This authentic English mystery, reminiscent of the work of Dame Agatha Christie, is brought to life with an outstanding performance by the very talented Joel Leslie. The mystery was complex, the cast of characters interesting and varied, and the voices so unique I was completely swept away. In fact, I was so caught up in the story and the ambiance of post-War England that I half expected an appearance by Miss Jane Marple.
This mystery stumped me, and that doesn’t happen often. I also grew very close to both MCs as the story progressed and rooted for them to find a measure of peace and, of course, to find each other. My heart broke for James, a country doctor who couldn’t stand the sight of blood. The war took its toll on this young man and by the end of the story, all I wanted was for someone (like Leo) to share his burdens and warm his heart (and his bed).
Leo Page, the other MC, was, in his own way, equally emotionally damaged. Leo is a spy, i.e., he works for the intelligence service and was sent to, ostensibly, solve a murder but, in reality, his job was to cover it up. He doesn’t expect to fall in love, however, and the attraction between he and James grows throughout the story.
Joel Leslie’s voices (and he has many – both male and female) formed a solid base for my enjoyment of this mystery, without a doubt. I felt as if I were sitting in front of an old-fashioned radio broadcast (with better clarity of sound, of course) as I listened to this “show” that had me on pins and needles as Leo and James puzzled the pieces to this outstanding mystery.
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy a mystery romance, especially one with the flavor of the great mystery authors of the early twentieth century. This was amazing. Those who want extra value entertainment should definitely pick up the audio version.