The Woman in the Alcove


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.3 stars; 140 reviews)

"I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night. I was also the happiest—up to one o'clock. Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse. Why and how, I am about to relate." Thus begins this mystery told by Anna Katharine Green, one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and renowned for writing well plotted, legally accurate stories.(Summary by Annise) (6 hr 44 min)

Chapters

The Woman with the Diamond 25:53 Read by Wina Hathaway
The Gloves 25:34 Read by Wina Hathaway
Anson Durand 30:06 Read by Wina Hathaway
Explanations 17:41 Read by Wina Hathaway
Superstition 21:46 Read by Wina Hathaway
Suspense 15:00 Read by Wina Hathaway
Night and a Voice 27:50 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
Arrest 6:27 Read by Marianne Coleman-Hipkins
The Mouse Nibbles at the Net 12:56 Read by Marianne Coleman-Hipkins
I Astonish the Inspector 11:43 Read by Marianne Coleman-Hipkins
The Inspector Astonishes Me 10:54 Read by Patti Cunningham
Almost 17:26 Read by Patti Cunningham
The Missing Recommendation 20:04 Read by Patti Cunningham
Trapped 20:58 Read by Patti Cunningham
Sears or Wellgood 16:06 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
Doubt 9:49 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
Sweetwater in a New Role 12:07 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
The Closed Door 8:40 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
The Face 6:04 Read by Diana Majlinger
Moonlight -- and a Clue 9:48 Read by Sean Michael Hogan
Grizel! Grizel! 15:44 Read by Annise
Guilt 12:44 Read by Denny Sayers (d. 2015)
The Great Mogul - part 1 25:57 Read by Patti Cunningham
The Great Mogul - part 2 23:40 Read by Patti Cunningham

Reviews

A Decent Mystery


(4 stars)

A woman (Alice VanArstel) just got engaged at a party when another woman (Grizel Farebrother) is murdered resulting in her fiance (Anson Durand) becoming the main suspect. She believes Anson is innocent despite some damning evidence & that he'd lied. She has some ideas & theories and presents them to the inspector. He gives them some weight & then decides to let her help with the investigation a little bit. While some readers had accents I found the Italian woman just a touch harder to understand here & there. Once I put my ear buds in I had no problems. She only reads 1 short chapter anyway (The Face-6 minutes). Give this a try.

Excellent Mystery


(5 stars)

The book is told from multiple perspectives, which always makes for an interesting story. The heroine's intended is accused of murder and theft. Driven by loyalty and love, she strikes an unusual alliance with the detective in charge to unmask the culprit, hoping to prove at the same time that it is not her intended. The reading for the most part was excellent, only a few rough spots that did not detract from the story.

Enjoyable story and fair-to-great reading


(4 stars)

I liked the use of multiple viewpoints in this AKG story and how the narrators were matched up with the chapters for the male and female perspectives. For the most part, the readers are great, and the ones that aren't great are just a little harder to understand and so certainly aren't bad in comparison to some I've heard. I'd recommend listening to this book.


(1 stars)

I enjoy this author's story writing skills, plots and character development, and await the unknown climax. Unfortunately this narration was poor, obviously English is not this ladies native tongue. I had to put it down at the end of chapter 3....had enough. If I have to work harder listening than the narrator does while narrating, consider it to be upside down.

OK, BUT NOT HER BEST


(3.5 stars)

I agree with one of the commentators that the final chapters are extremely convoluted. Normally AKG let's her plots unfold more slowly. This one apparently did not lend itself to this; hence the final explanation. It is still worth a listen.

Ok but not my fave


(3 stars)

I really like Anna Katherine Green. She writes good mysteries. This one though was just hard for me to follow because of the multiple perspectives. Also the narration was a little dull. Other than that it is certainly worth listening to.

Not thrilled this time.


(3 stars)

Love AKG stories but I was "uninvolved" with these characters. I was somewhat lost and detached by the last two chapters; plot became too convoluted for me to follow. However, still an ok story though not one of my favorites.

excellent story but...


(3.5 stars)

Some of the female voices grate on nerves & not voice not suitable for character portraying...childish high pitched w/accent difficult to understand...however, their efforts & time are acknowledged. I would disappoint that's why I don't re As out loud to anyone..