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The Bear Pit
- The Seeker, Book 4
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
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The Bear Pit
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Summary
London, 1656: Captain Seeker is back in the city, on the trail of an assassin preparing to strike at the heart of Oliver Cromwell's Republic.
The Commonwealth is balanced on a knife edge. Royalists and disillusioned former Parliamentarians have united against Oliver Cromwell, now a king in all but name. Three conspirators, representing these factions, plan to assassinate the Lord Protector, paving the way back to the throne for Charles Stuart once and for all.
Captain Damian Seeker, meanwhile, is preoccupied by the horrifying discovery in an illegal gambling den of the body of a man ravaged by what is unmistakably a bear. Yet the bears used for baiting were all shot when the sport was banned by Cromwell. So where did this fearsome creature come from, and why would someone use it for murder?
With Royalist-turned-Commonwealth-spy Thomas Faithly tracking the bear, Seeker investigates its victim. The trail leads from Kent's coffeehouse on Cornhill, to a German clockmaker in Clerkenwell, to the stews of Southwark, to the desolate Lambeth Marshes where no one should venture at night.
When the two threads of the investigation begin to join, Seeker realises just what - and who - he is up against. The Royalists in exile have sent to London their finest mind and greatest fighter, a man who will stop at nothing to ensure the Restoration. Has Seeker finally met his match?
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What listeners say about The Bear Pit
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- nicholas
- 26-06-21
A period of history rarely so engaging
As ever a wonderful tour of Interregnum contradictions - superb script and another insight into the character of Damien Seeker. Probably one of the few heroes of a period of suppressed expression. Albeit it fiction! Thoroughly enjoyable
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- Sillypaper22
- 23-12-23
Very good story
Wow, the storyteller took me on a medieval tour of London and at times I could barely listen to his descriptions of violence! Enjoyed this…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 16-11-23
Enjoyable historic fiction
As a huge C J Sansom fan, I was recommended these stories to listen to. Although I don't know in depth knowledge of the Cromwellian era, I found it very enjoyable and will listen to the other stories now. Jonathan Keeble is a brilliant narrator, adding atmosphere and character.
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- sally jennings
- 29-01-23
Brilliant - as always
I’ve loved all the Damian Seeker books. I read this one in one sitting. Am off to read the next one.
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- Hamburgerpatty
- 20-07-19
The Seeker meets a Searcher ...
One of the great joys of S G MacLean's novels in addition to the fine plotting and characterisations and pace and the occasional space in which the listener can draw breath are the observations, characters, descritpions found in the laybys. Before I listened to The Bear Pit I had never heard of Searchers before. Crumbs. A suitable job for a suitable (type of) woman. And buried deep in the narration lies a brief reminder to us in the second decade of the 21st century that while we might not agree with a holder's politcs, it does not follow that we need necessarily to despise the holder of those 'disagreeable' politics.
The narrator conveys the characters' stations in life superbly well.
Although I still pine for Alexander Seaton and therefore for a continuation of her other historical crime series, I eagerly look forward to the Seeker's fifth adventure. There's such an intriguing ending to The Bear Pit.
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5 people found this helpful
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- chrissie
- 02-08-19
Damian Seeker has not overstayed his welcome
Before I started this audiobook I was wondering if Seeker had not overstayed his welcome. However his character continued to develop and become more engaging. I also enjoyed the reappearance of the cast of supporting characters. Thoroughly absorbed in this audiobook as I have been in its predecessors. A few minor quibbles about the number of amazing coincidences. I accept that London in the 17th century was smaller than it is now but really.... Once again we are indebted to the propensity of villains to deliver long expositions on how they committed their crimes but all is forgiven after the fantastic ending. I was on tenterhooks until the final few sentences. Is he? He can’t be? He is? Oh surely not? .... Just one small point I understand that the print edition had an afterword by the author explaining which of the events were historical and which were fictional. I’m pretty well acquainted with the period so I did know that certain things could not happen given that the author is not a proponent of alternative histories. It would have been nice if that afterword had been included in the audio version.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Mike
- 22-08-19
Seeker at his best
best funny line....lads!!! elements of humour expose the human side to Damien which I liked
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4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 18-07-19
A riveting tale
This was excellent both plot and telling.
I loved the use of tradescants gardens in it
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3 people found this helpful
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- 11thman
- 09-08-19
Superb
As ever with Ms Maclean you get a story that grips you and characters to love. The narrator plays his part with relish too.
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4 people found this helpful
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- CarolK
- 22-07-19
Brilliant
This is the best yet in the Seeker series. I highly recommend, Jonathan does his usual best
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4 people found this helpful