The Impersonator

By: Mary Miley

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

In 1924, a young vaudeville actress takes on the role of a lifetime when she impersonates a missing heiress in The Impersonator, the 2012 MB/MWA First Novel Competition winner.

In 1917, Jessie Carr, fourteen years old and sole heiress to her family's vast fortune, disappeared without a trace. Now, years later, her uncle Oliver Beckett thinks he's found her: a young actress in a vaudeville playhouse is a dead ringer for his missing niece. But when Oliver confronts the girl, he learns he's wrong. Orphaned young, Leah's been acting since she was a toddler.

Oliver, never one to miss an opportunity, makes a proposition - with his coaching, Leah can impersonate Jessie, claim the fortune, and split it with him. The role of a lifetime, he says. A one-way ticket to Sing Sing, she hears. But when she's let go from her job, Oliver's offer suddenly looks a lot more appealing. Leah agrees to the con but secretly promises herself to try and find out what happened to the real Jessie. There's only one problem: Leah's act won't fool the one person who knows the truth about Jessie's disappearance.

Set against a Prohibition-era backdrop of speakeasies and vaudeville houses, Mary Miley's The Impersonator will delight readers with its elaborate mystery and lively prose.

©2013 Mary Miley Theobald (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A wonderful story, very well done

I just loved this book, I will be getting the next one immediately. The main character is charming and clever, and a refreshing new kind of detective. Young but not naive, worldly enough not to frustrate a modern reader but not too cynical and not magically aware of modern forensics or investigative techniques. It can be a balancing act writing mysteries set in the past but Mary Miley pulled it off.

I hope to encounter many of the side characters again soon. The narrator was quie skillful and I hope she voices all the books.

Unexpected surprise

This story was an unexpected surprise based on my expectation for some reason & was really an enjoyable listen. I liked how the story line & characters were all set up. I plan to look for another story by this author.

Surprising final story

Fun to listen to. The story was Christie like. Parts of the story were predictable but others I didn’t see coming.

A Very Satisfying Listen

Yes, the story is preposterous, but I loved that the flawed characters - including the protagonist - were meted out justice at the end.

I'm not sure...

...if I'll try the next one. The plot had more twists and turns than a rattle snake and I enjoyed the story. I know I'm in the minority here, but, for me, the narration was very distracting. Although the narrator is very good, her choice of voice for Jessie, the main character, sounded too young and too whiney. I did go in and slow the timing down, and that helped a bit but not enough. There were several other characters and their voices fit very well. I'm simply not sure I can listen to any more Jessie, though.