A Christmas Garland

By: Anne Perry

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

The year is 1857, soon after the tragic Siege of Cawnpore. In the British garrison, a guard is killed and an Indian prisoner escapes, which leads to yet more British deaths. Cries for revenge are overwhelming. Despite no witnesses and no evidence against him, a luckless British medical orderly named John Tallis is arrested as an accomplice simply because he was the only soldier unaccounted for when these baffling crimes were committed.

Though chosen to defend Tallis, young Lieutenant Victor Narraway is not encouraged to try very hard. Narraway’s superiors merely want a show trial. But inspired by a soldier’s widow and her children, and by his own stubborn faith in justice, Narraway searches for the truth.

In an alien world haunted by memories of massacre, he is the accused man’s only hope. The trial of John Tallis equals the white-knuckle best of Anne Perry’s breathtaking courtroom dramas, as Narraway struggles to persevere against appalling odds and a frightful injustice.

©2012 Anne Perry (P)2012 AudioGO

The unexpected conclusion

Nothing at all to dislike, and I really enjoyed the fact that this was a departure from all of the other Perry Christmas series that I’ve heard. I really loved it.

Great story! (Painful history) Great characters!

Wasn't sure I'd like this particular setting, but appreciated the depth of its metaphorical significance as the story developed. The main character was well drawn and it was an honor to accompany him on this terrible and heroic adventure of discovery both without and within himself. He is an honorable soul persevering to find the truth while fearing injustice to be inevitable. GREAT STORY!

The Young Victor Narraway

Where does A Christmas Garland rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed it, but since it was a short story, it would be hard to rank it with other longer books.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It was interesting but also dragged at times and tended to be a bit repetitive.

What about Simon Prebble’s performance did you like?

He is one of my favorite narrators and can do almost any kind of voice and is great with accents.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I actually did because it wasn't long

Any additional comments?

It was really nice to have a glimpse of Victor Narraway as a young man. The setting of India after the mutiny was very interesting and the story was an intriguing "who done it". The only downside is that it did drag at times. Though it is labeled as a Christmas story, the Christmas theme is a minor part of the plot.

A Christmas Garland

It was great to visit with Narraway and see how he handled this first case. We can see how he got started

But so sad hearing the murders in India.

An Anne Perry Christmas Treat

Where does A Christmas Garland rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would put it in the top third. I have listened to all of Anne Perry's Victorian books.

What other book might you compare A Christmas Garland to and why?

I would compare it to her other Christmas stories. This one has the interesting setting of British soldiers in India.

Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

I liked the lead character Victor Narraway. I enjoyed seeing the investigation progress. Simon Prebble is an outstanding narrator so all the characters wete well done.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. I just thoroughly enjoyed the story and looked forward to the next Anne Perry book.

Any additional comments?

I good choice for fans or a nice introduction to the author.

Disappointing

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Although I'm not a fan of novellas, I look forward to Anne Perry's short Christmas mysteries each year. So I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately this one is, well, disappointing. It pains me to say it but this one falls short on pretty much every measure.