Murder of Magpies

By: Judith Flanders

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

It's just another day at the office for book editor Samantha Clair. Checking jacket copy for howlers, wondering how to break it to her star novelist that her latest effort is utterly unpublishable, lunch scheduled with gossipy author Kit Lowell, whose new book will deliciously dish the dirt on the fashion industry. But little does she know how much trouble Kit's book is about to be. Before it even goes to print. When police inspector Field turns up at the venerable offices of Timmins and Ross, asking questions about an undelivered package that was addressed to Sam, she knows something is wrong. The messenger sent to deliver the package was murdered, and then Kit goes missing. Suddenly Sam's nine-to-five life is turned upside down, and she is propelled into a criminal investigation. Someone doesn't want Kit's scandalous manuscript published, and unless Sam can put the pieces together in time they'll do anything to stop it.

With her deliciously fun, cleverly written debut novel, acclaimed author Judith Flanders introduces readers to an enormously enjoyable, too-smart-for-her-own-good new amateur sleuth as well as a colorful cast of characters, including Sam's witty assistant, her effortlessly glamorous mother, and the handsome Inspector Field. A whipsmart, impeccably crafted mystery, this tremendously entertaining novel will have readers flying through the pages.

©2015 © Recorded by arrangement with St. Martin's Press (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Hilarious, big-hearted, clever, whip-smart and devious. A truly wonderful crime novel by a brilliant writer.... Judith Flanders has found that difficult, magical ground between humor and crime, where the death is never trivialized, but the territory is hysterically pilloried. Brava!" (Louise Penny, number-one New York Times best-selling author of How the Light Gets In)
"Deadly funny. Judith Flanders' wry take on publishing and murder should be on everybody's wish list." (Donna Leon, New York Times best-selling author of By Its Cover)
"Wickedly funny...the perfect storm of an entertaining read.... Loved it." ( London Times)

Witty well written...

Laugh out loud funny in parts and always dryly humorous this cozy is a well written and well plotted mystery. It was a refreshing read after a long dry spell of lackluster domestic thrillers ( my usual genre)
Highly recommended.

Fairly decent story, HORRIBLE narrator

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The book itself may be worthy of a read, but certainly not a listen. It sounds like they've gotten Siri to narrate the book.

Great storyline

Fun listen with engaging characters and wonderfully woven mystery storyline. Recommend for literary “nerds.” (You’ll know what that means when you hear it.)

Narration chased me away

This seems like a good book and I tolerated the reader until chapter 4, hoping she would wise up and stop the sing-song, but no. Every single sentence was intoned exactly the same with a weird downward sigh at the end that was inextricably also a question.
If I had paid for this I would have endured a phone call to demand a refund, simply on principle.

Not very engaging

Seemed a little trite and predictable. It doesn't have depth or a lot of character development. Keeps mind busy but not thinking.