freely given, uninfluenced by anyone, and express my honest reaction to this audiobook.

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