Annoying narration

After I finished this book I read Clare Chase’s Goodreads author profile where she states that Elly Griffiths is one of her influences. I must say this didn’t surprise me as I had noticed similarities between Murder on the Marshes and the books in Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway series.

The heroine here is reporter Tara Thorpe. Tara is the daughter of an actress and has previously been harassed by a stalker. As such, when she receives a rag doll with a noose around its neck in the mail, she immediately goes to the police. In turn, the police instantly take the threat to Tara seriously as they’ve just discovered the body of a Cambridge professor who, a few days before she was killed, also received a rag doll.

Tara meets DI Blake, the detective assigned to the case and there’s instant attraction between the pair. It's all very respectable though. In fact, I enjoyed how Blake is the only one who seems to completely respect Tara and her choices when it comes to her safety and security.

While Blake is investigating the murder in the conventional manner, Tara starts interviewing witnesses and potential killers. She is writing an article on the murder but she also, obviously, needs to solve the case before the murderer catches up with her.

The murder plot was pretty good but I can’t say I thought the clues to the identity of the murderer were very useful. They seemed very general. If you guessed the murderer, you would have been doing just that -- guessing.

The Cambridge setting was great. It increased Tara’s vulnerability to attack in unexpected and clever ways. The setting mentioned in the title, however, is a little misleading. Neither of the murders were carried out in marshes.

I liked the romantic aspect of the book. It was added with a light touch for this first book but I imagine it will develop further in the future books in the series. I look forward to it; I will read on.

I’ll read them the old fashioned way though. I didn’t like the narration in this audio version. The narrator seemed to be whispering every line. It was very annoying.

For most of the book I was a little annoyed too by the slut shaming of the victim (I think I noticed it especially because it was also something Robert Bryndza did in Girl in the Ice which I read recently and therefore, it was still fresh in my mind) but I was pleasantly surprised that Chase made some amends in this area by adding an explanation and a measure of empathy towards the end.

Although the mystery plot is wrapped up, the ending cleverly doesn’t answer every question posed meaning, again, I’m sure to pick up the second book.

I’d also admit I could be tempted to pick up one of the books from Chase’s other series. Always a good sign.

3 ½ out of 5

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A bit too long.

I accidently skippped a few chapters.. and found it didn't effect the story .. but overall enjoyable

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Murder on the Marshes

Great story. Unfortunately the narrator let the book down. I found her voice particularly annoying and after a while, boring to listen to.

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Gripping

I really enjoyed this book. Very different to the other Chase books I have read. I did guess the killer just towards the end, but not the reasons. So many twists and turns! Will be buying the rest of the series.

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I

loved this one more after I read the next one. I understood much more where it was going.

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Boring as…

Started this 3 times, finally got to chapter 5, can’t go on. Too much narration. Too slow a plot. Don’t think I’ll be reading any more of this series. Pity, because I like the author.

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Poor quality recording

Only got to chapter 20 when recording wouldn’t play any longer kept stopping so I am returning this book unread. Very disappointing

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Couldn't finish this one!

Struggled with this . The reader's voice was far too breathy, and the different characters all sounded the same withe a slight difference in tone but still too breathy. Just couldn'finished thiis ! Read by someone else it may have been better and it may have been quite good.

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1 person found this helpful