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A Christmas Garland Audiobook
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(3.03) - 336 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The year is 1857, soon after the tragic Siege of Cawnpore. In the British garrison, a guard is killed and an Indian prisoner escapes, which leads to yet more British deaths. Cries for revenge are overwhelming. Despite no witnesses and no evidence against him, a luckless British medical orderly named John Tallis is arrested as an accomplice simply because he was the only soldier unaccounted for when these baffling crimes were committed. Though chosen to defend Tallis, young Lieutenant Victor Narraway is not encouraged to try very hard. Narraway’s superiors merely want a show trial. But inspired by a soldier’s widow and her children, and by his own stubborn faith in justice, Narraway searches for the truth. In an alien world haunted by memories of massacre, he is the accused man’s only hope. The trial of John Tallis equals the white-knuckle best of Anne Perry’s breathtaking courtroom dramas, as Narraway struggles to persevere against appalling odds and a frightful injustice.
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"This is the tenth of Anne Perry's Christmas novels, not the best of them, but satisfying. As many others have pointed out, the main characters in these books are from the Pitt or Monk series so they have an appeal for her fans that is lost on a reader who is looking for a Christmas story. Although the context is Christmas, they are more about a personal redemption than anything else. I am a fan of Victorian novels since I read The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes as a young teen. Anne Perry is a favorite."
— Joan (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A bite-sized mystery that could be fitted in after your Christmas lunch.”
— Daily Telegraph (London) -
“Delightful…The perfect gift for a whodunit addict who likes to curl up with a good book after Christmas lunch.”
— Oxford Times -
“A particularly strong plot distinguishes bestseller Perry’s tenth Christmas mystery…Few readers will anticipate the clever solution.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Perry’s tenth Christmas novel is a winner.”
— Booklist
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
A Christmas Garland Listener Reviews
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" I began to like Anne Perry by reading her Christmas novellas. She packs a lot of thought and a clever mystery into each little book. This one has some very grim images but she finishes with hope. "
— Anna, 2/15/2014 -
" A good little mystery set in India during war time of 1857. Although at Christmas time, there is very little of Christmas to the story. "
— Linda, 1/31/2014 -
" What would Christmas be like without a new Anne Perry Christmas Mystery? It would be a lot harder to escape our modern day holiday craziness and lose ourselves in the Victorian era. This time, the story revolves around a military murder trial in India. Perry successfully creates a twist on the locked room mystery that leaves the reader guessing until the end. Forget about wrapping presents and settle back for an intriguing Christmas Mystery. "
— Kim, 1/29/2014 -
" Anne Perry is a great writer. Her small Christmas novels are always good by this one is outstanding. Set in India during the uprising it is a white knuckle courtroom story "
— Charlene, 1/25/2014 -
" I didn't think that this was really a Christmas book. It had a setting at Christmas but it was about war politics. It was good but not what I expected when I picked it up. "
— Danni, 1/24/2014 -
" Read my review this week on bookreporter.com . "
— Ray, 1/19/2014 -
" Christmas is merely an excuse to rush this case to judgement. Which it did, to a satisfactory conclusion. "
— Catherine, 1/5/2014 -
" a nice little short story that gives some enlightening background to narroway. I will be reading more of these christmas stories for further background info on her mayor characters. "
— Carol, 12/22/2013 -
" Another well written book from one of my favorite authors. "
— Laura, 12/22/2013 -
" This was one of the better Christmas stories by Anne Perry. I liked it because it really swelled with suspense and mystery. "
— Cindy, 12/20/2013 -
" Another heartwarming Christmas novella that takes place in India. Well worth a read! "
— Susan, 12/1/2013 -
" This novella would have made a better short story. There were several times as I was reading that I thought "Haven't I already read this?" In fact I had, just earlier in the story. The link to Christmas was tenuous at best. I am giving it 2 stars because I did like the character of Narraway. "
— Karri, 11/6/2013 -
" I enjoyed it. It helped that I knew the main character from other Anne Perry books. It was typical of her Victorian mysteries in some ways but had a rather convoluted ending that I didn't see coming until the little novella was almost over. If you like her style, you'll like this. "
— Lela, 9/23/2013 -
" I enjoyed the book since it took place in India and I was in India while reading this. The story was very interesting but it did seem like the author kept repeating some of the story over and over. "
— Karen, 9/10/2013 -
" Simple mystery, good conclusion. "
— Pam, 9/2/2013 -
" Not one of Anne Perry's best. "
— Judy, 6/29/2013 -
" It was a little irritating to think that no one else at any time thought of the issue that solved the case. So it was in that sense unbelievable. Also, was British military justice so weak such that someone could be put to death with no evidence? I can't imagine it being that way. "
— K, 6/21/2013 -
" A really wonderful story! "
— Scott, 3/11/2013 -
" A surprise at the end made this a special read. Ms. Perry has never failed to delight me. "
— Kaye, 11/26/2012 -
" Made one think. Ended a little abruptly. Would like a little more about the widow and her children. Good Christmas story. "
— Virginia, 10/22/2012
About Anne Perry
Anne Perry (1938-2023) was an English author of historical detective fiction, mysteries, young-adult fantasy, and young-adult fiction, and holiday novels, with several making the New York Times bestsellers list. Her novels were set in Victorian England, the Ottoman empire, and in Europe during WWI and WWI.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.