A Dead Bore

John Pickett Mysteries, Book 2

By: Sheri Cobb South

Narrated by: Joel Froomkin

Eager to escape London following the scandal of her husband's death, Lady Fieldhurst accepts an invitation to spend the summer in rural Yorkshire as the guest of Sir Gerald and Lady Hollingshead. She soon discovers, however, that country life is not the panacea she had hoped for. Tension reigns and tempers flare at Hollingshead Place, due in large part to Lady Hollingshead's ambitions for her daughter, a lovely young lady destined for a brilliant marriage in spite of her love for a penniless curate. When a dinner party ends with the death of the vicar - a kindly old soul whose only sin appears to be the authorship of a dull local history - Lady Fieldhurst suspects foul play and sends for Bow Street Runner John Pickett, with one stipulation: since she is a guest in the house, Picket must keep his connection to Bow Street a secret. Pickett obliges by presenting himself as her footman, complete with livery and powdered hair. But Pickett soon has his white-gloved hands full sifting through old secrets, uncovering hidden passions, and dealing with a demanding housekeeper - not to mention avoiding the younger daughter of the house, a precocious 14-year-old with a school girl infatuation for the faux footman. Then there is the problem of Lady Fieldhurst herself, at once an able assistant and an all too pleasant distraction.

©2008 Sheri Cobb South (P)2017 Sheri Cobb South

Fun, feel good mystery set in old England

I thoroughly enjoyed this listen. A fun, feel good mystery with some restrained romance. Being a huge Downton Abbey fan, this story reminded me a bit of that, with the upstairs downstairs vibe- but with some Sherlock Holmes added in. The main characters are very likable, and I'm a huge sucker for the Agatha Christie-esque the murderer is someone in this very room feeling.
It's part of a short John Picket mystery series, and I am going to continue.
As a disclaimer, I didn't read the first one, but I didn't feel lost, as any missed information was filled in in the story.
And I have to say-- the narrator was FANTASTIC! Joel Froomkin made me forget as he voiced the female roles that it was actually a man reading the book! That's not easy to do. I would listen to more books by this narrator as well!
Listen (or read) for a fun easy feel good read.

*This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Great listen -- title does not match enjoyment

This is the first book by this author or narrator that I have listened to. I think both are very talented. The narrator did a great job with the accents. I liked the imagery that was conveyed in the story. This is a clean historical mystery. It is part of a series and yet a stand alone book. I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher, and/or narrator.

A. Dead Bore

A good read,though slow at times.Narration by Joel Froomkin was wonderful!I was provided this book free by the author,narrator or publisher.

John Pickett is the perfect hero again!

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Dead Bore?

Well has to be the kiss, right?

Which character – as performed by Joel Froomkin – was your favorite?

I am blown away by how well he does Julia. You would swear they used a female narrator (and one heck of a sexy one at that).

Any additional comments?

I started with book 1. It is hard to get into it but if you hang on for the first 10 minutes or so, the hook gets planted. On to number thee now.

Another great book

Once again, Ms. South has written a magnificent blend of regency England and mystery. To this lover of both genres, I can't think of a more perfect union.

The characters are interesting, the mystery not easily solved, and the hint of romance between two people of different backgrounds and social standing, make for an engaging read.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and unbiased review.

Fun "cosy" with a great narrator

An intriguing story with a variety of interesting characters all well read by Joel Froomkin. I always knew who was talking, and the female characters were especially great. This was a really fun listen.

Character driven mystery

This is the type of mystery that I enjoy. I like the historical aspect of the novel. The story takes place in the 1800s in England. I like the 2 main characters, and I like the fact that the story is not violent. The story centers around figuring out why the murder happened and then that leads the detective to Who Did It.

Another great story with wonderful narration!

I enjoyed book 2 as much as book 1! Intriguing plot, lovely characters and an absolutely wonderful narration. Narrator Joel Froomkin did such a marvellous portrayal of each character and brought them to live. I tried reading the book and realised that without his narration, I would not have been able to feel the characters as much. Looking forward to book 3.

A Dead Bore

A very enjoyable Victorian mystery, wonderfully narrated . If you enjoy a very British mystery, you will love this book!

Well Written and Narrated Historical Mystery

I received a free copy of this book.. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is the second book in the John Pickett Mysteries [if you don't count Pickpocket's Apprentice - a novella which provides the backstory of John Pickett and how he became a Bow Street Runner]. It is a standalone story and it is not necessary to read the prior books in this series to enjoy this one. Having said that [or written it], part of the enjoyment of these books is the character development which evolves with each new book in the series and understanding the prior interactions of these characters to place in context the current progression of their relationship. I would highly recommend starting this series from the very beginning.

Here, Lady Fieldhurst and John have not had any interactions in the many months since the first book [In Milady's Chamber] ended. Lady Fieldhurst wants/needs to get out of town to get away from the gossip of her husband's murder and decides to accept an invitation to visit some acquaintances in Yorkshire. However, soon, tragedy strikes and a fire at the residence results in the death of Mr. Danvers, one of the guest. Lady Fieldhurst suspecting all is not what it seems contacts John to investigate. John then arrives incognito, pretending to be Lady Fieldhurst's footman so that he can discretely investigate.

As always, this is a very well written historical mystery/romance. The mystery itself was well done - I don't want to give anything away. The interactions between John and Lady Fieldhurst as they were investigating - both together and separately - were a lot of fun. I really like that Lady Fieldhurst is an intelligent woman, who has opinions and ideas. On top of that, poor John has to investigate the case while trying not to offend the staff at Yorkshire; fight off unwanted amorous advances; disguise his identity as an investigator; conceal that he is pining for Lady Fieldhurst; and pretend to be a footman. I really enjoy spending time with these characters and look forward to the next book in the series.

The narrator, Joel Froomkin, is a great fit for this series and I have become a fan of his.