The Mourning Bells
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Narrated by:
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Polly Lee
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By:
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Christine Trent
About this listen
One of Victorian London's most respected undertakers, Violet Harper has the new duty of accompanying coffins from various undertakers on the London Necropolis Railway for respectful funerals and burials in Surrey. But on her fateful first trip, the mournful silence of the train is shattered by the shrill ringing of a coffin bell - a device that prevents a person from being buried alive.
Inside the noisome coffin, Violet finds a man wide-eyed with fear, claiming he was falsely interred. When a second coffin bell is rung on another trip Violet grows suspicious. She voices her qualms to Inspector Hurst of Scotland Yard, only to receive a puzzling reply that, after all, it is not a crime to rise from the dead. But Violet's instincts are whispering that all is not well on the London Necropolis Railway's tracks. Is this all merely the result of clumsy undertaking, or is there something more sinister afoot?
Determined to get to the heart of the matter, Violet uncovers a treacherous plot and villains who will stop at nothing to keep a lid on her search for the truth.
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In the cold Toronto winter of 1895, the naked body of a servant girl is found frozen in a deserted laneway. The young victim was pregnant when she died. Detective William Murdoch soon discovers that many of those connected with the girl's life have secrets to hide. Was her death on attempt to cover up a scandal in one of the city's influential families?
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If you like the show - don't buy
- By Sarah on 06-09-16
By: Maureen Jennings
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Instruments of Darkness
- A Novel
- By: Imogen Robertson
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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In the year 1780, Harriet Westerman, the willful mistress of a country manor in Sussex, finds a dead man on her grounds with a ring bearing the crest of Thornleigh Hall in his pocket. Not one to be bound by convention or to shy away from adventure, she recruits a reclusive local anatomist named Gabriel Crowther to help her find the murderer, and historical suspense's newest investigative duo is born.
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Not The Best, But Not Too Bad...
- By MJ on 01-13-13
By: Imogen Robertson
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The Magnolia Palace
- A Novel
- By: Fiona Davis
- Narrated by: Karissa Vacker
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, 21-year-old Lillian Carter's life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists' models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge
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This isn't my favorite but entertaining
- By Linda on 02-01-22
By: Fiona Davis
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Ask Me No Questions
- A Lady Dunbridge Mystery
- By: Shelley Noble
- Narrated by: Erin Bennett
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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A modern woman in 1907, Lady Dunbridge is not about to let a little thing like the death of her husband ruin her social life. She's ready to take the dazzling world of Gilded Age Manhattan by storm. From the decadence of high society balls to the underbelly of Belmont horse racing, romance, murder, and scandals abound. Someone simply must do something. And Lady Dunbridge is happy to oblige.
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A Creative Mystery
- By Victoria J. Mejia-Gewe on 02-28-19
By: Shelley Noble
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The Clockwork Scarab
- A Stoker & Holmes Novel, Book 1
- By: Colleen Gleason
- Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle
- Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And so, when two society girls go missing, there's no one more qualified to investigate. Now, the fierce Evaline and the logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, in order to navigate the advances of not just one, but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve a murder with only one clue: the strange Egyptian scarab.
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Too Much Steam, Not Enough Substance
- By Jefferson on 03-28-15
By: Colleen Gleason
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Death Comes to the Village
- Kurland St. Mary Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Catherine Lloyd
- Narrated by: Susannah Tyrrell
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Major Robert Kurland has returned to the quiet vistas of Kurland St. Mary to recuperate from the horrors of Waterloo. However injured his body may be, his mind is as active as ever. Too active, perhaps. When he glimpses a shadowy figure from his bedroom window struggling with a heavy load, the tranquil façade of the village begins to loom sinister....
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Starts slowly, gets better
- By TabithaD on 02-16-24
By: Catherine Lloyd
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The Constantine Affliction
- A Pimm and Skye Adventure, Book 1
- By: T. Aaron Payton
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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It is 1864, and London is a city in transition. The Constantine Affliction - a strange malady that kills some of its victims and physically transforms others into the opposite sex - has spread scandal and upheaval throughout society. Scientific marvels and disasters, such as clockwork courtesans, the alchemical fires of Whitechapel, electric carriages, and acidic monsters lurking in the Thames, have forever altered the face of the city.
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A Mash-Up that Gels into a Rollicking Adventure
- By Tango on 08-09-14
By: T. Aaron Payton
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Warlock Holmes
- A Study in Brimstone
- By: G. S. Denning
- Narrated by: Robert Garson
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes. Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only things he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety...
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Short on Clues--Heavy on Delightful Twists
- By Gillian on 01-10-17
By: G. S. Denning
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The Cater Street Hangman
- By: Anne Perry
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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When a maid in the upper class Ellison household is strangled, Inspector Pitt is called in to investigate. He finds a world ruled by strict manners and social customs, where the inhabitants of the Ellison's neighborhood appear to be more outraged by the thought of scandal than they are by murder. Inspector Pitt finds a most unlikely ally in Charlotte, the Ellison's spirited daughter. But as the murders continue, Charlotte and Pitt find themselves drawn together by more than the investigation.
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I really like this book but it's not for everone
- By Ancient Warrior on 03-14-11
By: Anne Perry
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The Agency 1: A Spy in the House
- By: Y. S. Lee
- Narrated by: Justine Eyre
- Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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In Victorian England, orphan Mary Quinn lives on the edge. Sentenced as a thief at the age of 12, she’s rescued from the gallows by a woman posing as a prison warden. In her new home, Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls, Mary acquires a singular education, fine manners, and a surprising opportunity. The school is a cover for the Agency — an elite, top secret corps of female investigators with a reputation for results — and at 17, Mary’s about to join their ranks.
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yes, it's YA-but credible for genre for any age
- By connie on 02-25-11
By: Y. S. Lee
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Nooks & Crannies
- By: Jessica Lawson
- Narrated by: Susie Riddell
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Sweet, shy Tabitha Crum, the neglected only child of two parents straight out of a Roald Dahl book, doesn't have a friend in the world - except for her pet mouse, Pemberley, whom she loves dearly. But on the day she receives one of six invitations to the country estate of wealthy Countess Camilla DeMoss, her life changes forever.
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I wish...
- By Regina on 04-01-16
By: Jessica Lawson
What listeners say about The Mourning Bells
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Carmen
- 10-12-16
Strange appeal of this series
Would you listen to The Mourning Bells again? Why?
I don't know if I would listen to this one again. But I have been listening to the series and find it strangely appealing. Perhaps it is the weird subject of Victorian England and learning about the strange world of the undertaker. After all,it is Halloween. Perhaps it is the sometimes soothing, but sometimes amazingly awful, accents and voices of Polly Lee. She has a great British accent, the pace is soothing, she's easy to understand and hear, - but every voice that is male is awful.
What did you like best about this story?
I liked the Victorian setting and the history of the setting. I also liked learning about the death rituals of the era, which I have only seen in art works from the time. I liked the historical aspects of the book.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
Male voices. Her male voices are so awful as to be laughable. They make the characters totally unbelievable.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
This book was the least moving of the 4. Nothing particularly moved me in this one. I listened to it for the entertainment only.
Any additional comments?
Violet is an interesting character, especially in the first 2 books.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Caroline D. Hayes
- 04-08-15
Never disappoints...
I've enjoyed all of these novels. Great series. It's a combination of Sherlock meets Nancy Drew (Carolyn Keene's originals, of course).
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4 people found this helpful
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- IceDancingKaren
- 04-21-15
Excellent story, narration is annoying
Right out of the gate let it be noted that I really enjoy Ms. Trent's writing. Her main character is a great product of a gifted author's wonderful imagination; a female undertaker who is also an amateur sleuth. Great idea! The time and setting are also perfect for my taste - England, 1800s. A set-up for a great listen. Right? Sadly, wrong.
While Ms. Lee's voice is very pleasant when she is speaking the 'perfect King's English,' when she is trying to ape an American accent (complete with Southern accent no less), things go awry. And, there is more than one character that requires this. It just didn't work for me. Also, the style and speed of her reading seems 'off' somehow. Maybe too slow? Maybe without enough emotion in many circumstances? Many too automated? Unsure exactly what the problem is.
I really wanted to recommend this book heart-and-soul, but found the narration too annoying to get much through more than half.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Chris
- 02-16-23
Diverting but not as good as the first three
The story wove in good historical details, but the mystery could be solved by an attentive reader early on. Violet, the main character, missed really obvious details, impulsively accused multiple parties based on no evidence and poor reasoning, and recklessly endangered herself repeatedly. Interestingly, she even comments on some of this while seeming unable to make better decisions. As to the narrator, many of her British characters are well voiced and consistent, but the American accents in this and the previous books are absolutely TERRIBLE. I have just accepted it, though, as you have no choice. It was harder for this book given the lackluster plot.
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- Lisa
- 05-02-15
Disappointing!
The suit on was apparent within three chapters and our heroine flails about for the rest of the book making unfounded accusations ad nauseum . Mrs Harper has also become quite priggish and very judgmental about everyone but herself making her rather unpleasant. I do enjoy the historical details and customs.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Karen
- 01-31-17
Not Bad But Not Enough to Continue with Series
Would you try another book from Christine Trent and/or Polly Lee?
Probably not. I didn't realize this wasn't book one of the series but I'm not going to read more anyway.
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
Make the characters a bit more multifaceted. They didn't have much depth. And some of the stupid things the undertaker did were not very believable.
Any additional comments?
I liked the overall premise but it felt like literature for a younger audience.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Susan
- 03-03-18
Never has death been so interesting!
I really love this series. The story lines are interesting and the details about Victorian Funerary customs are fascinating.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 06-06-19
Let down
The narrator does beautifully on the female voices, and some of the male voices are interesting. However, the flatness of one of the main male character's voices grated on my nerves quickly. I'd hoped for a light, educational Victorian mystery, which to some degree it was. But the mixed metaphors and the nosiness of the main character fell short of finding any fun. This was marketed as "Unputdownable". I think I've found it the opposite several times. Finishing it to prove to myself that I can.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Marianna
- 12-30-16
Poor and rather too gruesome for my taste.
Would you try another book from Christine Trent and/or Polly Lee?
No...sadly too disappointing.
Has The Mourning Bells turned you off from other books in this genre?
Yes...and indeed it has.
Would you be willing to try another one of Polly Lee’s performances?
No....unlikely, even if it were free.
What character would you cut from The Mourning Bells?
It's not about which character.
Any additional comments?
Very disappointed.
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