• The Scarlet Letters

  • Ellery Queen Detective, Book 24
  • By: Ellery Queen
  • Narrated by: Mark Peckham
  • Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (155 ratings)

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The Scarlet Letters  By  cover art

The Scarlet Letters

By: Ellery Queen
Narrated by: Mark Peckham
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Publisher's summary

Ellery had a simple case. A few days of discreet snooping, some choice advice, and the inimitable sleuth would blithely restore domestic harmony to the millionaire couple Dirk and Martha Lawrence. Then came the scarlet letters. And finally the cryptic clue, scrawled in a murdered man’s blood. A simple case? Unless Ellery did some super-fast sleuthing, he’d have nothing to show but a very scarlet face. The case will drag him all over New York as he hunts for the truth.

©1953 Ellery Queen (P)2014 AudioGO

What listeners say about The Scarlet Letters

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    101
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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

Full of Surprises

The mediocre reviews this has gotten from other reviewers make me wonder what they were expecting. The charm of this book is that it defies so many standard Ellery expectations. Without giving anything away, let me just say that this one veers from the standard formula somewhat, but in most rewarding ways. You still get your surprise solution that fits the facts as laid out in the tale, but...well...it's free and the worst that can happen is that you decide it's not for you. But if you stick it out, you'll be amply rewarded.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A different type of story

This book took us on an offshoot of an Ellery Queen mystery. It centers on the affair a wife was having and concludes with the husband trying to get revenge. The end did bring us the standard Queen resolution but I found it plodding to get to the end. Not a bad book but not a great one.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story

A classic detective novel as good as all the Elery Queen novel.
You dont want to miss it

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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 narration, surprising ending

holy smokes, the end surprised me. loved the story. in the beginning I suspected the reason for the meetings with Lauren, was the one that was given in the end, but very quickly I fell for it and just followed the story. great book to listen to.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
  • nf
  • 09-05-21

99% tedious soap opera.

Kept waiting for a mystery to show up. What little mystery was there was mostly tell, don't show. not unusual for EQ stories.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

It's an okay story, but not EQ's best.

I enjoyed the relationship between EQ and his secretary, but found the plot wanting. The criminal machinations in EQ novels are often quite improbable in their complexity, but enjoyable if you can slightly suspend of disbelief. In this case, though, I found the final explanation too improbable. But, if you've already read all of the better EQ mysteries (like "Cat of Nine Tails") and are still looking for more, then here's one.

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

Started off well but became weak by the end.

Started off fun it hit strange and eventually crept through 3 references to EQMM and the ending was like reading a newspaper in a heavy rain.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Unusual Queen story

Plotted within the relationships of Ellery his secretary and married friends who succumb to the pressures of marital trouble and infidelity and death ensues. Quite a different perspective that keeps you listening in a sort of puzzled apprehension. Recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Edition to the Ellery Queen series

I have run every book in this book series in order, and to date, this is by far one of the best novels in the Ellery Queen series, I guarantee you will not figure it out until the very end when Ellery Queen explains it

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Different, but dull

You know how when authors try something different, it almost never works? This is one of those cases. The books is 80% setup, and 20% actual case, with Ellery trying to figure out a dying man's message written in blood (literally scarlet letters). The trouble here is that the setup is long and dull, and it's hard to care about Dirk, who's an utter bastard, and even Martha. Why does she stay with this guy? SPOILER ALERT:
Dirk's plot is way too complicated, and it's a wonder Martha didn't ruin the whole thing by going to Ellery, who's her friend, and saying, "Hey, I'm being blackmailed by some guy who says my husband commited murder. Can you prove Dirk is innocent?" After all, this is the sort of thing Ellery DOES.
The ending does nearly make up for the long, boring setup, but I'm leaving the 3 stars out of the frustration I felt listening to all the whining.

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