Decked

Regan Reilly Mystery Series, Book 1

By: Carol Higgins Clark

Narrated by: Mary Higgins Clark

When Athena disappeared from St. Polycarp's College at Oxford, her friends assumed she had run away - to hide from her overbearing, wealthy Greek family, or even to marry some unacceptable young man. To their shock, they find out at their 10-year reunion that her body has been discovered in an excavation. Private investigator Regan Reilly, Athena's former college roommate, is determined to track down her friend's killer. Despite a 10-year-old trail, she uncovers a host of eccentric and uncooperative suspects. A down-to-earth, likable heroine, a wonderful cast of eclectic characters, and a suspense-laden plot add up to an impressive first novel for Carol Higgins Clark.©1992 by Carol Higgins Clark (P)1992 by Dove Audio, Inc.

Not what I’d h Hoped for

The story was interesting but the narration was so distracting that I didn’t want to listen!

Good Story, Not Great Narration

The story is very good. Classic murder story. I like that the narrator uses different voices for characters, but she practically whispers at times. She doesn’t enunciate clearly. So hard to understand!

Read other books in this series

Decked is a charming little adventure story that is as much about a jewel thief and odd ball guests on a cruise as it is about the solving of a murder. Carol Higgins Clark has a distinct sense of humor that reminds me of screwball comedies and silly stories. Her characters are exaggerations and a little absurd while remaining fun. There is a distinct sense of affection for this collection of oddballs and for their stories and foibles on a cruise. Though it would not surprise me if several of these people are heavily based on people Carol and Mary Clark have interacted with in their careers. By the time the story climaxes you care about these odd and silly people and want to see them have a happy ending.

I genuinely had fun with this book though I think it is a little rougher around the edges then the later Regan Reilly adventures. It tells a good story while delivering some thrills and chuckles. There were parts that didnt fit perfectly or well and some characters that did not work but that happens and it was still a fun adventure.

It is clear that this is an abridged book and so some parts feel skipped over and some details are clearly missing. That is a shame however it is also clear those parts were not necessary to solve the puzzle of the murder mystery or the crimes. I do wish this would get a full release but that is unlikely to occur.

I appreciate that Mary Higgins Clark decided to read her daughter's book for the audio addition. There is a distinct kindness to the act. However, I don't think voice acting is her particular talent. She attempts to do a number of accents in this novel and unfortunately they do not come across well in the recording. One major character gets a raspy whisper to their voice which makes them almost hard to hear and another was extremely annoying. Voice acting and reading for an audio book are hard things to do but this really did make the book a struggle at times.

I enjoyed this but as someone who has read other books in this series I suggest skipping this particular title unless your a completionist.

Terrible Narrator

The narrator’s performance was awful. Overdramatic voices, mumbling, nasal whistling. Truly dreadful. The book is one of CHC’s best. It’s a shame it was butchered by the reading.

Awful narrator!

I’ve read all of Carole Higgins Clark’s books and enjoyed the stories. The narrator in this book ruined the story for me. The bad voices and the poor quality should have never been published. I want my money back on this one.