Nine Coaches Waiting

By: Mary Stewart

Narrated by: Ellie Heydon

Mary Stewart transports her listeners to mid-century Savoy for a plot of danger and deception, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym. A classic tale by one of the world's most beloved authors.

Linda Martin understands what is to be lonely: her parents died when she was young, and she was raised in an orphanage. When she is hired as a governess to the orphaned young Philippe, Comte de Valmy, Linda finds a kindred spirit in the lonely little boy. But Philippe is the heir to a vast estate in Savoy, and his dangerously handsome uncle may be willing to kill to ensure that Philippe never inherits it.

Mary Stewart's wonderful novel of suspense and intrigue set in the idyllic countryside of Savoy. A classic tale by one of the world's most beloved authors.

©1958 Mary Stewart (P)1958 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Critic reviews

"A wonderful wordsmith." (Scotsman)

"She built the bridge between classic literature and modern popular fiction. She did it first and she did it best." (Herald)

"One of the great British storytellers of the 20th century." (Independent)

Beautifully performed. Wonderful story!

This was one of my favorite books as an adolescent. This year it was finally available as an audiobook. I had high expectations of whoever would be the voice artist and she surpassed them. Simply wonderful. Mary Stewart is more known for her Merlin stories but she is unsurpassed in the romantic suspense genre I believe. Treat yourself to exotic locations and thrilling stories mixed with interesting characters.

Enjoyed this more than the first time I read it.

There are some authors whose work survives changing fashions. Stewart sets her early novels in the time she wrote them. They reflect the time in which they were written, but her characters deal with their current problems and pleasures just as people have through the ages. These books will be loved through even more generations.

I want to be ironic about the standard governess falling for the son of the castle and being taken off to riches. Except this trope is dealt with in ways that could and have happened in yesterday's news. Words do matter and in this book the twisted truth could have resulted in death.

Current authors who set their stories during WWII or the Roaring Twenties, or the time between the wars will never give us the feeling that we get from Mary Stewart"s descriptions of time place and people.

I love that her early work is still in print. I wish the choice of people reading her work had stronger voices. They are lovely voices, but they do not sound like a woman who fights back the way these heroines do. Not with swords, but their minds and voices.

Superb!

Lovely narrator, engaging story . Thoroughly enjoyable . Will recommend to many people . Thank you Mary Stewart and Ellie Hayden .

A bit tedious

I am a Mary Stewart fan and as a rule love her mysteries but I found this one irritating in many places. It seemed that everything the heroine saw, smelled, imagined, sensed, or imagined sensing was described in such intricate detail as to almost pull the whole tale off track. Every noun was overwhelmed by adjectives and every verb by adverbs. In proportion to the plot there was way too much focus on each tree and bend in the path for my taste.

The narration, on the other hand, was superbly done. I could listen to that lady all day.

Lovely old mystery/romance

This was the first Mary Stewart book that I read, as a "tween". I adored it, and quickly read as many of her others as I could find. Now, 50-something years later, it still holds up just as well. The performance is superb.