Category: Audiobook

Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers by Tessa Arlen

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, World War II Era (1939-1945), Yearly FavoritesLeave a comment

Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers (A Woman of WWII Mystery #2)
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: A Woman of WW II Mystery #2
Publication Date: 12/1/20
Number of Pages: 320

This series is a delightful find! I have read other books by Tessa Arlen, but I missed out on the first of the Poppy Redfern books – and I’m so sorry about that! The writing is excellent, the mystery is well-formed and well-executed so you don’t guess who the villain is until the very end. There are lots of red herrings to keep you guessing. This book was so entertaining that I’ll now have to go back and read the first book in the series. Speaking of it being a series, this book can totally be read as a standalone – but I can promise you, you’ll want to go back and read the first book.

I listened to an ARC of the audiobook and I enjoyed the listen. The narrator, Madeleine Leslay, performed the narration with a tempo and voice that made me feel as if Poppy is a happy person who enjoys her life. She sounded very upbeat. I didn’t totally lose myself in the story because I did have a hard time differentiating among the speakers. They all sounded pretty much the same – every once in a while, the Scot would sound like a Scot, but the American never, ever, sounded like an American. So, I had to really concentrate to determine who was speaking. I’ll also mention that the American, who is also the masculine lead, was performed so that he sounded so prissy that I would have thought the part was female had the word ‘he’ not been used to describe him.

In late autumn of 1942, Poppy Redfern is settling into her new job as a scriptwriter at the London Crown Film Unit, which produces short films about valorous deeds performed by ordinary British citizens in wartime. She’s really excited to receive her first assignment, writing the script for a fifteen-minute film on a group of female pilots known as the Attagirls. These intrepid ladies fly every sort of aircraft to bases all over England. These ladies would much rather actually fly as part of the Royal Air Force, but England doesn’t allow female combat pilots – they barely allow these ladies to fly the planes around England. They perform a vital service – getting new planes from the manufacturer to the bases who need them as well as ferrying newly repaired planes back to their bases. Poppy cannot wait to meet these ladies.

Poppy’s gentleman friend, Griff, has seven days of leave and decides to go along with Poppy for a few days. Both Griff and Poppy quickly come to like and admire these brave ladies who fly in all sorts of adverse conditions without any of the basic safety devices regular combat pilots have. Their bravery and patriotism come through loud and clear. The six ladies they meet were the first recruited by the Air Transport Auxiliary and all of them are highly skilled and rated for most types of aircraft.

Poppy, Huntley (the producer), Keith (the cameraman), and Griff, all head for the ferry depot from which the Attagirls work. Poppy and Griff arrive first and Poppy sets about getting to know the ladies in order to begin the scriptwriting. She likes them very much and is excited to tell their tales. That excitement turns to horror when, one of the best pilots crashes and dies during a filming session. Everyone is immediately saying it was an accident and/or pilot error. Griff, who is a pilot, and Poppy don’t believe it to be an accident. They investigate more and more – they become more and more sure it wasn’t an accident. Without any proof, they cannot say anything – and when a second crash and death occur, they are sure both are related. When the powers-that-be decide that the crashes are ‘accidents’, and the filming session is drawing to a close, they know they have to quickly get some answers.

I absolutely adored Poppy and Griff – not to mention Bess, Poppy’s sweet little Corgi. Since I didn’t read the first book, I have no idea where Poppy and Griff left their relationship in that book. However, in this book, it is quite evident they care for each other. I’ll be so very happy to read the next book in order to see what mystery they get to solve and to see where their relationship goes next.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an Advance Audio Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Duke’s Daughter by Sasha Cottman

On By BarbaraIn Audiobook, Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)2 Comments

The Duke's Daughter (The Duke of Strathmore, #3)Barbara’s rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Series: The Duke of Strathmore #3
Publication Date: 9/8/17
Number of Pages: 302
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW – Narrator – Janine Haynes

The narrator did a good job – her voice was well suited to the book and I enjoyed listening to her. We met Lady Lucy Radley in the first and second books of the series and I really liked her, so I was looking forward to reading her story. I was so very disappointed as this book presented a Lucy I didn’t recognize in the least – nor did I recognize the rest of her family – especially her father. Everything seemed so very contrived. This book is one of the author’s first, so I’m sure her later books are better.

Avery Fox came from an abusive family and ran away at thirteen to join the military. They definitely were not of the upper classes – his father and brother were thugs and smugglers. Avery almost died at Waterloo and returned home to find that his brother had been declared the heir to the Earl of Langham (An Unsuitable Match). Avery is NOT his brother who is now missing and who caused irreparable harm to the Langham and Strathmore families. Once his brother’s body is found, Avery is declared Langham’s heir. Avery doesn’t know what his brother did to these people, but they don’t trust him in the least. In my view, Avery suffers from a version of PTSD or survivors remorse.

Lady Lucy Radley has seen her two older brothers marry in rapid succession – both for love – and that is what she wants for herself. However, none of the eligible bachelors of the ton stir her pulse in the slightest. Until she meets Avery Fox at her brother’s wedding ball. She decides she wants to help him learn the ways of society and take him under her wing. Then, things go awry when they are caught in a compromising position and their families insist on a wedding. Avery refuses – and the squabbles begin.

This could easily have been a 5-star read – the premise of the story is great and I was really looking forward to it. However, it dragged on and on and on until I couldn’t stand either character and didn’t care whether they got their HEA or not. They’d come together and I’d think – okay here we go – and then – one of them would say the tiniest thing or do the tiniest thing and the other was off. That went on forever – I was so tired of it. The book could have been condensed to half its size and been a much better read. Or, they could have had their grand epiphany much earlier in the book and then, when they go to Paris they could spend more time together tracking down the watch owner and his family. Something. There was just way, way, way too much angst in this book.

The author continues to use non-Regency terms, etc. I had thought she’d get better as she wrote more books – but – for instance – nobody – absolutely nobody – drinks tea. Then, there is the ‘ruination’ of Lucy. There were no witnesses to their kiss other than her doting, loving father and the Earl of Langham who has a vested interest in what is best for Avery. These two didn’t ask the first question – which would be totally out of character for her father who dotes on her – especially when she begged him not to force a marriage. That part of the plot just fell flat. Another incongruity – Avery had earned the rank of lieutenant yet the author constantly says he was not an officer. Lieutenant is an officer – that is the rank that is usually purchased for those second-sons of aristocrats, but Avery actually earned it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.