An Unpardonable Crime

By: Andrew Taylor

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Edgar Allan Poe is an American boy in England, a child standing on the edge of mysteries. In 1819, two Americans arrive in London. Soon afterward a bank collapses. A man is found horribly mutilated on a building site and an heiress flirts with her inferiors. All the while, Poe's young schoolmaster struggles to understand what is happening before he and his loved ones are destroyed. But the truth, like the youthful Poe himself, has its origins in the New World as well as the Old, in a bitter episode of corruption during the War of 1812.

With settings ranging from the coal-scented urban jungle of late Regency London to the stark winter landscapes of a rural Gloucestershire, An Unpardonable Crime is a multi-layered literary murder mystery, a historical novel, and a love story. In addition to shedding fascinating light on Edgar Allan Poe, the book is a fast-paced suspenseful tale, filled with shocking revelations.

©2004 Andrew Taylor

Critic reviews

"Taylor does an excellent job in portraying early 19th-century London and writes in a clear, consistent period style...." (Publishers Weekly)
"Taylor is a major thriller talent."(Time Out London)
"A remarkable thriller, elegantly written...a work of superlative fiction." (Denver Post)

Eerie

Eerie... engrossing... enticing... extraordinary. Those are just a few words that adequately describe this great book. Great narrator and great characters go well with the excellent plot.

Great listen intriguing story

This was my second audiobook and got me hooked. The story has so many twists and turns and is very well written.

Entertaining, easy listen!

Simon Vance gives yet another stellar performance in An Unpardonable Crime. Set in 1819, this story chronicles fictional events in the childhood of one Edgar Allen Poe, as experienced by schoolmaster Thomas Shield. Featuring several grisly murders, a love interest, and plenty of intrigue, this was one quick-paced audiobook that I just couldn't hit the pause button on.

Sustaining Story, BUT NOT A LOT OF POE

I got this book because I was intrigued by the whole Poe connection. In spite of the pitch and some very bald self-explication at the end of the book, the Poe boy is not a very important figure in the novel. Further, young Poe isn't made into a very fascinating of a character.

While I'm dogging, just let me add that this isn't very thrilling for a thriller. Not that any murder is pardonable, but I certainly can think of less pardonable ways to perpetrate it. Thinking of Poe, I was looking for something that would aspire for some real creepiness. The characters, however, seemed more like Austen characters. shorn of their wit, meandering through a
murder mystery.

So let me tell you what it is... a nice period piece. The writing really did seem to capture the spirit of the times. The story was involving. It wasn't too complex, but that's OK for a book that is heard instead of read. Once I started it, I certainly wanted to finish it, but I wasn't compelled.

Get the book, enjoy the book, but don't expect Poe.

Not what I expected

I thought this was going to be more about Poe than it was. But, I was not disappointed. I loved the feel of the book. It felt very real. Descriptions of the dress of the time, speech, and manerisms of the characters were all described very, very well. The narrator is outstanding. It was like he wasn't even reading, but telling a story.

A lot of overblown prose, not much action.

If you like sitting through interminable "Masterpiece Theatre" episodes on PBS, this is for you. I personally found it pretty boring.

An Enjoyable Book

The book features a cast of well developed character and does a great job of establishing the period in which it is set. The reader was excellent and made listening a pleasure. Similarly, the story was easy to listen to and had a nice flow to it. I wouldn't recommend it for a first time listener because of its length, but if you're used to the audiobook format, go for it.

A nice listen.

I especially enjoyed this book. I would not call myself a sophisticated reader (listener), so I won’t be so bold as to say it is a superb literary work, but for the long commute to the office, this worked for me. It was made all the more enjoyable by the narrator. Simon Vance is terrific. His ability to provide a distinguishable voice for each character and be consistent throughout the reading helps to place the listener in the scene. Only 4 stars because I reserve 5 for my absolute favorite - the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, also read by Vance.

Never quite gets thrilling.

I read this book because I was a fan of Poe and hoped it would be an interesting piece to accompany his body of literature. I think that is how it is sold, too. Unfortunately, it never quite becomes interesting enough. The pieces are there for an intriguing mystery but the author does not make them leap off the page like Poe did. I think it's fair to compare the two because the author clearly invokes Poe with his imagery, symbolism, and characters. While the book is not terrible, by any means, it is ultimately forgettable -- that's its sin. It is effective at painting the picture of England in the late 19th century and of teaching us how people at that time interacted. The reader is excellent, using a variety of accents to differentiate the characters. Perhaps this book is best suited for those who know nothing about Poe, and might explore him thereafter. Fans of Edgar, I'm afraid, will want a bit more spice. (I believe the American version of the publishing is called, "The American Boy," in case anyone might be thinking this is a different book.)

AMAZING NARRATION

The first thing that comes to mind after listening to this book is what an exceptional job the narrator did in potraying each character. He is certainly one of the few that I can tolerate gender twisting as he does so with ease and never sounds forced. The story never closes on the facts, only character assumptions. That annoyed me slightly at the end but was probably just the result of a story ending when I wanted more.