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A Christmas Secret Audiobook
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(3.02) - 637 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Dominic and Clarice Corde, who met and fell in love in Brunswick Gardens, journey to a quaint hamlet to replace the local vicar who is away on holiday. The holiday takes a nasty turn when the vicar is discovered not to be away at all, but brutally murdered and stashed in the cellar. So instead of fulfilling the vicar's duties, the Cordes are charged with solving his murder. All the while, the picturesque village is becoming increasingly and dangerously snowbound, its residents trapped as a killer remains at large. The crime's surprising solution reveals not only the killer, but the true meaning of the Christmas message.
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"This tale of the dashing Dominic Corde from the first Pitt novel shows him as a nicer, now re-married curate substituting at a parish for a vacationing vicar who is discovered dead. He and his wife have to find the killer, but the story was very good and the character of Rev. Corde was all about forgiveness and redemption. I really liked this Christmas story."
— Sue (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Anne Perry’s prim Victorian mysteries, steeped in a world of antimacassars, proper high teas, and elderflower wine, have a certain antique charm.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Well-written…Perry does a nice job of weaving in themes of forgiveness and redemption without being heavy-handed.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“The splendid Terrence Hardiman seems to get even better and better as a narrator…Setting, especially weather, plays an important part in Perry’s atmospheric novels, and Hardiman aptly delivers the author’s portrait of an English village in the late nineteenth century. This is perfect for Perry fans and those who simply want to enjoy an exceptional performance.”
— AudioFile -
“Engaging characters, a vivid sense of time and place, and a cozy setting add enjoyment to this Victorian mystery.”
— Booklist -
“In Perry’s enthralling page-turner, a quiet Christmas holiday becomes riddled with mystery and murder…A nineteenth-century English vicar and his wife, are intelligent, believable characters whose amateur-sleuthing efforts grow increasingly intriguing as they find themselves in harm’s way.”
— RT Book Reviews
A Christmas Secret Listener Reviews
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" Aha! Runcorn has his very own book! "
— Sallie, 2/17/2014 -
" Set in Victorian England-- not my favorite era, but since this did not deal with the political issues/situation, it was more acceptable to me. I was disturbed-- and thought there was some failing on the part of the author-- when no one asked Branscome who his wife was when it was evident that it was someone in or near the village and she was obviously a "person of interest" in the death of the Vicar. "
— Sharon, 1/30/2014 -
" Perry's books are so easy to read and her characters are always so clear. "
— Rd, 1/30/2014 -
" Love these Christmas novellas! So refreshing and entertaining.....great escapes for an enjoyable Christmas! Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors. "
— Nancy, 1/22/2014 -
" Always wonderful! "
— Scott, 1/21/2014 -
" Nothing says Merry Christmas like murder, theft, lies, adultery and blackmail! I really liked Anne Perry's William Monk Novels but this was really, really weak. It felt like she was just going through the motions to fulfil her obligations to her publisher to produce a Christmas novel. "
— Kirstin, 1/19/2014 -
" Good story. Conflict with an uplifting resolution. "
— Hapzydeco, 1/15/2014 -
" It was a quick read and an enjoyable book. It is a mystery set back in the older days, so very different type of book that I am used to reading. "
— Cheryl, 1/10/2014 -
" I picked this up because I felt like reading a Christmas story. Anne Perry is a nice comforting writer. You know you'll get a good story. Maybe nothing earth-shattering, but definitely not a waste of time either. "
— Darcy, 1/6/2014 -
" It was quite plain the Perry was trying to put out a short Christmas mystery for her publisher. It didn't deliver like I'd hoped. The story was very rushed at the end. Although there were plenty of red herrings to distract the reader. "
— Heather, 1/5/2014 -
" First of Anne Perry's books. I enjoy her writing style, simple yet descriptive. A weak ending, but a good read nontheless. "
— Cindy, 1/1/2014 -
" A quick, easy read with a good story. "
— Elizabeth, 12/25/2013 -
" I enjoy these little Christmas books featuring characters from her longer novels. "
— Margaret, 12/9/2013 -
" Maybe 3 1/2 stars would be closer to the mark because I really did enjoy the book. It was reminscent of "Gift of the Magi" just with murder and mayhem. It's a sweet story. "
— Sally, 5/4/2013 -
" I read this for a book club. I generally don't read mysteries, and definitely don't care for really scary/bloody/graphic stories. I liked this one well-enough, as I guess it would be classified as a "light" mystery. "
— Julie, 12/26/2012 -
" A nice little English mystery audiobook to entertain us as we drove "over the river and through the woods" on our Christmas journeys. "
— Rebecca, 7/10/2012 -
" I liked this, Loved the reader and he does most of her books on CD. Its only a 4 hour CD set and had a nice twist at the end. Fun little mystery. "
— Linda, 6/12/2012 -
" Nice little cozy tale, set in Victorian England "
— Frances, 12/21/2011 -
" Maybe I have read too many mysteries lately, but this one was like pulling impacted teeth. I just wasn't feeling it. "
— Dee, 9/25/2011 -
" Fast mystery. The substitute vicar's wife discovers a body and the pretty little village quickly becomes a sinister place... "
— Lydia, 7/25/2011 -
" I enjoyed reading about Dominic and his new wife and I thought the mystery was satisfying. "
— Pam, 6/10/2011 -
" This was an unexpected and unusual Christmas read about a mystery murder. "
— Jan, 5/29/2011 -
" I enjoy these little Christmas books featuring characters from her longer novels. "
— Margaret, 3/12/2011 -
" I did not like this book. She's a popular author, but murder mysteries just aren't my genre. "
— Margy, 1/27/2011 -
" This was an unexpected and unusual Christmas read about a mystery murder. "
— Jan, 12/31/2010 -
" I always like to read books set at Christmastime during December and found six this year-- all short(100-200 pages) mysteries set in Victorian Britain, by Anne Perry. Fun, easy reads for whiling away the cold hours 'til Christmas. "
— Melissa, 12/31/2010 -
" Maybe 3 1/2 stars would be closer to the mark because I really did enjoy the book. It was reminscent of "Gift of the Magi" just with murder and mayhem. It's a sweet story. "
— Sally, 12/21/2010 -
" I read "A Christmas Beginning" by this author last Christmas and was favorably impressed. This book, ironically written sooner apparently, didn't seem quite as well written. Good character development though. "
— Paul, 11/30/2010 -
" Very easy cozy mystery read. A simple, feel good type of read (in tune with its Christmas atmosphere). <br/> <br/>If you do pick up this book, do not expect a full blown mystery novel. As stated above, just relax and don't think too hard. "
— Kazza, 11/30/2010 -
" I love this type of book...very cozy...puts me in the mood for Christmas... "
— Susan, 10/3/2010 -
" I liked this, Loved the reader and he does most of her books on CD. Its only a 4 hour CD set and had a nice twist at the end. Fun little mystery. "
— Linda, 8/20/2010 -
" Good story. Conflict with an uplifting resolution. "
— Hapzydeco, 5/11/2010 -
" I enjoyed reading about Dominic and his new wife and I thought the mystery was satisfying. "
— Pam, 1/8/2010 -
" I found a few of these books by chance at the library. Quick, fun, require no brain power- just what I need this month. "
— Kristi, 12/23/2009
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 Terrence Hardiman
Terrence Hardiman has worked extensively in theater. He began at the Old Vic, went on to repertory at Bristol, and then spent five years as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He played the title role in BBC TV’s The Demon Headmaster, while his other television appearances include major parts in Secret Army, Miss Marple, Hannay, and Inspector Morse. Among his film credits are Mask of Murder, Loophole, and Gandhi.