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The Sunday Philosophy Club
- An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
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Publisher's summary
Isabel Dalhousie is a philosopher by training, and an amateur sleuth by choice. When a young man falls from a balcony to his death, Isabel's curiosity is aroused. She does not believe the fall was an accident, and she is determined to root out the truth. With a little help from some friends (her housekeeper, her niece, and her niece's rather attractive ex-boyfriend), Isabel plunges into the shady business community of Edinburgh to find some answers.
With its distinctive characters and captivating suspense, The Sunday Philosophy Club further cements McCall Smith's status as one of today's most imaginative and enjoyable authors.
Critic reviews
"A world of kindness, gentility and creature comforts...the literary equivalent of herbal tea and a cozy fire." (The New York Times)
"Utterly enchanting....It is impossible to come away from an Alexander McCall Smith 'mystery' novel without a smile on the lips and warm fuzzies in the heart." (Chicago Sun-Times)
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Cyril Avery is not a real Avery - or at least that's what his adoptive parents tell him. And he never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he? Born out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead.
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Outstanding. A Must listen.
- By Keith G on 09-04-17
By: John Boyne
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Death at La Fenice
- Commissario Brunetti Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Donna Leon
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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During intermission at the famed La Fenice opera house in Venice, Italy, a notoriously difficult and widely disliked German conductor is poisoned—and suspects abound. Guido Brunetti, a native Venetian, sets out to unravel the mystery behind the high-profile murder. To do so, he calls on his knowledge of Venice, its culture, and its dirty politics. Along the way, he finds the crime may have roots going back decades—and that revenge, corruption, and even Italian cuisine may play a role.
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Hercule Poirot in Venice...!!!
- By Emil Grancagnolo on 10-09-22
By: Donna Leon
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What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours
- Stories
- By: Helen Oyeyemi
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Gideon, Piter Marek, Bahni Turpin
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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In "Books and Roses", one special key opens a library, a garden, and clues to at least two lovers' fates. In "Is Your Blood as Red as This?", an unlikely key opens the heart of a student at a puppeteering school. "'Sorry' Doesn't Sweeten Her Tea" involves a "house of locks", where doors can be closed only with a key - with surprising unobservable developments. And in "If a Book Is Locked There's Probably a Good Reason for That Don't You Think", a key keeps a mystical diary locked (for good reason).
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clever
- By jared rogerson on 03-15-18
By: Helen Oyeyemi
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The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
- By: Katarina Bivald
- Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Lorelei King
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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It all began with a correspondence between two quite different women: 28-year-old Sara from Haninge, Sweden, and 65-year-old Amy from the small town of Broken Wheel, Iowa. After years of exchanging books, letters and thoughts on the meaning of literature and life, Sara, mousy, disheveled, who has never been anywhere in her life--has really lived only for her work in a beloved bookshop, which has just closed its doors for the last time--bravely decides to accept her unknown friend's invitation to visit. But when she arrives, she finds her house empty, the funeral guests just heading home. . .
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Disappointed - no depth & poor narration
- By Kelly on 01-28-16
By: Katarina Bivald
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In the Light of What We Know
- By: Zia Haider Rahman
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 21 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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One September morning in 2008, an investment banker approaching forty, his career in collapse and his marriage unraveling, receives a surprise visitor at his West London townhouse. In the disheveled figure of a South Asian male carrying a backpack the banker recognizes a long-lost friend, a mathematics prodigy who disappeared years earlier under mysterious circumstances. The friend has resurfaced to make a confession of unsettling power.
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dreadful
- By sam on 06-05-15
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A Share in Death
- By: Deborah Crombie
- Narrated by: Michael Deehy
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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A week's holiday in a luxurious hotel is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But his vacation ends dramatically with the discovery of a dead body in the whirlpool bath. Despite a suspicious lack of cooperation from the local constabulary, Kincaid's keen sense of duty won't allow him to ignore the heinous crime, impelling him to send for his enthusiastic young assistant, Sergeant Gemma James. But the stakes are raised significantly when a second murder occurs....
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series readers, start here
- By connie on 02-09-13
By: Deborah Crombie
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Pietr the Latvian
- Inspector Maigret, Book 1
- By: Georges Simenon, David Bellos - translator
- Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The first audiobook which appeared in Georges Simenon's famous Maigret series, in a gripping new translation by David Bellos.Inevitably Maigret was a hostile presence in the Majestic. He constituted a kind of foreign body that the hotel's atmosphere could not assimilate. Not that he looked like a cartoon policeman. He didn't have a moustache and he didn't wear heavy boots. His clothes were well cut and made of fairly light worsted. He shaved every day and looked after his hands. But his frame was proletarian. He was a big, bony man.
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Long live Maigret
- By Adeliese Baumann on 11-19-14
By: Georges Simenon, and others
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Talking It Over
- By: Julian Barnes
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey, Alex Jennings, Clare Higgins
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Introducing Stuart, Gillian and Oliver. One by one they take their turn to speak straight out to the camera - and give their side of a contemporary love triangle. What begins as a comedy of misunderstanding slowly darkens and deepens into a compelling exploration of the quagmires of the heart.
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The Narrative Gimmick Works
- By Alan on 11-22-11
By: Julian Barnes
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Rumpole of the Bailey
- The Rumpole of the Bailey Series, Book 1
- By: John Mortimer
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Horace Rumpole, the irreverent, iconoclastic, claret-swilling, poetry-spouting barrister at law, is among the most beloved characters of English crime literature. He is not a particularly gifted attorney, nor is he particularly fond of the law by courts if it comes to that, but he’d rather be swinging at a case than bowing to his wife Hilda, She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed.
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Rambling and irreverent, Rumpole captures you
- By VW on 08-30-18
By: John Mortimer
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Transcends its Genre
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Detective Ulf Varg from the Department of Sensitive Crimes is often called upon to investigate unusual matters. But rarely is he asked to conduct an inquiry on behalf of his own family. Is such a thing ethical? Adding to Ulf's moral discomfort is the fact that he does not exactly see eye to eye with his younger brother Bjorn - a leading player in one of Sweden's right-wing parties, the Moderate Extremists. Still, family is family, so Ulf finds himself working to uncover the mole leaking secrets to a rival party, the Extreme Moderates.
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I wanted to know who did what.
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In London’s Pimlico neighborhood lies a tenement described in architectural guides as “a building of no interest whatsoever.” But the residents of Corduroy Mansions—including a literary agent, a wine merchant, a thoroughly unpleasant member of Parliament, and a vegetarian dog—are a rather fascinating lot.
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Oedipus Snark, MP
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I wanted to know who did what.
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44 Scotland Street
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The brilliant Alexander McCall Smith became an international sensation with his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels. His award-winning wit, made famous through that series, is fully on display in 44 Scotland Street.
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Smith's answer to Maupin
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Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party
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Cornelius P. "Fatty" O'Leary and his wife, Betty, plan a vacation in Ireland for his 40th birthday, where they will tour his ancestral homeland and relax in the countryside. Almost immediately, things go terribly wrong: the seats in economy class on the plane are too small; the country hotel's dinner spread and bathroom fixtures leave much to be desired; and the down-to-earth O'Learys find their fellow guests are more than a little snobbish.
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Not up to par
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In this dual collection of short stories, Alexander McCall Smith brings his trademark humor and warmth to inventive tales of spying and vengeance. In one story, a spy dropped deep into enemy territory manages to disguise himself—quite convincingly—as a nun. In another, an invitation to join the Vatican Secret Service sends a prospective operative down a rabbit hole of controversy and confusion. A third story finds an author, on the brink of public ruin, seeing the error of his ways after an act of kindness saves the day.
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Brilliant
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When writer Paul Stewart heads to the idyllic Italian town of Montalcino to finish his already late book, it seems like the perfect escape from stressful city life. Upon landing, however, things quickly take a turn for the worse when he discovers his hired car is nowhere to be found. With no record of any reservation and no other cars available, it looks like Paul is stuck at the airport. That is, until an enterprising stranger offers him an unexpected alternative.
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Suffused with Wisdom and Humor
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What W. H. Auden Can Do for You
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When facing a moral dilemma, Isabel Dalhousie--Edinburgh philosopher, amateur detective, and title character of a series of novels by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith - often refers to the great twentieth-century poet W. H. Auden. This is no accident: McCall Smith has long been fascinated by Auden. Indeed, the novelist, best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, calls the poet not only the greatest literary discovery of his life but also the best of guides on how to live.
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On the Power of Poetry, Mostly Auden's
- By Rich S. on 12-09-13
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The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
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The complete BBC Radio adaptations of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency featuring Botswana's only female private detective agency, run by the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe. Based on the hugely popular novels and brought to life with music and full casts, these evocative productions return us to Botswana, where Precious has more mysteries to solve.
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Fantastic, an uplifting and joyous production
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The Camelot Caper
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- Unabridged
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Jessica Tregarth goes to England to visit her grandfather; an invitation that surprises and pleases her. The only link she has with her dead father's family is an antique ring he brought with him to America. This will be a chance to learn more about who she is; it will be fun.
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Not Amelia. . . .
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After enjoying London's sophisticated society and the attentions of wealthy suitors, Lilly returns home to help her ailing dad. Determined to resurrect his apothecary business, Lilly labors tirelessly - praying her family's secrets and her rivals' schemes won't cloud her future.
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good light PG listening
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By: Julie Klassen
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Chance Developments
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- By: Alexander McCall Smith
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- Unabridged
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It is said that a picture may be worth a thousand words, but an old photograph can inspire many more. In this beguiling book, Alexander McCall Smith casts his eye over five chanced-upon photographs from the era of black-and-white photography and imagines the stories behind them. Who were those people, what were their stories, why are they smiling, what made them sad?
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Several "I wish that I had written that..."
- By N. David Blocher on 01-20-17
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The Pavilion in the Clouds
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- Unabridged
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It is 1938 and the final days of the British Empire. In a bungalow high up in the green hills above the plains of Ceylon, under a vast blue sky, live the Ferguson family: Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father Henry—owner of Pitlochry, a tea plantation—and her mother Virginia. The story centres around the Pavilion in the Clouds, set in the idyllic grounds carved out of the wilderness. But all is not as serene as it seems. Bella is suspicious of her governess, Miss White’s intentions.
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Get Over It
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44 Scotland Street: The Complete Series 1-5
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The complete BBC radio adaptations of Alexander McCall's bestselling series. Inspired by Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, 44 Scotland Street started life as a serial in The Scotsman. It was a huge hit, and was soon novelised, adapted on stage and dramatised for BBC Radio 4. Collected here are all five radio series, in which we follow the interconnected lives of the residents of adjoining flats in a tenement in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town.
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Very entertaining
- By Anonymous User on 09-26-23
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Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations
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- Unabridged
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Alexander McCall Smith, the New York Times best-selling author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and the recipient of two Booker Judges' Special Recommendations, delivers an intriguing collection of stories about dating. The emotions in these tales run from the thrill of finding happiness to the humiliation and loneliness of rejection.
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Not expected
- By Robin Nystrom on 07-09-07
What listeners say about The Sunday Philosophy Club
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- B. Dickinson
- 03-10-23
Warm and Delightful
No, it's not another No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency-like series, but it is at least in the same vein in that it's warm and charming, with detailed character study. Thoughtful and gently humorous, with lovely bits of philosophical thought sprinkled throughout. Enjoyable narrator.
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- Kindle Customer
- 11-28-23
The inner monologue of a tedious character
it's not a terrible story by any means, but tedious describes it best for me. Every thing in this characters day reminds her of some ethical or moral dilemma/inquiry and it becomes very dull after a while. Davina Porter made the book tolerable, but otherwise it was a dud for me.
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- DCinMI
- 02-18-13
Advice For Prospective Listeners
I'm currently listening to book 5 in this series. I have loved them all and will be listening to the rest of them, as well. I originally thought they would be mysteries, but they're not really, although usually there is something odd going on that Isabel is trying to sort out. They remind me more of the 44 Scotland Street books, of which Audible does not have the complete series, so I had to find another. I'm glad I found this one.
The reason I decided to review this one is that, being the first book in the series, a new listener might look at these reviews first and I wanted to make a suggestion.
When I first started listening to these books, the picture of Isabel that formed in my mind was actually Maggie Smith, circa Harry Potter. I'm sure it was to do with the accent and Isabel's personality, combined with the roles I've seen Maggie Smith play. Ms. Smith is a wonderful actress and attractive, but she is much too old to be Isabel Dalhousie. This didn't matter so much in the beginning, but later in the series it does, and the image I've had all this time is hard for me to shake now.
So, in order to give some perspective to a new listener, I want to point out that Isabel is actually about the same age as, say, Jennifer Aniston. If you can picture Jennifer as a Scottish philosopher with an adult niece, you will be much closer to "reality" than I have been.
Other than that, the only advice I have is to relax and enjoy and prepare to be hooked.
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24 people found this helpful
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- A.J.
- 02-04-12
charming and cozy
What did you like best about this story?
I was charmed by the main characters and the setting. I'm going through a phase where I like audio books that take me out of the U.S. (or into the past at least a century). There is just something inherently interesting about a setting
What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
The narrator's accent was for me a delightful journey outside the U.S. without me having to sit through a long flight.
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- Alexis☺
- 02-26-17
Satisfying mystery for a philosophical reader
Years ago, when this book came out in hard copy, I bought it and reveled in the low-key, thoughtful mystery set in the author's hometown. I've listened to one or two of the No. 1 Ladies Detection Agency books and admired that actress's voice and skilled accents, but the author's own somewhat conservative colonial and male views opined by an African woman character have been too difficult for me to take. Yes, I find Isabel's increasing self-doubt and questionable self-esteem unhealthy to the point of wondering about the author's misogyny as the Philosophy Club series continues and Isabel's intimate relationship develops. But those issues are barely nascent in this thoughtful first stroll through Isabel's daily rounds of her niece's cafe, her art exhibits and musical events, philosophizing about what she might say to get her Philosophy Club to meet. I heartily wish there were more genuinely "cosy" and intelligent mysteries such as the Isabel Dalhousie series available for mystery lovers who are thoroughly tired of cardboard characters in car chases and warehouse explosions. But I assume Smith was only able to publish his Isabel Dalhousie series because of his previous bestselling success with his Mma Ramotswe series. Here's hoping publishers are reading this feedback and will consider publishing more such series as Isabel's.
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- Kindle Customer
- 12-21-23
Interesting
The main character’s thought process was so cleverly portrayed. I found myself wondering if I give enough thought to ‘why’ people say things as well as what they say!
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- CAS
- 03-26-15
not exactly my cup of tea
after reading the description I was expecting. something on the order of Mrs Polifax or Amelia Peabody. sort of a humorous who-done-it with clever clues that drove the plot forward. but this was a little too melodramatic and driven by sex for my taste. I had looked forward to reading to the rest of the series but for now I think I'll skip it.
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- dobby
- 07-18-23
Sunday philosophy club
Enjoyed the wondering thoughts of the character's minds. Story took several twists and turns, that keeps you involved. It however has an unsatisfactory solution.
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- Barbara D Payne
- 08-20-23
It Seemed Endless
I decided to give this series a second try and I won’t give it a third. I know the constant “thinking and moral reasoning” is a plot device, but it just goes on and on. She just natters endlessly over her moral dilemmas, and it got old. Too much of that and not enough mystery. The narration is great, though. Davina Porter can read the phone book and make it sound good!
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- Louise Marley
- 09-19-23
Another brilliant Davina Porter narration
Terrific story enhanced with bits of philosophy. Davina Porter’s reading is simply magnificent. Great listen for a long drive.
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