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  • The Blood Doctor

  • By: Barbara Vine
  • Narrated by: Robert Powell
  • Length: 15 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (264 ratings)

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The Blood Doctor

By: Barbara Vine
Narrated by: Robert Powell
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Summary

The First Lord Nanther, expert in blood diseases, particularly the royal disease of Heamophilia, and favoured physician to Queen Victoria, clearly hoped to be the subject of an admiring posthumous biography. But when his great-grandson, Martin Nanther begins to research his life for a biography, the Martin comes to suspect that his great-grandfather’s old records conceal more than they reveal. Henry had been obsessed with blood, to him, blood was a thing of beauty and he could not fathom how anyone could flinch or faint at the sight of it. As Martin’s research deepens, he begins to wonder whether the mysterious deaths of a number of friends and relatives of his great-grandfather really were mere coincidence or did Henry’s fascination with blood have a much darker side?

©2002 Kingsmarkham Enterprises Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Blood Doctor

Average customer ratings
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thank you

Dear Robert. thank you for reading, to me , this extraordinary book. it is a fascinating story and I enjoyed every minute.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Great listen

Took me a while to get into it but proved to a compulsive listen enhanced by the mellifluous voice of Robert Powell whose performance was faultless. There were so many characters in the Nanther family that I lost track a bit so a family tree to refer to would have helped.

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

Convoluted and clever

I loved Robert Powell's reading of this book. It was difficult to keep up with all the family blood connections, but just go with the flow (pardon the pun).

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Hard going

While it was not a typical Barbara Vine overall the topics were interesting. It was hard going but I did want to understand the end. It was ok but quite dry compared to others which I have really enjoyed.

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

Enjoyed it once I’d persevered

Started listening to this on holiday & couldn’t get into it.
Picked it up later at home - I listen to audio books whilst doing housework or gardening, and I began to get gripped. In the end I enjoyed it and was glad I finished it. A very unusual story with a satisfying twist at the end .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Barbara Vine at her finest

Fantastic book engaging from start to finish. As always with Barbara Vine the characters are excellently drawn with depth and insight.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Completely Unexpected.

Very cleverly done, completely unexpected. I know enough about the name Barbara Vine to recognise it as well known, and I vaguely recalled that it was an assumed name, but that was it. I wasn't expecting to be impressed, but I was. Very well read and put over by Robert Powell.

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1 person found this helpful

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Review - Blood Doctor

Excellent narration by Robert Powell.
Interesting story and characterisation. Kept my interest from start to finish

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant!

Loved this book. It takes concentration and anyone saying it’s difficult to follow is just lazy because it is brilliant. The writing, the historical insights, the vocabulary, the ‘correctness’ and the twists and turns were fabulous. Still raving about it. Ruth Rendall/Barbara Vine was the stuff of TV dramatisations in my childhood which led me to dismiss her books but I’m so glad that I’ve found them! Loving them!

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

Good reading of a middling Vine

Not top-notch Barbara Vine, but Robert Powell's reading brings out its best. You may be quite tired of House of Lords reform by the end (I was), and I would have preferred more of the history and less of the present day, but it's an interesting idea reasonably well carried out. Robert Powell is an excellent reader and I will certainly try another book read by him.

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2 people found this helpful