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A Comedian Dies

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A Comedian Dies

By: Simon Brett
Narrated by: Simon Brett
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About this listen

A rising young stage comedian, who is about to receive his profession's award as ‘Most Promising Newcomer’, dies sensationally on stage at the start of his act; as he picks up the mike, he is electrocuted. Faulty wiring seems to be the cause; no one person is to blame; a verdict of death by misadventure is returned at the inquest. But accomplished detective Charles Paris happens to have been in the audience, and when another member of the cast reveals the comedian checked his equipment before the performance, Charles is launched on a further fascinating puzzle. Read by the author.

©1979 Simon Brett (P)2014 Audible, Inc Crime Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense

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All stars
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I am enjoying the rather useless way Charles goes about his sleuthing. Light and very listenable series.

Great

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The radio adaptions are very different to the books but having listened to them both I find them both to be entertaining.

An enjoyable listen.

A little predictable but good fun

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Another attempted marital reconciliation between Charles and Frances Paris saw them at an afternoon performance of a number of music hall type acts, with show girls, a musical group, a singer and an old comedian, once famous, now bottom of the bill. Topping them, though, was a young man with a promising future, about to receive a best young newcomer award. Instead, he was electrocuted on stage, picking up his guitar. Accidental death, was the verdict. Charles thought it was murder and set about trying to prove it. And he had quite a list of suspects: everyone seemed to have hated Bill Peeky.

This is book five in the series about Charles Paris, the mostly out of work actor and amateur detective and a fun story, amusingly written, with numerous distinctly interesting characters, all delivered to the reader by the author himself, reading with clarity, fine intonation and enthousiasm, giving distinctive individual voices to each of his protagonists. I love this series and recommend it to all who enjoy light hearted who-dun-its? set within a theatrical background..?

"Well I never did."

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Charles Paris isn't that likeable, but you can't help hoping his career will turn around. His sleuthing is as halting as his career, but that's half the charm. Enjoyable way to pass a few hours!

Good trip down memory lane

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Some of the jokes really showing their age as sexist and racist but if you ignore that fairly standard Charles Paris fare.

Rather dated jokes

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I read a lot, and I've never read or even heard of a book with this storyline. I really enjoyed the plot twists, and didn't have a clue whodunit.

Unique and fascinating.

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This is the second book in this series that I have read (well listened to on audiobook).

This was the same as the last one really. It was ok and it was background. But I had no interest in any of the characters. I didn't warm to any of them or care who did the murder or why.

It was ok

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Full of misogyny that really dates this, leaving me wondering why it was re-published. The jokes about rape are simply offensive. And the story could have been told in an hour or less - it has very little substance. Disappointing as the previous book in the series was a good listen.

Dated

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