The Riddle of the Purple Emperor
Thomas W. Hanshew
Read by Ruth Golding
Orphan Lady Margaret Cheyne returns home on her eighteenth birthday to live with her embittered maiden aunt and to take up her inheritance of the family jewels. The Cheyne jewels include a pendant featuring the Purple Emperor, a priceless jewel looted from a temple during the Indian Mutiny.
During her time at school in Paris, Lady Margaret has met and fallen in love with Sir Edgar Brenton, the son of an old flame of her aunt and a neighbour in the village of Hampton, where Cleek's adored Ailsa Lorne has also taken up residence.
Lady Margaret's return leads to a mysterious and sinister chain of events, which Cleek and Superintendent Maverick Narkom of Scotland Yard attempt to unravel, with, of course, the help of the irrepressible and ever-hungry Dollops, Cleek's cockney sidekick.
This full-length mystery is a welcome return for Hamilton Cleek, whom we first met in Cleek: The Man of the Forty Faces. (Summary by Ruth Golding) (8 hr 18 min)
Chapters
Reviews
great reading
aimzzz
Ruth Golding is in fine form with this one... I continually had the feeling of sitting around a campfire with somebody telling a scary story (The story isn't scary-- I'm talking about the atmosphere Golding creates). The story is a fun mystery. I rated 5 stars for the reading... I'd give the story a 4.
Love Cleek - awesome character
mikezane
A shot in the night, a body is seen, yet when the police return to the house, the woman appears to be fine, and mighty cross at being disturbed. What the woman and the police don't realize is that the witness of this odd circumstance is none other than the famous Cleek of Scotland Yard, who knows something is wrong and will not back down until all of his questions are answered. This is a great story, and the reader does a fabulous job. Enjoy!
Look, it could just be me...
Timothy Ferguson
...but the ending of this makes no sense at all, now does it? Is it that I'm an Australian? I don't think it is. I think the ending is clver in the sense you'll never guess it, but a problem in the sense that no normal criminal would consider it because in the real world it just would never work. The reader is marvellous, and the rest of the series is fun, but this one's plot...well...I think it has problems.
Complex, but good
dsuden
As with science fiction stories, this one requires the listener to suspend incredulity a little. Some of it is pretty far-fetched, but it is entertaining and worth a listen. It is fairly complex, lots of points to keep in mind through the course of the story. Ruth does a great job with the narration. Thanks to her for all of her good work.
Hamilton Cleek strikes again
tellmeatale
I really like Cleek as a fictional detective and this series. I found this tale a bit sub standard compared to other tales of the series. Ruth Golding turned in another stellar performance and keeps one listening till the end. Thanks to Ruth and Librivox I enjoyed it!
Enjoyable Tale
Hospitable Georgian
Cleek wins again! An enjoyable tale! Although, after listening to the first 2 books, I found myself expecting this one to be wrapped up and over much sooner than it was. I finally settled in to enjoy the tale for what it was and was not disappointed.
A new Author added
Angels Walk
This is enjoyable, though not nearly as much as when written without Mary, bless her heart. Thomas does much better, alone whilst writing our "Hamilton Cleek" books. Our Volunteer reader, Ruth Gooding, is terrific, as always!
An entertaining book
A most excellent reader and an entertaining story. A word of caution if you are easily offended. This was written in 1919. Some of the language is offensive if judged by today's standards.