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  • The Deception of Harriet Fleet

  • By: Helen Scarlett
  • Narrated by: Nicky Diss
  • Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (20 ratings)

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The Deception of Harriet Fleet

By: Helen Scarlett
Narrated by: Nicky Diss
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Summary

Dark and brimming with suspense, an atmospheric Victorian chiller set in brooding County Durham for fans of Stacey Halls and Laura Purcell.

1871. An age of discovery and progress. But for the Wainwright family, residents of the gloomy Teesbank Hall in County Durham, the secrets of the past continue to overshadow their lives.

Harriet would not have taken the job of governess in such a remote place unless she wanted to hide from something or someone. Her charge is Eleanor, the daughter of the house, a fiercely bright 18-year-old, tortured by demons and feared by relations and staff alike. But it soon becomes apparent that Harriet is not there to teach Eleanor, but rather to monitor her erratic and dangerous behaviour - to spy on her.

Worn down by Eleanor's unpredictable hostility, Harriet soon finds herself embroiled in Eleanor's obsession - the Wainwright's dark, tragic history. As family secrets are unearthed, Harriet's own begin to haunt her and she becomes convinced that ghosts from the past are determined to reveal her shameful story.

For Harriet, like Eleanor, is plagued by deception and untruths.

©2021 Helen Scarlett (P)2021 Quercus Editions Limited
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What listeners say about The Deception of Harriet Fleet

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

I throughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the next one. The narrator was brilliant. Living near Yarm and Eaglescliffe made it more enjoyable as we know the area well.

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

Promised so much

A tale which borrows heavily from the Brontës and Austin yet comes no where close to their depth and class.
Many unlikely twists and turns poorly explained with very little heed to the passage of time.
Despite this I did enjoy the listen but found it equally frustrating.

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

Great Story!

Loved this book. Recognised instantly the famous murder case that this is loosely based around. I couldn't put this one down. Perfectly narrated too.

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

Comparisons to Brontës is unfair

A well-written book. Easy to follow the story and plot. No fat. A good book set in 1800s with a governess doesn’t mean it’s copying Jane Eyre. It’s an easy, lazy criticism to just compare it to a classic and imply copying. Diss’s voice is perfect for reading aloud.

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

Confused by reviews …..

I can understand the adverse criticism of the novel comparing it to Bronte’s Jane Eyre however, it does have its own twists. Other reviews seemed to rate the story highly and I can’t agree.

Unfortunately, I found the narrator monotonous and even though there was some attempt at accents it was lack lustre. Each paragraph seemed to have the same cadence and didn’t build tension, instead it assumed each step was creepy or about to become tense so that when there were heightened tensions it didn’t really emphasise them.
I felt that the ending ‘reader I married him’ style was hurried and far from a happy ending it seemed to lapse into a relationship that was actually quite dull.
Overall, it was a pleasant listen but not a great one.

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

What a book

This book is amazing, especially if you know and understand the north East, it’s like Downton Abbey Meets Preston Park!

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Brilliant

I enjoyed this book, lots of twists and turns. Great listen, performance was fantastic.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

could have been good but wasn't

this could have been a good book but the writing was quite weak. there was no real depth to it. The story was quite dark but it was written with a triviality that just didn't fit.
I also found it difficult to listen to due to the narration. The whole thing was read as if what was being said was very intriguing and the tone didn't change at all throughout.

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