Not sure what it wants to be

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend it to somebody who was reasonably well read in the crime genre but with a warning that a large pinch of salt may be required.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most noticeable for me had little to do with the story. Rather the author's dislike for long engagements. Couples meet, fall in love and marry within hours! This is a feature of this author's books. Some of the depictions of the young women are very annoying to a modern woman

What three words best describe Diana Bishop’s performance?

Diana Bishop's performance is consistent, matches the story and listenable.

Any additional comments?

Overall this book (and the others in the series) are of their time. Women frequently "burst into tear", "start to cry" etc but if you can get past the mush, the whodunnit bits are ok.

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1 person found this helpful

Classic 'Golden Age' cozy mystery

Would you listen to The Chinese Shawl again? Why?

Yes, I would. You can not beat Patricia Wentworth's Miss Maud Silver mysteries....pure classics.

What other book might you compare The Chinese Shawl to, and why?

The nearest would be Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple in 'A Murder is Announced'.

Which character – as performed by Diana Bishop – was your favourite?

Miss Silver

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Classic country house murder mystery, with a splash of romance.

Any additional comments?

If you like 'Golden Age' classics or 'Cozy' mysteries, Patricia Wentworth will supply the goods every time.

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Enjoyable whodunnit

Really enjoyed this - not a hard listen at all - read Miss Silver books a long time ago and enjoying reacquainting myself with them.

Would happily recommend

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Classic tale sill worth listening to

Where does The Chinese Shawl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Who would have thought that an old-fashioned country house murder would be so entertaining? Maybe it's because it's such a welcome change from torture, horror and gore.Frightfully nice, well-dressed people get caught up in a suddenly dark story of vengeance and madness. The story may belong to another generation but the motives are very familiar. It held my attention with no difficulty through a rainy afternoon at home.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maud Silver is probably a better heroine than Miss Marple - she has the nerve to be a detective in a world where women still found it hard to be taken seriously. Wentworth avoids a good deal of the instinctive sexism of Christie and her ilk, and, knitting apart, at least allows her characters to treat her with respect.There's something of the tricoteuse about the knitting, as it unfolds the yarn of people's lives with great efficiency.

Have you listened to any of Diana Bishop’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Diana Bishop's reading is faultless, and she has exactly the right voice and tone for this generation of writing.

Any additional comments?

Decided to listen to some more of Wentworth which is my highest compliment.

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3 people found this helpful

Social history

I have been listening to these after a nasty tooth extraction and needed something easy and bland whilst recovering. These have been good. Diana Bishop has a lovely soothing voice but will someone get Miss Silver to the GPs with that constant cough!

What has fascinated me are the manners and social mores. Being in my 70s I remember well how in the 1950s women were treated and here it is. Women fainting all over the place, untrusted by men, emotional and unstable etc. What is really annoying is Miss Silvers preference for the company of men. And that relationship with the detective? Bit weird that. She seems to have a real downer on women too, but that's how it was. Divide and rule. You had to keep your man, especially from dangerous women, who you notice here always end up dead.. My mother kept her make up and hair dye into her 90s for that reason. The men here are ghastly brutes. 'Snap out of it and think of me' was one comment. Huh!

I honestly think these books should be a part of the history of women in any University course of history or literature. Another bit is the total gap of silence around women of colour and men too.

Overall very enjoyable if you read or listen against what is said.

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Mystery at its best

A highly recommended read. Having read over 2,000 books of this genre, I rate it in my top 20 of this's genre.

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4 people found this helpful

Patricia Wentworth true to form

The Miss Silver stories are easy listening. She gets to a point in every story that you know she knows who did it and helps you to learn who.

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Cosy absorbing mystery

I very much enjoyed this, so much so that I listened to it over 2 days. Simply couldn’t put it down after a bit of a slow start. I did guess the murderer quite early on, but it didn’t spoil the story at all. Excellent narrator. Definitely if it’s time, so you have to suspend judgement on some of the gender stereotyping and behaviour. This was my first Miss Silver mystery and so glad to have found these, off to listen to another now!

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