Fool Errant, Patricia Wentworth
Fool Errant, Patricia Wentworth
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

Fool Errant

Author: Patricia Wentworth

Series: Benbow Smith Mysteries #1

Narrator: Anne Hancock

Unabridged: 8 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Spoken Realms

Published: 04/15/2025

Categories: Fiction, Classic


Synopsis

Hugo Ross is perfect for the job as irascible inventor Ambrose Minstrel’s new secretary: young, completely inexperienced, and with an occasional stutter that makes him seem somewhat dim—a mug, in fact.But from his first day, odd things begin to happen. A stranger offers him an absurd amount for an ordinary pair of field glasses; soon, the written offer is stolen from his room. A lovely girl he runs into in the dark one night outside his new employer’s house warns him not to take the job. But when she plans to meet him, and another girl arrives pretending to be her, he wonders what has become of her. Hugo suspects something sinister and seeks out eccentric Benbow Smith, his sister’s in-law, who seems to have some relationship with the Foreign Office. Smith confirms Hugo’s suspicion that a plot to swindle the government is afoot. Turns out Hugo is not the mug the plotters think he is … which is his greatest asset.But before he can help unravel the plan, he must first find the girl!

About Patricia Wentworth

Patricia Wentworth (1878–1961) was born in India and after writing several romances turned her hand to crime. She wrote dozens of bestselling mysteries before her death in the late sixties, and was recognized as one of the mistresses of classic crime fiction.

About Anne Hancock

Anne Hancock began her career with the Library of Congress's National Library Service (NLS) Talking Books Program, where she has narrated more than 300 audiobooks in a variety of genres. An AudioFile Earphones Award winner, she has lived in France and the Netherlands and uses her training in the languages of both countries in her narration. In addition, she has successfully narrated books with English and Irish accents.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Judy on April 06, 2016

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media. I became a fan of the writing of Patricia Wentworth when I ran across my first Miss Maud Silver book in a used bookstore many years ago. I fanatically collected each one of them and periodically sit down and devour on......more

Goodreads review by CLM on November 11, 2022

First in the Benbow Brown series, this book has an espionage theme, an intrepid hero and a ditzy heroine. My review: [URL not allowed]......more

Goodreads review by Bruce on May 25, 2023

Wentworth is justifiably famous as one of the grande dames of the classic British murder mysteries. This however is not a mystery but a thriller, and simply does not stand the test of time. Technically, neither the omniscient POV nor the constant head-hopping works well for a contemporary reader. Mo......more

Goodreads review by Mary on March 26, 2022

Not my favorite Wentworth (I'm partial to the Miss Silvers) but..... The lead ingenue character is cursed by the name "Loveday" so what can she be but a semi-total ding-dong. I spent a lot of her scenes wanting to give her a sound shaking. Lots of narrative here but all ends well. I don't think that......more

Goodreads review by Ninon on July 09, 2023

Absolute torture; I almost didn’t finish it but decided to skim through and get it done. Good grief.......more