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The Port of London Murders

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The Port of London Murders

By: Josephine Bell
Narrated by: John Telfer
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When the San Angelo drifts into port in the Thames Estuary, telephones begin to ring across the capital and an intricate series of events is set in motion. Beset by dreadful storms in the Bay of Biscay, the ship, along with the 'mixed cargo' it carries, is late. Unaware of the machinations of avaricious importers, wayward captains and unscrupulous traders, Harry Reed and June Harvey are thrust together by a riverside accident, before being swept into the current of a dark plot developing on the dockside.

A moody classic set around London's historic docks published in 1938, Josephine Bell's unique and atmospheric writing shines in a mystery weaving together blackmail, bootleg lingerie and, of course, murder.

©1938 The Estate of Josephine Bell (P)2021 Soundings Detective Mystery Police Procedural Traditional Detectives Fiction England
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I am a great fan of 30's 40's crime books but this is a class above. Fantastic detail about working class life in the Pool. Quite a modern plot and actually quite tough for its time. Well recomended.

Great read

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I thoroughly enjoyed this 1938 murder mystery set in the heart of the Port of London. The descriptions brought that pre war scene to life. The characters were well drawn and the narration excellent.

Very enjoyable

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It's uncommon to encounter a Golden Age detective story which paints such a vivid picture of the social and health issues of working-class, prewar London. The crime plot is secondary. Enjoyable bedtime audiobook listen. Excellent narrator. Escalation towards the end means that one can't really drift off successfully if looking to use this as a soporific sleep aid!

Vivid description of social milieu

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Loved this. The setting was great , a variety of characters and enjoyable plot. The narrator is excellent.

Most enjoyable vintage crime novel.

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Not just a good crime story but great characters. Josephine Bell was a doctor so perhaps she used her knowledge of life and people in the district. Details of the river and boatmen and river police are also fascinating. I hope there are audio versions of her other books.

A vivid story of life in London docklands in the 1930s

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