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Silver Lies Audiobook
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(3.06) - 202 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The crooked, the greedy, and those with a checkered past—they all came to Leadville with the same purpose: Get in, get rich, get out.
As 1879 draws to a close, silver fever burns hot in the Rocky Mountain boomtown of Leadville, Colorado. Unfortunately for Joe Rose, an assayer of precious metals, death stakes its own claim. Joe’s body is found trampled into the muck behind Inez Stannert’s saloon.
Inez already has much more to deal with than pouring shots of Taos Lightning. A lady educated on the East Coast, she has a past that doesn’t bear close scrutiny, due in part to her elopement with a gambling man who has recently disappeared. Most of the townsfolk, including Inez’s business partner, Abe Jackson, dismiss Joe’s death as an accident. Death, after all, is no stranger in Leadville. But Inez wonders why this loving husband and father was carrying a brass token good for “one free screw” at the parlor house of Denver madam Mattie Silks.
When Joe’s widow Emma asks Inez to settle Joe’s affairs, Inez reluctantly agrees and soon uncovers skewed assays, bogus greenbacks, and blackmail, leading her to believe that Joe was murdered. Was he killed over money or for purely personal motives? It’s up to Inez to find out.
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"Love this sassy saloon keep! Inez owns the Silver Queen, a high-class watering hole and gambling joint in Leadville Colorado circa 1877. Can you say silver-rush? Filled with colorful characters and local history, Ann Parker brings the wild days of Colorado to life. It's not your cozy mystery!"
— Val (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Combines a kind of gritty grandeur with a knowing wisdom about the way the present shapes our perceptions of the past.”
— Chicago Tribune -
“Meet Inez Stannert, the poker-playing, straight-talking, gun-toting owner of the Silver Queen Saloon and the heroine of Parker’s excellent debut…Drawing on historic facts and figures of 1870s Colorado, Parker tells a gripping tale of love, greed, and murder in the Old West, with a cast of convincing, larger-than-life characters, including a brief appearance from Bat Masterson himself. Inez is a woman well ahead of her time and a welcome addition to the genre, as is Parker, who has left enough loose ends to beckon readers to the next Leadville mystery.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Kirsten Potter has raised the bar with her breathtaking reading of this historical mystery. Without detracting the least bit from protagonist Inez Stannert, Potter gives equal attention to her portrayals of minor characters. Her depiction of Bridgette, an Irish cook in Stannert’s saloon, is spot-on. Handyman Useless’ bumbling persona is painted expertly…Silver Lies is a triumph for both author and narrator.”
— AudioFile -
“Silver Lies is a tale of greed, lust, and deception set in Leadville in its heyday, when men—and not a few women—stopped at nothing, not even murder, to strike it rich. Ann Parker gets is just right, and the result is a terrific debut novel.”
— Margaret Coel, American historian and mystery writer
Awards
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Winner of the 2004WILLA Literary Award for Historical Fiction
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
Silver Lies Listener Reviews
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" I was really bored while reading this. I think the idea has potential, but it wasn't a very exciting read for me. "
— Rebecca, 2/20/2014 -
" The first in what became a winning series, SILVER LIES, introduces the reader to a wondrous setting, an unusual, even for the west, cast of characters and the writing talents of Ann Parker.It's an enticing read. "
— Arletta, 2/13/2014 -
" Interesting subject, I couls see a young Clint Eastwood as the reverand. "
— Jacqueline, 2/6/2014 -
" I found the setting and plot of this story to be quite good. The manner in which the historical backdrop of Leadville's silver boom plays into the story is one of the main sustaining elements in the book. Unfortunately, I found the characters incredibly flat and their language to be like a very long episode of Bonanza. "
— Leland, 1/30/2014 -
" Loved it.... I live it Colorado so it made the story even more special "
— Deb, 1/23/2014 -
" great murder mystery set in the late 1800s...strong female heroine "
— Christine, 1/13/2014 -
" An interesting story about Leadville CO during silver mining days. A mystery is woven into lots of great historical detail. I had a hard time identifying/sympathizing with the lead character--probably just me. A friend read this book and said it was the best one she'd read in a long time. "
— Ann, 1/6/2014 -
" The first book in a wonderful series. I have enjoyed getting to know the strong female protagonist, and the glimpses of boomtown life in old Colorado. Highly recommended! "
— Kathleen, 1/1/2014 -
" A good historical read about Colorado. "
— Gwyn, 8/31/2013 -
" Wild times in the "Olden Days", 1880's. "
— Vicki, 8/4/2013 -
" A thoroughly enjoyable read. I thought it was well plotted and it kept me reading to the very end. "
— Richard, 7/14/2013 -
" This book started out promising, then it was hard to keep reading before I was even half way through, before an ok ending. "
— blondemummy, 6/22/2013 -
" I read this book for my mystery book club and loved it! It's a historical mystery, set in a Colorado mining town in 1880. I loved the strong central character--a female saloon keeper. She is one tough cookie! Lots of excitement and intrigue in the story. I recommend it. "
— Becky, 5/19/2013 -
" Well-crafted historical mystery. Parker brings to life Leadville, CO, in 1879 during the silver rush. There's murder, madams, and mining swindles. Her next is in my TBR pile. "
— Karen, 4/24/2013 -
" This book slowly ground to a halt about 30% of the way through. I quit reading at that point and don't intend to finish it. "
— John, 4/10/2013 -
" This book was just not my cup of tea. I thought the characters flat and not very interesting. I finished it but wondered why I just didn't read something else. "
— Donna, 3/16/2013 -
" not my kind of book -- would never have found this on my own -- and i LOVED it. character development was awesome, if a little forced at times. "
— Mindi, 3/13/2013 -
" The mystery plotting was alright, I really enjoyed all the historical details, but the characters fell a bit flat to me. "
— Anne, 3/5/2013 -
" Another good historical novel set in Leadville, Colorado in the 1880's. "
— Steve, 2/4/2013 -
" This is a very well-written historic mystery novel. It's also a western drama with romantic overtones. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. "
— Jacqueline, 1/21/2013
About Ann Parker
Ann Parker, a science writer by day, is the author of the Silver Rush historical mystery series, the first book of which, Silver Lies, was the winner of the Willa Cather Award for Historical Fiction and the Colorado Gold Award for Best Mystery. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America and of Women Writing the West and resides with her family in the San Francisco Bay area.
About Kirsten Potter
Kirsten Potter has won several awards, including more than a dozen AudioFile Earphones Awards and been a three-time finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. Her work has been recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and by AudioFile magazine, among many others. She graduated with highest honors from Boston University and has performed on stage and in film and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy.