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Black Drop

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Black Drop

By: Leonora Nattrass
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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About this listen

July 1794, and the streets of London are filled with rumours of revolution. Laurence Jago - clerk to the Foreign Office - is ever more reliant on the Black Drop to ease his nightmares. A highly sensitive letter has been leaked to the press, and Laurence is a suspect. Then, he discovers the body of a fellow clerk, supposedly a suicide. Blame for the leak is shifted to the dead man, but Laurence is certain both of his friend's innocence and that he was murdered. But at a time when even the slightest hint of treason can lead to the gallows, how can Laurence find the true culprit without incriminating himself?

©2021 Leonora Natrass (P)2022 Isis Publishing Ltd Crime Thrillers Historical Thriller & Suspense Fiction Thriller Crime Mystery Suspense

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All stars
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quite frankly, couldn't have cared less if they all died. narrator seemed to be having much fun with accents, but felt disconnected from the story.

long time to tell a short story

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First, a note of real praise for David Thorpe for his performance of this audiobook. He manages the wide variety of character voices very well, and though I have listened to a large number of his other performances I could not detect any characterisations that sounded like those in other performances. Well done. David Thorpe kept my interest in a twisting tale. This novel has the usual flawed hero which must be one of the devices that provides a special optic. I just hope he is less naive in the second novel in the series, already added to my Audible library. I was pleased that the author invested in a most colourful and dynamic character that instantly gives colour whenever they appear. The novel's setting is a change for me and I was pleased by it. I am either entreched in roman times, or the 17th century. If listeners need a touchstone, then those who liked the Matthew Barthlomew series by Susanna Gregory, they will readily access this world. This is a good-to-go choice.

The Journey Started

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I really enjoyed The Bells of Westminster by the author and bought this because of that book. It started off well, Jago is an interesting character and her research is excellent, but then things went a bit pear shaped. There is too much exposition about the politics of the time. Yes, it was a period of great social turmoil and change, but let’s have it via a gripping plot. There was a plot but it seemed secondary to long explanations about what was occurring. I got almost to the end, 1hr 40mins from the finish, and gave up. I tried again after listening to something else. Nope. I can’t do it. Don’t get me wrong, the craft is good, the writing really rather good, the performance is excellent. He struggles to keep your interest, he really tries, but the long passages of exposition would defeat the greatest of narrators.

Too much exposition

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This one took me a while to settle in to but.... When you get hooked there is no getting off this line.

A great listen

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Enjoyed this book - the story telling is so vivid, such descriptive language about London in the 1700/1800's. Felt very authentic!

Good story, gritty and cold which added to its noir feeling.

Also read Blue Water by the same author - also a great story.

Intense but a good read

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A convoluted and cleverly written story centered around actual facts and figures in the politics of London in the 18 century.

Political landscapes and ambitions

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Overall: did not live up to my expectations. And changing to present tense for the last few chapters was so annoying. There should be a health warning on all books written in or partly written in present tense.
Performance; David Thorpe made the best of a bad job
Story; lightweight, simply incoherent. I struggled through to the end but not a book or author I will listen to again

A real disappointment

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