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Ghostwalk Audiobook
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(3.00) - 2,222 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A Cambridge historian, Elizabeth Vogelsang, is found drowned, clutching a glass prism in her hand. The book she was writing about Isaac Newton’s involvement with alchemy–the culmination of her lifelong obsession with the seventeenth century–remains unfinished. When her son, Cameron, asks his former lover, Lydia Brooke, to ghostwrite the missing final chapters of his mother’s book, Lydia agrees and moves into Elizabeth’s house–a studio in an orchard where the light moves restlessly across the walls. Soon Lydia discovers that the shadow of violence that has fallen across present-day Cambridge, which escalates to a series of murders, may have its origins in the troubling evidence that Elizabeth’s research has unearthed. As Lydia becomes ensnared in a dangerous conspiracy that reawakens ghosts of the past, the seventeenth century slowly seeps into the twenty-first, with the city of Cambridge the bridge between them. Filled with evocative descriptions of Cambridge, past and present, Ghostwalk centers around a real historical mystery that Rebecca Stott has uncovered involving Newton’s alchemy. In it, time and relationships are entangled–the present with the seventeenth century, and figures from the past with the love-torn twenty-first-century woman who is trying to discover their secrets. A stunningly original display of scholarship and imagination, and a gripping story of desire and obsession, Ghostwalk is a rare debut that will change the way most of us think about scientific innovation, the force of history, and time itself.
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"This book was a page turner! I was up til 2 for 3 nights. The 17th century meets the 21st century in England. Isaac Newton connected to murders in the mid 1600's and in the present time. A book within a book! Science meets the supernatural. I loved it!"
— Pat (4 out of 5 stars)
Ghostwalk Listener Reviews
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" What should have been and intriguing concept was ruined by ridiculous plot development and eye roll-inducing prose. "
— Catherine, 2/16/2014 -
" audiobook; read well by Susan Duerden. Alchemy and Newton mixes the 17th century with 'real time'. In my book group, 1/3 liked it, 1/3 hated it, and the 1/3 didn't finish it. "
— Valice, 2/14/2014 -
" This book was a little slow to get into, but if you are a lover of historical novels, it is a good book to get into. It goes into the secret societies and alchemy of the 18th century and is a modern-day novel with historical flashbacks and some interesting information on Sir Isaac Newton. I really enjoyed it once I got into it. Lots of twists in the plot that are not expected. "
— Juli, 2/9/2014 -
" I alternated between being bored and enjoying this book. I still don't know what I think of it. "
— Sue, 2/6/2014 -
" I did not finish this book and my only regret is that I spent way too much time trying to like it. I found nothing to like. It claims to be 'a haunting literary thriller' and a 'historical mystery involving Isaac Newton's alchemy'. Why I thought anything involving Isaac Newton and his alchemy would be interesting is beyond me now. Turns out I have no interest in Isaac Newton or alchemy or the 17th century. At least not as portrayed in this book. The entire framework of the book is awkward - it is told in the 1st person by a woman who attends a funeral for a woman who died while writing a book on Isaac Newton - not exactly an attention grabber introduction. The narrator apparently had an affair with the dead woman's son and throughout the story she refers to this ex-lover as 'you' - she seems to be writing a memoir of what is happening or has happened - as the reader knows virtually nothing about the narrator or 'you' it is really hard to give a darn about anyone. The narrator is asked by her ex-lover to ghostwrite the remaining chapters of the Newton book that his mother didn't finish - if that isn't an exciting premise I don't know what would be. Plus this ex-lover works for some sort of a scientific research company and there is a second story about animal testing protesters which supposedly connects with Newton. Blah, blah blah. Maybe the pace really picks up in the second half of the book - maybe not. I don't really care. "
— Janet, 1/7/2014 -
" An interesting fictional book about Sir Isaac Newton. "
— Myra, 1/5/2014 -
" i like this story - i didn't love it. anyone who wants to read it may borrow or have it. "
— Crystal, 1/4/2014 -
" This book did not grab me and I kept waiting for it to get interesting but never reached that moment. I had high hopes for this book as the story line sounded very intriguing but alas I have given up 100 pages in. "
— Debbie, 12/30/2013 -
" stay away. far, far away. "
— Clara, 12/22/2013 -
" Just as I finished listening to this, I finally noticed that it was an ABRIDGED version, horrors! But on second thought, I was just as glad--it was long enough. The reader was excellent, but I never got as interested in this story as I would have expected to... "
— Martha, 11/18/2013 -
" An embodiment of Newton, alchemy, mysticism, greed, love and physics. The book is very well written; I was hypnotized into the 17th century. Stout has quite an imagination. A great read for those who enjoy historical fiction and science. "
— Christina, 11/5/2013 -
" My favorite type of historical fiction mystery. Bad shit goes down no matter what the century. "
— Scott, 10/26/2013 -
" This was an intriguing story and made me think about Isaac Newton in new ways. A fine literary thriller. "
— Melanie, 10/20/2013 -
" After meeting with my book club on this I won't finish. It doesn't seem to be worth the extraordinary effort it takes to get through it. A promising premise, presented poorly. "
— Kelly, 9/19/2013 -
" This was promising - I love a mystery within a story, but once Isaac Newton's ghost showed up, I had to put this down. "
— Susan, 9/14/2013 -
" This was a little hard to get into, but I did like it. I also read this over a few months, so that could be why it was hard to get into. A little too much detail on Newton for me, though. If you are a historian, and a bit of a mystery,ghost story lover, you would like this. Good ending. "
— Cyndie, 5/7/2013 -
" Gripping book that explores Sir Isaac Newton's 17th-century, the history of alchemy, secret societies, and fellowships at Trinity College. Historically accurate and narratively gripping, this book is well worth the read! "
— Ana, 4/20/2013 -
" This kept my interest, but not as good as I had expected. I had read The Coral Thief and would rate it the same. "
— Rebecca, 4/8/2013 -
" Ghost of newton terrorizes Cambridge while the protoganist - a wordy mistress of a biologist - explores her internal state. A quick mystery read - with a dose of ghost whisperer. "
— Jennie, 4/5/2013 -
" I tried listening to this and I just couldn't get into it. I re-listened to the first two cd's twice to no avail, I don't have time to read something I don't enjoy. Sorry. "
— Gabby, 5/12/2012 -
" At first I didn't know if I would enjoy this book but I loved it! It's a mix between history, a love story, with ghosts and a murder mystery with a little alchemy mixed in. I will be telling people to read this book! "
— Jules, 9/21/2011 -
" I will never trust the recommendations of the woman at the Booksmith again. This book is a far cry from mesmerizing. "
— Lynne, 4/10/2011 -
" Hmm...this book was pretty so-so to me. Unfortunately... "
— Lee, 3/26/2011 -
" I liked the information provided regarding Isaac Newton. Was a surprise to me. The other story "Ghostwalk" was a little hard to follow. "
— Erika, 2/24/2011 -
" I might have to give this one another try... there's so much right about a murder mystery novel about Isaac Newton & glassblowing & the memory of places -- I just had too many cringe moments along the way. "
— Alastair, 2/7/2011 -
" Just as I finished listening to this, I finally noticed that it was an ABRIDGED version, horrors! But on second thought, I was just as glad--it was long enough. The reader was excellent, but I never got as interested in this story as I would have expected to... "
— Martha, 1/29/2011
About Rebecca Stott
Rebecca Stott is a professor of English literature and creative writing at the University of East Anglia and an affiliated scholar at the department of the history and philosophy of science at Cambridge University. She is the author of several books and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio.
About Rosalyn Landor
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.