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The Tarnished Eye Audiobook
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(3.06) - 205 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
This absorbing suspense novel takes listeners to the community of Blessed in northern Michigan and introduces us to Sheriff Hugh DeWitt, a man still grieving for his infant son, who died of SIDS a few years earlier. Meanwhile, up the road from the DeWitts, in one of the expensive summer cottages, Paige Norbois grieves for a lost love of her own. Married to a stern and unresponsive man, Paige wills herself to stay in the marriage and sacrifice her own feelings for the sake of her children’s stability. But when an unimaginable tragedy strikes, anyone’s dreams of stability in Blessed are abruptly destroyed. Paige, her husband Edward, and their four children are found brutally slaughtered in their home. Sheriff DeWitt, deeply moved by the murder scene, is driven to solve the crime, while keeping his own demons at bay.
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"I really wish Judith Guest wrote more books. This mystery was outstanding. I don't want to give any of it away, except to say it is a very interesting study of serial murders versus multiple murders as it juxtaposes those situations. Highly recommend. "
— Mightymite (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Haunting and unforgettable.”
— Jan Burke, Edgar Award–winning author -
“The Tarnished Eye is wonderful, written in spare prose that achieves a swift pace and a compelling elegance of tone and mood. The characters are so real that their insistence on hope, in the face of inexplicable evil, suggests how all of us might best cope in these perilous times.”
— Dean Koontz -
“The audio recording of this novel, read by Mark Bramhall and others, adds to the book’s emotional depth. The quality of the audio is excellent, and the actors’ intonations heighten the story’s suspense and the characters’ ennui…Absorbing, suspenseful, and stunning.”
— ForeWord -
“Packed with suspense.”
— Women's Lifestyle -
“The novel’s multiple viewpoints (the victims, sheriff, and witnesses) and the way they were read by two performers pulled me into the idyllic setting of Blessed as its residents’ feeling of safety and trust were torn apart. The points of view also created a tightly wound suspense that the audiobook emphasized.”
— Unshelved.com -
“This tightly paced, gripping thriller is imbued with substance, sensitivity. and depth. County sheriff Hugh DeWitt…is on an emotional trail that jerks him back and forth between reflections on the anniversary of his son's death, the horrific murder scene, and the serial rape/murders of a handful of University of Michigan coeds. As the point of view shifts from sheriff to victims and back again, Guest keeps the plot moving along apace, creating a finely tuned page-turner.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“At a fast but methodical pace, she follows the story of the crime’s ramifications…The gathering momentum is irresistible. By maintaining the plot’s welcome and even necessary swiftness while at the same time tending to character development, depth, and differentiation, Guest produces a novel shivering with artistry and darkness.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“The author weaves a personal story of grief and the conflicts within families to make this more than a murder mystery. The character of Hugh DeWitt is developed especially well and Bramhall’s voice seems especially suited to this thoughtful man who suffers his own grief and torment even as he must deal with those of others.”
— Kliatt -
“Guest has a keen eye for the delicate fault lines that underlie family life and excels at showing us the ravages of domestic collapse.”
— Kirkus Reviews
The Tarnished Eye Listener Reviews
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" Beach read. Characters are not well defined. Sappy in places. It is a murder mystery and follows the typical timeline for this type of book (intro detective with some personal flaw/problem/unfortunate life event, horrible crime, attempt to find killer, twists, solve, detective as hero, detective fixes aspect of personal life, the end.) But as this type of book goes, not a bad read. "
— Ellen, 2/9/2014 -
" This is from the author of Ordinary People. I didn't find this book "gripping" or all that suspenseful, but entertaining all the same. "
— Marla, 1/28/2014 -
" This novel is riveting. It's a murder mystery based on a true story; it's by the author of 'Ordinary People.' I think I read this in about 5 hours and couldn't put it down. Books rarely snare me like that anymore. I highly suggest this one. "
— Lisa, 1/7/2014 -
" A pretty-good murder mystery -- good enough to listen to in the car. "
— Maughn, 1/4/2014 -
" Could not get interested in this book. "
— Terri, 12/16/2013 -
" This book was a quick read. The story was very intriguing considering this was based on a real life cold case file. The end came very quickly, almost as if the author didn''t know what to do with all the story lines and just ended it quickly "
— Rebekkila, 12/14/2013 -
" Any chapters with Hugh and his wife seemed out of place to me. I would have preferred the book more without that piece. "
— Gwen, 12/5/2013 -
" Loved this murder mystery about a family of six that is murdered and how it ties in with young women in a nearby town who are being raped and murdered. "
— Lorna, 11/22/2013 -
" I really wish Judith Guest wrote more books. This mystery was outstanding. I don't want to give any of it away, except to say it is a very interesting study of serial murders versus multiple murders as it juxtaposes those situations. Highly recommend. "
— Mightymite, 10/9/2013 -
" By the author of _Ordinary People_. The novel takes place in Ann Arbor, MI and is loosely based on real events. "
— Sara, 9/7/2013 -
" Creepy it's based on a true story of a murder in Michigan. Of course it's a person you don't suspect until the end. "
— Carolyn, 4/12/2013 -
" Good read. I didn't see the ending coming, which is always fun. "
— Debbie, 9/17/2012 -
" Very strange story but I wanted to keep reading to find out what was next... "
— Alisa, 8/23/2012 -
" A page--as they say---turner "
— Corey, 6/22/2012 -
" read again 11-23-12 - just as good as the first time I read it. "
— Joellen, 5/6/2012 -
" Two sets of multiple murders plague Sheriff HUGH DEWITT as he finds links between them in this moody story which takes place in Michigan. It was not as engrossing as I had hoped. "
— Marsha, 1/31/2012 -
" Darn mystery books. Good up until the author decides for the investigator to figure 'who done it' but without any clues for us to go on. Good story up until that point. Would make an excellent Lifetime movie. "
— Kristi, 7/18/2011 -
" A pretty run-of-the-mill beach read - no remarkable character development. A quick adventure down mystery lane. "
— Allison, 6/25/2011 -
" Couldn't put this one down! "
— Danielle, 5/30/2011 -
" I was disappointed. I read about half of it, but found myself wishing I was finished or had never started. I don't force myself to finish books because there are so many great books out there. "
— Susan, 5/11/2011 -
" Just an ok story - a little slow and at the end when you find out what happens, I didnt really care. "
— Pandora, 5/9/2011 -
" Read this fictional account of a true story: an unsolved murder in a small vacation town in northern Michigan. The authoir stuck to the majority of the evidence while applying her own theory of who may have committed this brutal crime. A typical summer read type of style. "
— lynn, 4/28/2011 -
" This is from the author of Ordinary People. I didn't find this book "gripping" or all that suspenseful, but entertaining all the same. "
— Marla, 10/17/2010 -
" This book was a quick read. The story was very intriguing considering this was based on a real life cold case file. The end came very quickly, almost as if the author didn''t know what to do with all the story lines and just ended it quickly "
— Rebekkila, 7/30/2010 -
" Very strange story but I wanted to keep reading to find out what was next... "
— Alisa, 9/26/2009 -
" A pretty-good murder mystery -- good enough to listen to in the car. "
— Maughn, 9/11/2009 -
" I was disappointed. I read about half of it, but found myself wishing I was finished or had never started. I don't force myself to finish books because there are so many great books out there. "
— Susan, 4/1/2009 -
" Two sets of multiple murders plague Sheriff HUGH DEWITT as he finds links between them in this moody story which takes place in Michigan. It was not as engrossing as I had hoped. "
— Marsha, 3/15/2009 -
" I loved this book. Took a few pages to hook me but then I <br/>couldn't put it down. Dandy murder mystery with likeable characters and some nice writing. "
— Mom, 10/29/2008 -
" Darn mystery books. Good up until the author decides for the investigator to figure 'who done it' but without any clues for us to go on. Good story up until that point. Would make an excellent Lifetime movie. "
— Kristi, 9/22/2008 -
" <br/>This is a great mystery, will keep you guessing. <br/> Be prepared. "
— Nancy, 5/6/2008 -
" A pretty run-of-the-mill beach read - no remarkable character development. A quick adventure down mystery lane. "
— Allison, 3/31/2008 -
" Couldn't put this one down! "
— Danielle, 2/22/2008 -
" This novel is riveting. It's a murder mystery based on a true story; it's by the author of 'Ordinary People.' I think I read this in about 5 hours and couldn't put it down. Books rarely snare me like that anymore. I highly suggest this one. "
— Lisa, 1/7/2008 -
" Based on an unsolved homicide that took place in Michigan in 1968. Lots of stock characters, troubled pasts, makes the book seem like one you may have read before. <br/> <br/>A good read <br/> "
— Barb, 8/29/2007 -
" By the author of _Ordinary People_. The novel takes place in Ann Arbor, MI and is loosely based on real events. "
— Sara, 8/14/2007
About Judith Guest
Judith Guest is the author of the novels Errands, Killing Time in St. Cloud (with Rebecca Hill), Second Heaven, and Ordinary People, which was adapted for film and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980.
About the Narrators
Arthur Morey has won three AudioFile Magazine “Best Of” Awards, and his work has garnered numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and placed him as a finalist for two Audie Awards. He has acted in a number of productions, both off Broadway in New York and off Loop in Chicago. He graduated from Harvard and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. He has won awards for his fiction and drama, worked as an editor with several book publishers, and taught literature and writing at Northwestern University. His plays and songs have been produced in New York, Chicago, and Milan, where he has also performed.
Ann Marie Lee is a seven-time winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award for narration. She is a Los Angeles–based actress with television credits that include ER, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Nip/Tuck. Her stage performances for Broadway National Tours and regional theater include Peter Pan, As You Like It, Heartbreak House, and The Cherry Orchard.