Dope


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.8 stars; 25 reviews)

A minor lord is killed and a rich socialite is missing, and they are both tied to the enigmatic Kazmah the Dream Reader, who has also disappeared. New Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Red Kerry scours post-WWI London looking for clues, encountering rich Bohemians, theatre people, landed gentry, sailors, and, stereotypically, sinister Chinese people and sneaky Jews. The story is based on the history of Billie Carleton, a young English actress whose scandalous lifestyle ended with her death from a drug overdose in 1918. (Note that this work contains dated material and attitudes which may be offensive to listeners.) - Summary by TriciaG (9 hr 39 min)

Chapters

Part First—Kazmah the Dream-Reader Chapter I. A Message for Irvin 10:18 Read by Phil Schempf
Chapter II. The Apartments of Kazmah 10:10 Read by NoelVox
Chapter III. Kazmah 7:45 Read by MarBoy
Chapter IV. The Closed Door 14:05 Read by Owlivia
Chapter V. The Door Is Opened 15:39 Read by ToddHW
Chapter VI. Red Kerry 19:10 Read by ToddHW
Chapter VII. Further Evidence 6:41 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter VIII. Kerry Consults the Oracle 15:40 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter IX. A Packet of Cigarettes 8:39 Read by Owlivia
Chapter X. Sir Lucien's Study Window 10:41 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XI. The Drug Syndicate 14:59 Read by markfriendlds
Part Second—Mrs. Sin Chapter XII. The Maid of the Masque 14:44 Read by Owlivia
Chapter XIII. A Chandu Party 13:35 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XIV. In the Shade of the Lonely Palm 15:16 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XV. Metamorphosis 12:13 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XVI. Limehouse 17:15 Read by Owlivia
Chapter XVII. The Black Smoke 14:21 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XVIII. The Dream of Sin Sin Wa 14:51 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XIX. The Traffic 13:13 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XX. Kazmah's Methods 13:16 Read by weezer
Chapter XXI. The Cigarettes from Buenos Ayres 15:51 Read by John
Chapter XXII. The Strangle-Hold 12:06 Read by Owlivia
Part Third—The Man from Whitehall Chapter XXIII. Chief Inspector Kerry Resigns 14:37 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXIV. To Introduce 719 9:49 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXV. Night-Life of Soho 17:44 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXVI. The Moods of Mollie 10:16 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXVII. Crown Evidence 14:05 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXVIII. The Gilded Joss 12:48 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXIX. Doubts and Fears 10:06 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXX. The Fight in the Dark 13:25 Read by markfriendlds
Chapter XXXI. The Story of 719 13:06 Read by John
Chapter XXXII. On the Isle of Dogs 20:53 Read by John
Part Fourth—The Eye of Sin Sin Wa Chapter XXXIII. Chinese Magic 14:30 Read by John
Chapter XXXIV. Above and Below 21:14 Read by John
Chapter XXXV. Beyond the Veil 9:19 Read by John
Chapter XXXVI. Sam Tuk Moves 15:37 Read by John
Chapter XXXVII. Seton Pasha Reports 8:25 Read by John
Chapter XXXVIIII. The Song of Sin Sin Wa 12:08 Read by John
Chapter XXXIX. The Empty Wharf 11:08 Read by John
Chapter XL. Coil of the Pigtail 18:29 Read by John
Chapter XLI. The Finding of Kazmah 14:16 Read by John
Chapter XLII. A Year Later 17:18 Read by John
Chapter XLIII. The Story of the Crime 10:03 Read by John

Reviews

great story


(5 stars)

Good volunteer readers. Cant say I had much sympathy for the silly heroine. Lucky for her men thought her beautiful and helpless. English deserved the opium blowback in their country after forcing opium on the Chinese who fought two wars to try to stop the British from bringing opium into China and addicting the Chinese.

white people get their just deserts.


(5 stars)

As a smirking do good liberal I applaud all white honkies becoming addicted to opiates. I hold white trash living in trailers personally responsible for the sins of the British East India company. I get much joy out of the fact that the 19th century Chinese victims of the transnational drug trade can receive long deserved justice by getting poor white folks addicted to the same opiates they had absolutely nothing to do with a 100 years before they were born. I love to blame white people for everything. It gives me a great dopamine rush.

I read this as a historical mystery.


(5 stars)

I agree with others that the basics of the story could be the same today. However, since this book was based on an actual disappearance in 1918, I'd like to think there are major differences. The variety of readers usually irritates me but these readers were all good. The story development kept my interest and I didn't anticipate the ending very early on. An especially good road trip listen.

Not just a problem today!


(5 stars)

Very eye opening that drugs are not just a problem today. this could easily have been written about 2020; corruption, predjudice, jealousy, drug cartels, the rich buying their way out, etc. Such a complex story that I'm listening to the whole book a second time! A first for me! I rarely read a book more than once.


(5 stars)

Engaging, action packed, and more than plenty of red herrings and plot twists (large and small) to keep things jumping. And those characters...! —>Though sometimes uncomfortable to encounter the negative stereotypes of the past, I feel they were used by this author more to build characters, atmosphere, and convey realism (for the time of writing).

THE BEST OF ROHMER


(5 stars)

This is the only novel by ROHMER which did not read like a serial. Certainly I enjoyed Fu Manchu and other works, but the organization of this one made it much more enjoyable. The readers did well.

Really enjoyed the story but it's about three chapters too long


(4 stars)