The Butterfly Man

By: Heather Rose

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

If Lord Lucan escaped his past, what was his future?

On November 7, 1974, a young English nanny named Sandra Rivett was murdered in London's West End. Her employer, Lord Lucan, was named as her attacker. It was widely assumed he had mistaken her for his wife. Lord Lucan disappeared the night Sandra

Rivett died and has not been seen since.

Henry Kennedy lives on a mountain on the other side of the world. He is not who he says he is. Is he a murderer, or a man who can never clear his name? And is he the only one with something to hide?

Set in Tasmania, Africa and London's Belgravia, The Butterfly Man is an absorbing novel about transformation and deception.

©2005 Heather Rose (P)2006 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"An intriguing take on the Lord Lucan mystery and the theme of deception." (Australian Women's Weekly)
"Rose's lyrical melding...is masterful. Intriguing as the real-life events of the Lucan story are, Rose transforms it into something far more substantial." (The Australian)
"The success of this exquisitely crafted novel is that it is difficult to remind oneself that it is a work of imagination." (The Sunday Tasmanian)

Excellent

Humphrey Bower is masterful in his performance. The story is rich and deep. Do not miss this one.

Exquisite ….

The most tender crime novel you will ever read. Rich and beautiful characters, clever and very funny dialogue, brilliant and surprising unfolding of the past and the future. Poignant and beautiful. I will miss them all.

A good book, raised to excellent through narration

Where does The Butterfly Man rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best of the 20 or so audiobooks I have enjoyed so far.

What did you like best about this story?

I had liked how Humphrey Bower narrated 'the Great Gatsby' and so I browsed his other readings. The narration was very convincing, and brought you in to the emotional lives of the various characters, but especially that of Henry Kennedy. There's plenty to think about in terms of people's secret lives and their past, through the contrast between Kennedy and the unravelling of the past and motivations of his lover and others.

Which scene was your favorite?

One of my favourite scenes was Kennedy asking his friend Jimmy to administer traditional indigenous funeral rites, and Henry's expression of his motivations in so doing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It passed the time on a number of very long drives.

Any additional comments?

In summary, a good story, good characters, thought provoking, profound, but not hard to follow, and above all, an excellent performance by the narrator. What else could you want?

Arizona

Just about anything Humphrey Bower reads is worth listening to. Coupled with the authors that he chooses to read for, one has a perfect match.
This particular story is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. Although I knew all about the Cray Brothers, I was not familiar with the other historical facts in this novel. I enjoyed that fact that it leaves you guessing (especially if you listen to the credits at the end!)
If you enjoy this, you will also like Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Loved everything about this story

I absolutely loved this story. I loved the writing, how it was so melodic. It makes you completely absorbed with what happens to Henry. I could listen to this book once a month. It's deep, it's stimulating, whole paragraphs are put together so well, they just roll off the tongue. Humphrey Bowers does each accent perfectly. I love his Scottish brouge. I would love to see more from this author. I highly recommend this listen.