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  • But for the Grace

  • A DC Smith Investigation Series, Book 2
  • By: Peter Grainger
  • Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
  • Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (97 ratings)

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But for the Grace cover art

But for the Grace

By: Peter Grainger
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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Publisher's Summary

"We are living in the departure lounge," said Ralph Greenwood, "and flights leave with monotonous regularity." So when another resident of the Rosemary House care home is found dead in her chair one Saturday evening in December, no one is very surprised - not until the results of a routine post-mortem reveal something extraordinary. Sergeant DC Smith and his team have to tread carefully as they investigate what took place, and Smith himself has to confront some difficult memories. Others, meanwhile, seem intent on getting him to leave the force altogether, while, despite his best efforts, his social life also becomes a little more complicated. To top it all, Kings Lake has been waiting weeks for the snow to fall, in a winter that seems as if it will never end.

©2014 Peter Grainger (P)2016 Tantor

What listeners say about But for the Grace

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Another great story.

This is another great story by this author. I have listened to several of his books and enjoyed them all. Enjoy the twists and turns going on. love all the characters and great narration .

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A great murder mystery

It was a good story and characters. The narrator was good too, especially of the main character. I enjoyed the story and will look for more by the same author

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Great story, perfect narration - totes recommend

I'm an absolute fan of this narrator - absolutely perfect, great humour too! it makes such a difference to these books... and yes the stories themselves are really engaging, and the humour the author winds in really makes me chuckle at times. You can really envisage the characters. A breath of fresh air. Totally recommend

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting storyline

The storyline was interesting but the narrator’s boring and pompous voice had me nodding off on more than one occasion. It was hard to define each character which made it a bit hard to follow sometimes.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Story was an interesting look at aging..

Narrator tempo made it hard to listen
And it was a struggle to identity characters at times

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Robotic police voices - great story otherwise

Perhaps I've been spoiled by readers like Jonathan Cecil and Sean Barrett, but I warmed to the novel only when characters other than police or Jackson in 'narrator' voice were speaking. I found those "voices" employed by Jackston to be so utterly characterless and his delivery of those sections in the novel so flat, slow and over-enunciated that they stuck me as almost like AI voices. No-one really speaks to another person in that way/
Of course, I do fully appreciate that a performer must take care to keep the many characters separate and clearly identifiable, and especially to keep police voices uncoloured by emotion as far as possible, but I do think Jackson needs to consider developing a 'narrator' voice which has more warmth and natural humanity. I know he *can* do it. His other characters are fully 'acted' and always emerge as three-dimensional people.

The story was engaging. I'd like to hear more by this author...but for me, the question is whether I want to hear more of tht metronome-regular reading. Sorry.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Well thought through plot line

The more I listen to Peter Grainger's stories, the more I enjoy them. Gillard Jackson's narration is so easy to listen to; so enjoyable. Looking forward to listening to the third DC Smith novel.

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an unusual case

no blood and gore here. an old fashioned detective story set in modern times. evocative prose.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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DC Smith…quite a character

I have just stumbled across this gem of a series. DC is one of those patient, quirky characters that observes those finer details. He has a great underlying humour. Very easy to listen to (read excellently), and makes you want to go on to the next story.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Investigation reality.

Who would have thought a death in a nursing home would have kept me listening and interested. Another different but enjoyable read.

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