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Publisher's Summary

On a cold February night in Regency London, a dark curtain falls on the Sans Pareil Theatre following the death of April Clare, a promising young actress, whose body is found in mysterious circumstances.

Detective Stephen Lavender and his dependable deputy, Constable Woods, quickly discover that nothing is quite as it seems. As successive mysteries unfold, they soon realise that it is not only the actors from the Sans Pareil who are playing a part.

With the Napoleonic War looming dangerously across the Channel, this is a time of suspicion and treachery. Following the clues from the seedy back streets of Covent Garden up through the echelons of society, Lavender and Woods begin to fear that the case is much bigger than they'd dared imagine - and worse, that they are at risk of becoming mere players in a master criminal's shadowy drama.

It will take all of Lavender's skill and wit, and help from the beautiful Magdalena, to bring the mystery of the Sans Pareil Theatre to a dramatic conclusion in the final act.

©2015 Karen Charlton (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Traditional Detectives Historical
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What listeners say about The Sans Pareil Mystery

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
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  • MidwestGeek
  • 2015-12-29

Good mystery with excellent narrator.

This is my first Detective Lavender mystery. The prose is excellent, although the plot is more or less transparent. I have to take on faith what English society was like in the early 1800's, but the author apparently has immersed herself in the period. Lavender is persistent and thoughtful but sometimes unbelievably blind-eyed. The narrator added a lot to the reading, differentiating characters by tone and accent. He had more difficulty with female voices, but even so, did a good job. I prefer 20th century period pieces to the 19th century, so I'm not sure how soon I'll take up another Lavender mystery.

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Kindle Customer Hazel
  • 2019-08-01

The Sans Pareil Mystery

Another enjoyable Detective
Lavender mystery. I've read others out of sequence but each is delightful on it's own.

1 person found this helpful

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  • picard
  • 2019-06-01

return to 1810 London

very atmospheric with good characterization. good plot development with many surprises. getting the next one now

1 person found this helpful

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  • Kaejae
  • 2016-02-01

Great Plot!

A very enjoyable story - with good characters. I enjoyed the main characters in the first novel and it was good to follow the progress of their relationships.
Good mystery plot and never dragged.
Also enjoyed learning about medical field of the time!
Highly recommended!

3 people found this helpful

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  • Wayne
  • 2016-04-23

Delightful and charming mystery novel!

I had not listened to a Michael Page narrated audiobook in some time and forgot what a great talent he is. I'm in awe of his performance in narrating The Sans Pareil Mystery.

The protagonist of this mystery novel is London UK Detective Stephen Lavender. It is set in the year 1810. It seems at first that an actress has been kidnapped and murdered. The autopsy shows that she died of congenital heart disease after being kidnapped. Then it turns out that the dead woman is not the actress but her identical twin sister that has died. The reason for the kidnapping and the culprits must still be determined. There are many fascinating characters and twists in The Sans Pareil Mystery.

This complex novel is a fun read made even better by superb narration.

This audiobook is loaned to the listener at no extra cost to members of Kindle Unlimited.

7 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous
  • 2015-11-12

Excellent narrator! mediocre material

The book dwindled from a passable mystery to a drawn out bodice ripper. The narration is superior.

5 people found this helpful

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  • Deborah J. Phillips
  • 2022-04-23

Wonderful Period Mystery

I love this series. The storylines always involve a mystery within a mystery. Nathaniel Parker is a superb narrator.The characters are voiced in an authentic and believable manner, and character vocal identities are maintained throughout. The relationships of the characters are fluid and dynamic. This particular episode was very satisfying, whereas it involved acquaintances from the past of the main female charactor. The mixing of fiction and history unfolds, drawing one deeper and deeper into the story. A very enjoyable listening experience.

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  • RR12
  • 2021-09-17

well written and performed

really enjoy these detective Lavender mysteries. I enjoy the characters and the narrator does a great job with accents.. I'm ready for the next one!

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  • Glenda J. Jones
  • 2021-05-25

Puzzles

The story had many twists and turns that kept you guessing and had a surprise twist of French spies trying to get the naval location of its ships.This was a good read.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2021-04-28

Delicious listening

The story and characters are rich, I loved every minute of the story.

I also adore the narrator, Michael Page. His voice brings everything to life