Death and the Burlesque Maiden

De: Imogen Church

Narrado por: Imogen Church

When one of Nora Bunstruggle’s friends is murdered in cold blood, it sends the Coochie Hole burlesque club on Megalopolis into shock.

It soon becomes clear that the police have zero interest in the death of a burlesque dancer. But what if the twisted killer strikes their troupe again? And who is going to exact justice for the victim’s now motherless child?

Nora and the gang from the Coochie Hole realise that if they want to get to catch their faceless murderous foe, they are going to have to roll their sleeves up and kick some backsides themselves.

They must use all their collective skills if they are going to catch the killer and avenge Sue’s death. But what they discover one night in a dark dank basement will shock them to the core....

©2021 Imogen Church (P)2021 Audible, Ltd

Fun read by a great narrator!

It is no surprise that the greatest narrator wrote such a good book. I could listen to anything Imogen narrates but this was so much fun knowing it was her own book. I loved the characters! I wanted to know them in real life. The story was easy to fall in synch with and I could have finished it so quick but I made it last a few car rides to work. Fun murder mystery and characters you want to protect.

Delicious! Depraved! The best book of 2021

Ladies and gentlemen—and everyone of indeterminate feelings and genitalia—please put your grubby mitts together, for our very own delicate glass unicorn; the picture of literary perfection, hilarity, and grace; the eternally exquisite:

DEATH AND THE BURLESQUE MAIDEN!

I’ve spent the last week of my life falling madly in love with… laughing hysterically at… unable to get any work done thanks to… this phenomenal book. If I were to erect (pun enthusiastically intended) my own cabal of formidable Harpies, my BOO would include:

Clem, alias Miss Twinkle Buns. Skills: fighting; dancing; farting on demand; looking like she can’t and never would do two of those things; great with mechanicals. Clem is a fighter. A survivor. She's got the legs AND the jaw for the part.

Nora, alias Mutiny Belle. Poet-cum-revolutionary. Previous experience includes inciting a rebellion, masterminding a mass escape from an asylum followed by political pressure-pointing until said asylum was closed down, etc. Big, bold, beautiful. A reminder that public servants can sometimes have the most ferocious hearts beating beneath the tweed.

Lil, alias Slutty Nutcracker. Skills: Trumpet; accents; acting; conning people for ultimately good reasons; Academy-Award-worthy performances of Chastity Rockbottom, Bernice Bones, et al. A total badass who loves sex and won't apologize for it.

And last but CERTAINLY not least: Imogen, alias Not-That-Kind-of-Church Lady. Skills: 5-star audiobook narration; feminist genius; razor-sharp wit; unsung hero of macabre theme songs; looks great in sparkles; debut author of the never-before-seen hybrid of thriller, noir, mystery, comedy, and parody (they call it burlesque for a reason, folks). In sum: she wrote the best book of 2021.

Meanwhile, some narration.

DatBM has something for everyone. Fierce, feminist, queer female leads who have brains, beauty, AND crystal nipple tassels? Holy Eleanor Roosevelt, yes! A heart-pounding mystery with a sinister villain who is the evil, ulcer-oozing embodiment of the twisted patriarchy? Thank Wollstonecraft! Utterly hilarious burlesque routines punctuated by trumpeting farts that will make you laugh out loud when listening with earbuds at 1am, thereby awaking your poor innocent partner sleeping beside you? ABSO-VAGINA-TRUMPET-LUTELY.

And at its warm and gentle heart: a chosen family whose love is so strong, so powerful, it restored my hope in humanity. One moment I’d be laughing; the next, tears were welling up from some deep place inside me. This is a story about sisterhood; about how even when the whole world is pitted against you, if you join forces with your sisters you can fight evil, fight misogyny, fight racism, ableism, murderism. Add to all this a light sprinkling of gore (pinkie sized), some truly unforgettable side characters (if I die, please don’t ring Reginald Spam), and a naughtily cheeky unreliable narrator (I call her Nookie von Sweet Mics), and you'll begin to see the charm. Gather round, punters: the Coochie Hole doth provideth!

I am so grateful that this story, these characters, this spellbinding narrative exists. I felt kinder after reading it, more open, more in love with the world. What a tremendous gift. Imogen Church, who has lent her voice to so many of our favorite stories, has now done us one better: lent us her voice AND her endless imagination, dazzling mind, and wise and witty soul to spin the best yarn yet.

For the love of Amelia Earhart, head on over to 12 Rumpus Street and let your greedy ears slurp up this delicious, depraved, delectable book.

Imogen Church is just fantastic!

Her narration has always been amazing but listening to her in her own book was such good fun. I recommend this "read" to anyone who enjoys her performances. It took me a short time to get into the swing of the story but once there, I couldn't stop listening. She is simply a delight. Can't wait for her next book!

Imogen is the best

I’m suspicious to talk about her book because I love her, love her work as a narrator and now as writer! The book was great, I love the story.

I love Imogen

I will definitely listen to this several times over. Imogen Church is a damn gift to this world. Amazing.

LOVE! Totally worth a credit

I adore her work as a narrator and this is a veritable showcase for her talents! The story itself is good (I cared about characters and remained engaged in the story) but the narration is PERFECTION. Funny, full of different voices, full of feeling....I loved it. I hope she writes more.

Review from a Church Lady

No, no, not that kind of church, the Imogen kind. Yep, I'm #imogenobsessed. I admit it. I considered seeking help, but then this book happened. I've given up and given in.

I could barely contain my excitement when I began this audiobook. I actually considered telling people I had to self-isolate so I could be alone... with my Imogen... for 12 hours straight.

(Ok, that sounds a bit creepy... but if you get it, you understand... there's no one like her).

I had to shush my girlfriend so many times while listening because I didn’t want to miss a thing. Around the third or sixth time she finally asked what was up. I said, in one breath, “MyImogenChurchwroteabookIcanttalkhavetolistenshhhhhhh!”

I received a smirk, a raised eyebrow and a “your... who now?”

Sigh... I paused, yet again, explained more clearly and switched to my noise cancelling headphones. 😁

Death and the Burlesque Maiden is a witty, weird, whirlwind of a book. Over the top in the best way. Magnificently narrated - as always.

*Herein lie some spoilery remarks (will try to keep them light) and an abundance of ellipses. Consider yourself warned.*

Some random notes I took as I listened along....

Coochie Hole - hee hee

I really liked the narrator breaking the fourth wall. The narrator was one of my favorite characters. Not THE narrator, but the character narrator. I mean, naturally, I love THE narrator most of all (see confession above). You’ll get it after you listen.

As a fellow lesbiaunt, I agree with Sid... because... vaginas. I mean, yeah.

I will forevermore refer to my kitchen junk drawer as “the drawer of infinite possibility.” A very clever, positive spin.

B.O.O!! Love it!

Oh Clem... She is elegance. She is grace. She is femininity personified... and kicks ass to boot.

Grandmother, Tedward, Sexy Uncle Bob... oh my!

Thanks Imogen and thanks Audible. I enjoyed the ride and the plethora of sexual euphemisms I learned.

P.S. I can pick locks too and am available for hire. 😉

Lastly... how can I get “Everybody Smile Because We’re All Going to Die” as my ringtone?

amazing

As always Imogen has blown my mind!!! please keep narrating and writing, you are my happy place!!!!

Adorable and vicious.

I found this book because I love Imogen's voice, and now I absolutely love her writing. What a fun bunch of characters who live completely outside the box. It's a beautiful picture of what family truly is, not blood, but love.

This book seems to have more than its fair share of villains that personify the stereotypes of misogyny and homophobia and abusive families. They provide some intriguing twists and turns I wasn't expecting and it's oh so satisfying, to see them fall.

I'm normally very anti-sequel and won't read a book that I know is part of a series, but I can't wait for another installment of the Coochie Hole Harpies.

Bawdy*Fun*Murder*YAY!!!

Five Stars all the way round. This is the quintessentially perfect combination of murder and bawdiness!

You won't be disappointed if you listen to this delightful romp of a story. Don't get me wrong, there is some serious murder, mystery, and evil going on here, with real suspense. The world is a dark place, and there isn't any other author/narrator who will transport you to another world like Imogen Church.

The characters are a rag tag group of burlesque performers and friends who form a found family, closely knit as you can be and as loyal as you can imagine. These are people who you feel, know, and laugh with. They say and do the funniest things. While reading, I had to write down the expletives because they were so hilarious. It's a confusing conundrum to me how one author can think all this up and make me laugh so much while truly relating to the characters. I want to be one of these people and hang around with them.

So while you are laughing and enjoying, you'll be transported to another place where you can't figure out what's going on. You'll really be dying to find out. I was, and it was not what I expected at all! I can usually guess SOMETHING. Yes, it's a little racy, but in a very lighthearted clean way. Refreshing.

You'll love listening!