Great read, first of a series!

Really enjoyed this historic murder mystery and didn't guess the plot at all! looking forward to book 2 and the developing characters Redmond and Hayes.

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Murder in the crypt

I enjoyed this book very much.A young man and hid ward come to England and get swept up in a murder investigation.Wendy Wolfson was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'

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Entertaining periodic murder mystery

When the body of a young man is discovered in the tomb of a medieval knight, Parish Constable Daniel Haze is tasked with solving his first solo murder case. Suspicion immediately falls on the only stranger to arrive in the small village of Birch Hill shortly before the crime took place.

Captain Jason Redmond is a soldier who was captured by the Confederates during the American Civil War. Fresh from their release after a year in the dreaded Andersonville Prison camp, Jason and his 11 year old ward Micah, arrive in Birch Hall to claim his grandfather’s estate and title following their death the year before.

When the local Police Constable questions Jason about his movements prior to the murder of the young man, an initially awkward meeting turns advantageous when Jason reveals his skills as a surgeon. By performing an autopsy, Jason is able to ascertain the cause and time of death.

With no leads, motive or suspects and the local magistrate giving him a week before the inquest, Daniel is under immense pressure to prove himself. Can he solve the murder in time before he becomes the culprit’s next victim?

Murder in the Crypt is the first instalment of the Redmond and Haze Mysteries. As a fan of the authors previous dual time series, Echoes from the Past, I was looking forward to reading her first mystery set in 19th century rural England. While the book gets off to an intriguing start with the gruesome discovery of a body in the crypt of a local parish, it was the unlikely pairing and unconventional friendship between Daniel and Jason that maintained my interest throughout.

Both Daniel and Jason are interesting and appealing protagonists, each struggling to overcome a traumatic past - Jason from the horrors of the American Civil war and his imprisonment in Andersville and Daniel who is struggling to save his marriage to Sarah following the tragic death of their three year old son from the wheels of a carriage.

Using the Victorian period for the backdrop was an interesting choice because of the social structures of the time. The striking differences between the Upper, Middle and Lower working classes are apparent throughout as is Jason’s bemusement with the myriad rules of English society. Jason’s wealth and title come in handy during their investigation as Daniel would have been considered lowly and therefore less likely to be taken into the confidence of the wealthy.

All in all this was a fast paced, easy read with interesting characters and a satisfying conclusion. Perfect for willing away a couple of hours.

I received an advanced free audible copy of Murder in the Crypt and I am voluntarily reviewing it. Wendy Wolfson’s narration was warm, clear and concise with excellent pacing. I found myself getting lost in her recitation without ever noticing the time

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fabulous!

I am not new to Irina Shapiro, however I am new to vintage murder mysteries and I absolutely loved it. The performance by Wendy is fantastic and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the mysteries in this series.

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Interesting who dunnit & glimpses of US Civil War

For some unknown reason I didn't think I would like this story but it very quickly drew me in. I found myself frustrated when I had to turn it off. An intriguing story. The American Civil War gave it an added depth. I am assuming from this one story more will follow incorporating the main characters, I am looking forward to finding them. I recommend the story as an interesting who dunnit.

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Excellent characters, will become a great series

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well rounded and believable. The narration was really good too. I hope this becomes a successful story as I will be listening to more. Set in the past but the the narration and writing take you there. I really recommend this story.

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Great start to a new series

The whole combination of plot, flowing storyline, characters and narrator is perfect! The narrator changes her voice and accents well for each character and does a great job as most of them are male. I can't wait for the next book.

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Interesting start to a new series

I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this murder whodunnit. I look forward to hearing the rest. I wasn’t greatly keen on the narration to start with but I sped it up a bit and it was ok.

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4 people found this helpful

Family secrets

It seems that family secrets can lead to murder. This book took a little effort to get into but ended up being very good.
The book brought out how life in England was following the American civil war. The historical aspect added a different angle to the book. The mystery of the book was great. You really could not find out who was at fault until the very end.

The narration was very good.

This book was provided free in expectation of an honest review.

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3 people found this helpful

An excellent story

Though I would have preferred a man reading this, 90% of characters men, this was well read. The story was gripping enough to keep you wanting to know more. I like the idea of an American doctor and a village constable teaming up they work well together considering this is 1860's and things were very different ton now. The ending was unexpected but appropriate. I am now going to find book 2

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2 people found this helpful