The Chatham School Affair

By: Thomas Cook

Narrated by: George Guidall

Nominated three times for the Edgar Award, Thomas H. Cook continues to mesmerize readers with novels that combine tales of passion and intrigue with the best in pause-resistant suspense. Listeners find his pensive, lyrical style irresistible.

As lawyer Henry Griswald draws up an aging client’s will, he reflects on a series of events in 1926-1927 that shattered the peace of his boyhood community. Griswald, then a student at the school where his father was headmaster, witnessed a passion that would change him forever. At the heart of Griswald’s reverie lies a mystery only he can solve. What really happened at Black Pond—a tragedy that eventually destroyed five lives? Seeing his boyhood memories through the eyes of experience and age, Griswald relives the emotion-charged chain of events. As he pieces the tantalizing puzzle together, he also pulls the listener into a growing awareness of the terrible consequences of his childish vision.

©1996 Thomas H. Cook (P)1996 Recorded Books, LLC

Brilliant literary fiction in the suspence & mystery genre.

There was nothing for me to dislike and I'm a tough to please critic of literary fiction.

Sterling listen.

This will hold you mesmerized throughout. Mr. Guidill as usual is at his finest. Mr Cook is a storyteller non pareil.

Deep reflective story

I love anything George Guidall reads. This is an interesting set up story line. A little slow in the beginning but beautiful prose and takes you into complex parts of human nature. It really made me think about the cultural stories we carry and what happens when we keep secrets.

Not many twists and turns

This is a well written book in terms of the monologues, dialogues and descriptions. The references to other historical figures and mythology is very nicely sprinkled in. My big issue with the book, though, is that it foreshadows a bit too much. To the point that the ending is almost expected. I was hoping for some twist, some deferral from what was promised. And while there are some, don't get me wrong, it seemed too linear given what I had expected. So, the issue may not lie with the book, but the expectation that I had coming into it. If you want a good story with a great climax, this will provide that. If you are hoping for a story where you are surprised by the ending, you may not get all those elements to your hearts desire. Still a worthwhile listen.

Winding, intriguing story draws you in

This was a rather good book. Quite well-written and the narration was excellent. In one respect, it is like a coming of age story. Henry Griswald, now an old man looking back over certain events in his life during his adolescence, reveals tantalizing clues to both his understanding of the adults in his life, and a mystery that involves the students and teachers in a private boys school of which is father is the headmaster. The author has done a good job of revealing the interior worlds of the characters through Griswald's understanding of what happened, looking back from half a century later. I was fascinated by the way little pieces of what he recalls completely (and repeatedly) changed my thoughts about what was taking place, as he slowly tells a story of a passionate mystery and the morals of an early 19th century small town in New England. This book had a surprises everywhere, even it's last paragraph!