The Skeleton in the Closet

by M. C. Beaton Narrated by Clive R. Anderson

Overview

Ever since the death of his father, Fellworth Dolphin has slaved away as a waiter to support his miserly, cold-hearted mother. When his mother suddenly dies, Fellworth is shocked to discover that she has left him a sizable inheritance. confused, Fell teams up with Maggie, a plain girl with a similar background, to investigate the source of the riches. But what they find is a closet full of skeletons.Is it really possible Fell's father was involved in a long-ago train robbery? Who is the mysterious woman in the portrait hidden in his mother's wardrobe? As Maggie and Fell poke around the village for answers, they find themselves on a surprise-filled path to danger and adventure, and-just possibly-love.

But Fell's sudden good fortune could come to an abrupt end if he doesn't stay one step ahead of a cunning killer.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Taking a break from her two long-running series (Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth), Beaton introduces a pair of engaging misfits whose struggles to cope with overbearing families and overweening circumstances teach them, eventually, to rely on each other. When diffident fortyish virgin Fellworth Dolphin's mother dies, he finds himself surprisingly relieved and freed from a bondage he was only partially aware of. That's nowhere near the astonishment he feels when he learns that, in spite of their penurious existence, he's heir to a large sum. In a moment of panic, when it seems an aunt might assume the tyrannical role his mother once played, Fell pretends an engagement to mousy waitress Maggie Partlett. In fits and starts, Maggie and Fell begin their separate transformations--she to a swan, he to a drake. One catalyst is the money and its questionable provenance--perhaps the result of an infamous train robbery that occurred many years ago and that Fell's father might have been involved with. The other is the transformation wrought by their shared investigation and their shared lives, as Maggie falls in with the pretended engagement for her own purposes. Various relatives and villains attempt to derail the couple as they journey, but there's never a question of where the author is taking her odd couple, and never a doubt they will arrive safely. The trip will delight fans of either of Beaton's other series. (Mar. 21) FYI: Beaton's latest Hamish Macbeth mystery, Death of a Dustman, will be published on Mar. 6 (see Forecasts, Dec. 18, 2000). Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Fellworth Dolphin's uppermost emotion is anger when he learns that he is inheriting a great deal of money upon his mother's death. His youth had been one of deprivation; any spirit he may have had was beaten out of him by his parents. Totally dominated by his mother, his main act of rebellion was to get his own house key, made on the sly. In awkward starts Fellworth begins to remake himself into a man, as he tries to find out if his father had acquired the money illegally. These efforts bring him into the sphere of dangerous criminals and a glamorous fortune hunter. Donada Peters, while always an excellent reader, is a surprising choice for a male coming-of-age (even at 40 years old) novel. Fel's point of view predominates, so the listening experience would be enhanced by a male voice. However, the always professional Peters adds a husky timbre to impersonate Fel and generally brings in entertaining accents and pacing for supporting characters. Recommended for mystery collections. Juleigh Muirhead Clark, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Lib., Colonial Williamsburg Fdn., VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

In a rare departure from her usual fictional sleuths, Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin, Beaton here introduces Fellworth Dolphin, the painfully shy, insecure, 40-ish son of penny-pinching, recently deceased parents. His father Charles was a signalman at the time of a still talked-about train robbery some years back. When Fell discovers a substantial trove of cash hidden in the house and is told by local lawyers that his mother had left him a small fortune, he begins to explore the details of that train robbery, his interest shared by Maggie Partlett, a waitress he'd met while working in the local hotel. Maggie now shares his house, providing protection from his smothering Aunt Agnes, who had threatened to move in. There's a sudden appearance of Andy Briggs, son of one of the men convicted of the robbery. He wants money from Fell, claiming to have proof of his father's participation in the crime. The confrontation turns violent; Briggs departs, leaving Fell and Maggie to continue their probing, uncovering in the process the identity of Fell's true parents and the source of that long-concealed income. There are more repercussions when Fell begins to suspect retired Inspector Rudfern of complicity in the robbery he was investigating. That confrontation has a tragic aftermath, but it provides some answers even as Fell and Maggie's relationship takes fire. Confused plotting and uninspired characters make for an easy-to-read, easy-to-forget excursion: not quite up to Beaton's usual standard.

From the Publisher

Among writers of cozy village mystery series, count M. C. Beaton as one who creates a nice tea party.” —Associated Press

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169902631
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	02/01/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged

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