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Wife of the Gods
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
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Finally! Something new and original ;
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So.Damn.Good.
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Publisher's summary
Detective Inspector Darko Dawson, a good family man and a remarkably intuitive sleuth, is sent to the village of Ketanu - the site of his mother's disappearance many years ago - to solve the murder of an accomplished young AIDS worker. While battling his own anger issues and concerns for his ailing son, Darko explores the motivations and secrets of the residents of Ketanu. It soon becomes clear that in addition to solving a recent murder, he is about to unravel the shocking truth about his mother's disappearance.
Kwei Quartey's sparkling debut novel introduces readers to a rich cast of characters, including the Trokosi - young women called Wives of the Gods - who, in order to bring good fortune to their families, are sent to live with fetish priests. Set in Ghana, with the action moving back and forth between the capital city of Accra and a small village in the Volta Region, Wife of the Gods brings the culture and beauty of its setting brilliantly to life.
Critic reviews
Featured Article: The 10 Detective Book Series That Keep Us Guessing
Chances are if you’re a mystery or crime fan, you love detective novels. And if, like me, you hate having a suspenseful story interrupted by life’s chores and routines, then you’re always on the lookout for the best detective book series in audio. Here are 10 detective series that are so good, you’ll have a hard time not marathoning them all. Bonus: there are short marathons, two completed series, and series with more than five books for you. Let's go!
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Something for Everyone
- By Nicole on 05-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman - author/editor, and others
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My Soul to Keep
- By: Tananarive Due
- Narrated by: Peter Francis James
- Length: 18 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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When Jessica marries David, he is everything she wants in a family man: brilliant, attentive, ever youthful. Yet she still feels something about him is just out of reach. Soon, as people close to Jessica begin to meet violent, mysterious deaths, David makes an unimaginable confession: More than 400 years ago, he and other members of an Ethiopian sect traded their humanity so they would never die, a secret he must protect at any cost.
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A Book I Can't Keep
- By Mistsofjade on 07-19-20
By: Tananarive Due
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Honor
- By: Elif Shafak
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marno, Piter Marik
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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An honor killing shatters and transforms the lives of Turkish immigrants in 1970s London. Internationally best-selling Turkish author Elif Shafak’s new novel is a dramatic tale of families, love, and misunderstandings that follows the destinies of twin sisters born in a Kurdish village. While Jamila stays to become a midwife, Pembe follows her Turkish husband, Adem, to London, where they hope to make new lives for themselves and their children. In London, they face a choice: stay loyal to the old traditions or try their best to fit in.
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Complex but Compelling
- By Cariola on 04-14-13
By: Elif Shafak
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The Power of One
- By: Bryce Courtenay
- Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
- Length: 21 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Born in a South Africa divided by racism and hatred, this one small boy will come to lead all the tribes of Africa. Through enduring friendships with Hymie and Gideon, Peekay gains the strength he needs to win out. And in a final conflict with his childhood enemy, the Judge, Peekay will fight to the death for justice.
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Compelling story lifted higher by the narration
- By Bob on 05-14-09
By: Bryce Courtenay
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The Tenth Chamber
- By: Glenn Cooper
- Narrated by: Henri Lubatti
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Abbey of Ruac, rural France: A medieval script is discovered hidden behind an antique bookcase. Badly damaged, it is sent to Paris for restoration, and there literary historian Hugo Pineau begins to read the startling 14th-century text. Within its pages lies a fanciful tale of a painted cave and the secrets it contains - and a rudimentary map showing its position close to the abbey. Intrigued, Hugo enlists the help of archaeologist Luc Simard and the two men go exploring.
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Leaves Dan Brown's "INFERNO" in the Dust
- By karinzart on 07-06-13
By: Glenn Cooper
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Mr. Fox
- A Novel
- By: Helen Oyeyemi
- Narrated by: Carol Boyd
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Fairy-tale romances end with a wedding and the fairy tales don't get complicated. In this book, celebrated writer Mr. Fox can't stop himself from killing off the heroines of his novels, and neither can his wife, Daphne. It's not until Mary, his muse, comes to life and transforms him from author into subject that his story begins to unfold differently....
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A Great Novel, just Poor for Audio
- By James A. Dittes on 08-13-16
By: Helen Oyeyemi
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Season of Darkness
- By: Maureen Jennings
- Narrated by: Tom Craig
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Following the disastrous retreat of the British army from Dunkirk in 1940, England is plunged into a state of fear. The threat of a German invasion is real, and many German Nationals are interned in camps across the country. One such camp is on the ancient moor land of Prees Heath, near the small town of Whitchurch in Shropshire, where Tom Tyler is the sole detective inspector. Young women from all walks of life have joined the Land Army, to help desperate farmers keep the country fed. Then one turns up dead.
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much better than average historical detective
- By connie on 09-30-12
By: Maureen Jennings
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Family Sins
- By: Sharon Sala
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Felled by a cowardly shot to the back, Stanton Youngblood has just enough time before he dies to leave a single clue to his killer's identity: the word Wayne, scrawled in his own blood. That word means everything to his widow. Leigh Youngblood was once Leigh Wayne, but she left her wealthy family behind thirty years ago when she fell in love with Stanton, a betrayal the Waynes have never forgiven. Now she publicly vows to discover which of her siblings thinks money and power are enough to cover up a murder.
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great story
- By Amazon Customer on 08-08-18
By: Sharon Sala
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Hour of the Hunter
- By: J. A. Jance
- Narrated by: Gene Engene
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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A brutal, psychopathic murderer is released from prison - and stalks his prey with intent to kill.
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Hour of the Hunter
- By Marion Burke on 03-01-08
By: J. A. Jance
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The Tea Rose
- By: Jennifer Donnelly
- Narrated by: Jill Tanner
- Length: 28 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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East London, 1888 - a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths. Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.
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Wow. Wow wow wow!
- By I like to shop on 04-26-16
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When the Moon Is Low
- A Novel
- By: Nadia Hashimi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Neil Shah
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Mahmoud’s passion for his wife, Fereiba, a schoolteacher, is greater than any love she’s ever known. But their happy, middle-class world implodes when their country is engulfed in war and the Taliban rises to power. Mahmoud, a civil engineer, becomes a target of the new fundamentalist regime and is murdered. Forced to flee Kabul with her three children, Fereiba must find a way to cross Europe and reach her sister’s family in England. With forged papers and help from kind strangers they meet along the way, Fereiba make a dangerous crossing into Iran under cover of darkness.
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Good story. Poor ending
- By Janine on 01-14-22
By: Nadia Hashimi
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Falling Off Air
- By: Catherine Sampson
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Robin Ballantyne's life is finally coming together. After learning she was pregnant with twins and being abandoned by her irresponsible boyfriend, Adam, she's settling into life as a single mother. But one night, after putting the children to bed, she hears an argument and suddenly, a body falls past her window. Running outside, she finds the body of Paula Carmichael, a renowned activist.
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Rich, developed and unusual
- By Hannah Coale on 02-02-05
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I wish this had a different reader
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Down market lanes crammed with too many people, dogs, and rickshaws lies a jumble of tin-roofed homes where nine-year-old Jai lives with his family. Jai drools outside sweet shops, watches too many reality police shows, and considers himself to be smarter than his friends, Pari and Faiz. When a classmate goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from TV to find him. He asks Pari and Faiz to be his assistants, and together they draw up lists of people to interview and places to visit.
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What listeners say about Wife of the Gods
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Performance
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- Fawziah Qadir
- 12-20-18
Twists and Turns
This was a great story, loaded with twists and turns. The characters were robust and the storyline was innovative and gleaned insight into the juxtaposition of modern detective work, family, social issues, and traditional practices. I enjoyed this book and I was please with the character development. Will be looking for more from Kwei Quartey!
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Overall
- shortforu
- 10-21-10
great story set in Ghana
I've been into mysteries set in Africa for some time and I enjoyed the descriptions, characters, and direction of the plot. Also allows you to learn characteristics about regions, such as this one in Ghana.
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Overall
- Katherine
- 10-10-10
An outstanding debut!
A delicious read on many levels: a honest-to-goodness mystery with a fallible, dedicated detective; a psychological study of casualty and loss; a geographical and political lesson, For me, most of all, a delightful anthropological glimpse into another culture, in fact an amalgam of societies, where old-time mysticism meets new-age mysticism meets contemporary pragmatism. The characters we meet in Ghana are occasionally as incapable of understanding each other as a Tea Bagger is of fathoming a Secular Humanist, and equally as tolerant. New Paragraph:
I take issue with a previous reviewer who decried its "cruelty" and violence. This was a story with very little violence, but when it did appear it was an integral part of illuminating a crucial aspect of a character or a way of life, and viewed as the abhorrent behaviour it was. It was not glorified, certainly not enjoyable or admirable. It is not offered as entertainment; this is no "24." Rape takes place off stage, with none of the slavering and lascivious delight in the barbaric that some American writers like to wallow in. New Paragraph:
While occasionally the descriptions seemed hackneyed and the dialogue seemed false, Simon Prebble still presented with complete faith in the narrative, bringing us through the rough spots with aplomb and his cloak flourished over the puddles. My guess is this book listens better than it would read, and the credit for that belongs with Mr. Prebble. I look forward to their next collaboration.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Elizabeth
- 02-15-13
Original and compelling!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, it brings the police procedural to African belief systems for a really original read.
Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?
The lead character--you get inside him.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, there are many complex elements you desperately want the author to bring together. And he does!
Any additional comments?
An occasion when a mystery introduces you to new cultures and mores, so you take away more than a mystery.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Kelli
- 04-29-12
Modern Day Ghana Blended with History and Traditio
This was a quick read and a good mystery. I appreciated being transported to Ghana and I was intrigued by the clash between traditional customs (i.e., faith healers, polygamy) and modern medicine (i.e., AIDS education). This wonderful blend seemed real to me although I have never been to Africa or Ghana. The mystery itself uncovers the main character's flaws in a subtle way and paves a foundation upon which future Detective Darko mysteries may be built. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about modern day Ghana blended with history and tradition. The ultimate twist was a good and unexpected one which is what makes a mystery fun to read.
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Overall
- susan
- 08-12-10
Fascinating glimpse into Ghana, nice "who done it"
This is not just a mystery set in Ghana, it is a story whose setting in Ghana is integral to the story. Wife of the Gods is written with a truly African voice. Our main character, Detective Inspector Dawson, displays the same strengths and weaknesses of a police officer anywhere. He's thoroughly human, charming and has a slight drug problem. And he's still a great investigator, dealing with terrible crimes of passion just like a NYC cop. I learned a lot about the culture while listening but it did not detract from this tale of murder, the references to religion, politics and society only enhanced the book. It was subtle and the narrator made their inclusion seem less. As much as our main character, and several others, struggle to find the murderer, they are also fighting an internal struggle that pits traditional beliefs and practices against modern medicine and current economic realities. I gave this book a 4 (four) only because I wanted more...Hopefully we will get another book soon from Kwei Quartey.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Byron
- 05-28-12
DI Dawson of Ghena is great find!!
Ghana, Africa is the newest place for this hard hitting procedural that so many mystery fans seek to devour. And, devour 'Wife of the Gods' is just what I did this week-end. First in a series by Kwei Quartey, this book introduces us to DI Darko Dawson. He has been called upon to leave his home and family in the capital city to solve a murder in the small town of Ketanu, where Darko has relatives he hasn't seen for twenty-five years. Darko is a determined but flawed Detective, enjoying his marijuana and never backing down in a disagreement, he tends to get himself into difficult situations. His young son suffers from a heart defect that requires a costly operation, but his mother in law believes the 'old ways' and herbalists are the true solution for her grandson. More family issues influence his outlook on life; brother in wheelchair, mom disappearance when he was 10; and a less than encouraging father. After Darko's boss sends him to Ketanu to solve a murder, he reunites with his Mom's sister, enjoying her food and hospitality, but solutions are not easy going.
The story opens with the death of a beautiful young health worker who is spreading information about the cause and treatments for AIDS. Darko seeks to determine whether her death is connected to her conflicts with the local's practices of traditional ways , or is perhaps connected with someone whose 'love' was not welcomed by her. The local police immediately arrest a young man they are determined to make confess to her murder.
Darko's hard handed ways are finding lots of clues, but few answers. In the process he comes into conflicts with the local tradition of young girls being given to fetish priests as 'trokosi' , or Wives of The Gods. His outspoken dispute with the local police chief comes to a head concerning interrogation methods. Along the way, local beliefs about the connection of witchcraft and AIDS makes him friends and more enemies.
Darko deftly puts all he learns together with the facts of the case to surprise the reader with more solutions than we were expecting. I believe DI Darko Dawson will soon become a familiar name for all true mystery lovers! With the addition of these Ghanian based mysteries, Kwei Quartry has added an exciting, rather unfamiliar, home base for the mystery genre.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- ciscospice
- 06-26-10
Great Story. Wonderful New Author.
This is well written detective story that takes place in Ghana.
I love that this story is set in Ghana just like a Michael Connelly book is set in California or a Steig Larsson book is set in Sweden. It's the setting where the author is comfortable and the best place to tell a particular story. Which might make more sense if I can explain what the book is not.
It's not a story about westerners in Africa. It's not a story about the struggle and strife of life in Africa as written by a non-African. It's not a cartoon-ish depiction of native Africans (like Alexander McCall Smith's books can sometimes be). It simply takes place there. Which means that their are interesting cultural details that are included because of the place setting, but those details are not included to make a political point or to be set up against a comparable western standard.
To put this in context - I love reading about Africa. I've read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction set within and about South Africa. And as wonderful as many of those stories are, they are almost always written by a non-native African or tell the story through western eyes.
I love that Kwerty's book just tells a story about the people who live their everyday lives in Ghana. The detective story is well done (Admittedly, I did kind of know who the murderer was given some of the early fore-shadowing and was disappointed by this at first. But the way the story unfolded was still satisfying and I had some moments of doubt as different suspects were investigated.) The main character is wonderfully flawed. I hope the author keeps this guy around. I'm guessing that he has future plans for Detective Dawson.
It looks like they are promoting Kwerty as another McCall Smith and while I understand that they are trying to capitalize on the success of the Mma Ramotswe stories, I think this book stands on it's own.
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17 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Patricia McIntosh
- 10-11-10
A good "read."
Absorbing, interesting, well-written. I hope Kwei Quartey writes many more books - and I hope they are available on audio. I will be looking for his next one.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- lso
- 06-25-20
A great mystery
Very glad I added this to to my summer listen list. I Recommend it! Will look for more Audibles from this author.
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