Halloween 1861. A special train with two carriages steams across the Lake District at night on its way to a place notorious for its record of supernatural incidents. Lighting inside the carriages is poor, and without warning, the lamp goes out in the last compartment of the second carriage, plunging it into darkness. When the special reaches the end of its journey, the passengers pour out on to the station platform. There are almost 60 of them in all, laughing and jostling. The prevailing excitement is shattered by a cry - a dead body has been discovered in the seats. This will prove to be a very puzzling new case for the Railway Detective.

Listening Length

9 hours and 17 minutes
Author

Edward Marston
Narrator

Gordon Griffin
Audible release date

December 1, 2019
Language

English
Publisher

Soundings
ASIN

B081VWL48C
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	9 hours and 17 minutes
Author	Edward Marston
Narrator	Gordon Griffin
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	December 01, 2019
Publisher	Soundings
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B081VWL48C
Best Sellers Rank	#251,906 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #3,108 in Historical Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals) #13,844 in Historical Mystery

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

1,122 global ratings

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Chad Quick

One of the best in the series.

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2020

Verified Purchase

Excellent and it really had me fooled. I thought I knew who committed the murder but I was wrong. There’s a lot of twists and turns in this one and it’s an excellent addition to the series.

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Amazon Customer

Great English Train Mystery

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

I am a big fan of Edward Marston's mysteries ever since I discovered them in an English book store. I especially love his train stories.

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TRICK

Maybe,maybe not!

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2019

This was given to me from Net Galley,who I am so glad that they do this! I have been doing reviews for them for almost a year now and I really enjoy doing this because it has given me a chance to read new books before they have ever been published! This story I found out is a series which I didn't know,see, learned something! I enjoyed this time in history where the stories take place investigating crimes with the help of his friend,his so called "side kick". The characters are some what interesting but kinda of boring and confusing,so many of them,where I thought that they would be more interesting due to the type of crime and status of people involved. I did read the whole book as promised but struggled with some of it where I was not being able to build my interest. Some of it was pretty intriguing,not all bad. Was surprised in some areas but not very many. It may be fantastic to others but it really wasn't for me. I thought at first I would read more of the series but have changed my mind after reading this one! Thank you again for the opportunity to read this book!! I will put three stars it's in between two and three to be on the fair side I will do three!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Good read

Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2019

I knew this wasn’t the first book in the Railway Detective series but the premise got me interested so I gave it a try. There are lots of references to previous books but that didn’t bother me too much since the main story was detached enough. The story was rather slow, the side story didn’t add anything to the main one.
The characters were likable too but nothing too special, not interesting enough for me to read more of the series.
I’m giving 3 stars though because I didn’t see the end coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.

Helpful

Not the best in the series

Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2019

Fear on the Phantom Special did not read up to the usual Edward Marston standards. There is a LOT of filler in this one; the story is very thin, the middle drags, and everything could have been resolved in a lot fewer pages.

The plot: Alex Piper disappears in a ball of flame in the first few pages, after chartering a train with his friends for a fun-filled Halloween excursion. Could something supernatural have caused his death? Well, it’s up to Robert Colbeck, the celebrated “Railway Detective” (on his seventeenth case), to put that idea aside and find the real culprit, aided by his faithful sidekick Sergeant Victor Leeming. Who can be guaranteed to spend the whole book complaining. That’s nothing new.

There aren't any new tricks in Fear on the Phantom Special. Mr. Marston follows his usual formula of setting a scene, bringing his wife, Madeline, Madeline’s father, Caleb Andrews and his constable in, and having his boss, Superintendent Tallis, go on about it all. There’s nothing earth-shattering about the characters or the situations in this book. But this time strange things do happen at Halloween. For once, Superintendent Tallis is actually civil; he’s been on a long leave of absence. But the new, happy Superintendent is probably not sticking around.

Alex liked his pranks – did he cause his own disappearance? Is this an elaborate hoax? Although the missing man had a lot of enemies. There’s even an ex-girlfriend.

There’s always a secondary story in these books, and this one involves Madeline’s father and a missing medal. In fact, this particular plot just bogged down everything, and her annoying father just became more and more annoying as the story progressed. I could do with a lot less of him.

There are a lot of possible suspects, and an inquiry into the disappearance 10 years before of the town’s blacksmith – which Colbeck begins to suspect is connected to the present case. The killer is quite a surprise, but Colbeck did mention that that would probably be the case. But then, men who are after all kinds of women leave a lot of trouble in their wake.

Finally, I guess since the story is set at Halloween, Marston throws in a black-clad figure running around, which seems entirely superfluous and silly. If it was meant to confuse, it doesn’t.

Hopefully, we're back to a tighter, more focused story in the next book. I'll be looking forward to that.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this book, in exchange for this review. (less)

2 people found this helpful

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Bücherfreund

Guter Lesestoff

Reviewed in Germany on January 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

England 1861 - die industrielle Revolution ist in vollem Schwung. Doch das Verbrechertum schläft nicht. Verbrechen in und um die Eisenbahn, das ist das Spezialgebiet von Inspector Colbeck und Sergeant Leeming von Scotland Yard.
Spannende und in sich schlüssige Geschichte über zwei verschwundene Personen, Mordopfer, allem Anschein nach. Sind sie die Opfer eines Phantoms geworden, in einem verwunschenen Wald? Die Bewohner des Lake Districts sind abergläubisch und glauben an dunkle Mächte im Wald.
Inspector Colbeck ist hier wie ein Licht der Vernunft gegen den Aberglauben. Sein Helfer Sergeant Leeming ist ein guter Kamerad, hat aber die Eigenschaft, sich wie eine alte Jungfer zu beklagen. Muss es wirklich sein, dass man mit der Eisenbahn so weit von London weg fährt? Der Wald ist zu dunkel, zu kalt, zu schmutzig, die Zeit zu spät und die Kutsche schaukelt zu stark etc. pp. Man wundert sich wirklich, wie Holmes Colbeck zu so einem Dr. Watson kommt!
Verzögert wird die Aufklärung durch die Einmischung des ansässigen Lords - Colbeck soll sich gefälligst um den verschwundenen Neffen kümmern und nicht um den 10 Jahre zuvor ebenfalls verschwundenen Hufschmied! An Verdächtigen mangelt es nicht.
Zuhause in London hat Madeleine, Colbecks Ehefrau, mit einem weitaus geringeren Kriminalfall zu tun: Ihr Vater erscheint bei ihr. Wer hat seine überaus wertgeschätzte Ehrenmedaille gestohlen?
Ohne Handy und Computer: Alle Fälle werden gelöst. Und die Lösung ist überraschend.
Leseempfehlung für einen Wintertag oder eine lange Zugreise!

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James Barry

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2023

Verified Purchase

Part of a very enjoyable series of books

Amazon Customer

Fear

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2022

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed all his books

Mr. D. L. Rees

PAINSTAKING INVESTIGATION OF BIZARRE CIRCUMSTANCES

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

1861. The Lake District. Devil-may-care Alexander Piper has organized a Hallowe'en train jaunt to woods for centuries believed haunted, local blacksmith having disappeared there ten years earlier. Suddenly the journey is halted. Fire on the line. Alexander gets off to investigate - and vanishes.

Sent to investigate are rail detectives Inspector Robert Colbeck and Sergeant Victor Leeming. Ahead are Alexander's uncle Lord Culverhouse, impatient for answers, several suspects - all with reason to loathe the man. Here is a setting rife with superstition. Ever practical Colbeck will have none of it. Leeming is more susceptible - he convinced they are being watched.

A genuinely involving leisurely read. Good period setting - a reminder of controversy when the new fangled railway made such devastating noisy, smelly inroads through cherished countryside. Well drawn characterization: Colbeck himself, so calm and analytical; Leeming, who ironically detests travelling by rail; an uncooperative doctor; a sensitive bookseller poet; a surly former friend, now sworn enemy, of the man sought. What too of Alexander's ultra-pious parents, not to mention the latest women in his life?

This is one of the very few times when, with only a few pages to go, I had no idea who the culprit(s) might be. The unveiling came a complete surprise.

Welcome here a workmanlike tale, one of a long series but enjoyably intriguing on its own.

3 people found this helpful

G.L.E.P.

Not bad

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2023

Verified Purchase

Have read several in this series. An easy read.

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