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The Roman Hat Mystery

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The Roman Hat Mystery

By: Ellery Queen
Narrated by: Robert Fass
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About this listen

Despite the dismal Broadway season, Gunplay continues to draw crowds. A gangland spectacle, it's packed to the gills with action, explosions, and gunfire. In fact, Gunplay is so loud that no one notices the killing of Monte Field. In a sold-out theater, Field is found dead partway through the second act, surrounded by empty seats. The police hold the crowd and call for the one man who can untangle this daring murder: Inspector Richard Queen. With the help of his son Ellery, a bibliophile and novelist whose imagination can solve any crime, the Inspector attacks this seemingly impenetrable mystery. Anyone in the theater could have killed the unscrupulous lawyer, and several had the motive. Only Ellery Queen, in his debut novel, can decipher the clue of the dead man's missing top hat.

©2013 Ellery Queen (P)2013 AudioGO Amateur Sleuths Fiction Mystery Traditional Detectives Detective

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All stars
Most relevant  
I really enjoyed
I’ve never listened to this particular author but will definitely listen again

Brilliant

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I know, I know, it was written during a different time and should be viewed with objective eyes. But still, listening to this today definitely doesn't give you the best audiobook experience ever. Also, the story as well is a bit boring. i wouldn't recommend - go check out the E.Q. short stories compilations instead.

This did not age well

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I was surprised by the length of the story and possibly a little too long for a mystery for me. However once started I soon realised why as the attention to detail and its descriptive characters drew me slowly in. The narrator was superb and I look forward to the next one!

Riveting!

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This is the first work i have ever read by Ellery Queen and i won't hurry to read another. i found the style truly laborious and feel the conclusions reached might have occurred much sooner. It is also a book very much of its time - nothing wrong with that in my opinion but some readers might be offended by some of the prejudiced attitudes of that time.

A bit of a slog

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How times have changed, or have they? Prejudices run deep. Clever piece of deductive detection.

An interesting insight into American society

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I really enjoyed this first Ellery Queen novel which has a clever plot keeps you guessing right up to the end. You can't help but warm to both Ellery and his father - our lead protagonists - both of whom have life breathed into them by the excellent narrator.

I was a little nervous going into the book as some have described it in their reviews as racist but I think rather than the story being racist it reflected at one point some sad, outdated attitudes of the period and therefore, to this listener at least, it didn't cause offence.

I'm certainly keen to explore more of the Ellery Queen novels after this listen.

An intriguing and entertaining mystery

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I love the writing of Ellery Queen - always so evocative of the era in which the story is set. Solid characters and plot lines without resort to cliches. Yes there is one distasteful view expressed towards the end of the story which has to be viewed in the context of the limited scientific and cultural views of the time. What i consider to be sad is that there are still people in the world who would have no problem with the expressed view.
The narration was excellent with just some minor blips in the recording in chapter 13 and the last chapter.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale whilst recovering from a bout of flu.

Excellent Queen mystery

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narrator very good at presenting all the characters with obvious personalities particularly Richard Queen but also minor actors. But the plot is obvious from the start followed by much discussion, much "going over it" and little to show for it. it was very obvious where the darned hat was right away, but this was only "discovererd" in the final few chapters. it was obvious who the murderer was too although his part was very small. Light plot, too much padding. Could leave it reading on Alexa go and make supper and come back 20 minutes later with no change. I'm glad I got it "free" ..... with my SUB.

So slow and clues screaming obvious

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I've been really enjoying this series about a father and son who team up to solve murder mysteries. the father is a high ranking policeman and his son is a highly intelligent individual with a gift for solving mysteries

a good period murder mystery series

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This crime mystery will not keep you at the edge of your seat, but it does deliver in lots of little satisfying ways. If you are into crime novels, but don't want to be subjected to all the contemporary sexual violence and social realism, this audio book is good company, with one exception.

Spoiler: in the unfolding of the solution at the end of the book there is a section of racist remarks regarding "the negro race", which must have been of the time, but were absolutely abhorrent. The arrogant and misconceived racism is only expressed in this one small section and is not a theme throughout the book.

Slow but Satisfying

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