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The Black Dress

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The Black Dress

By: Deborah Moggach
Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
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About this listen

 Pru's husband has walked out, leaving her alone to contemplate her future. She's missing not so much him, but the life they once had – picnicking on the beach with small children, laughing together, nestling up like spoons in the cutlery drawer as they sleep. Now there's just a dip on one side of the bed and no one to fill it. In a daze, Pru goes off to a friend's funeral. Usual old hymns, words of praise and a eulogy but ... it doesn't sound like the friend Pru knew. And it isn't. She's gone to the wrong service. Everyone was very welcoming, it was – oddly – a laugh, and more excitement than she's had for ages. So she buys a little black dress in a charity shop and thinks, now I'm all set, why not go to another? I mean, people don't want to make a scene at a funeral, do they? No one will challenge her – and what harm can it do?©2021 Deborah Moggach (P)2021 Bolinda Publishing Contemporary Fiction Fiction Literature & Fiction Women's Fiction Comedy
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Critic reviews

'Moggach is at the height of her powers.' (Sunday Times)
'Full of warmth and humour, as well as blistering truths.' (Daily Mirror)

What listeners say about The Black Dress

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So, so worth a listen

I Loved it! A brilliant story & a fantastic narrator, utterly engaging from start to finish.

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Narrator was off putting

I think I would have enjoyed the book had it not been for the narration of the book. The narrator was extremely annoying and took away from the actual story

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Game of Two Halves

I enjoyed the book but I wished I'd read it in hard copy. I found the accent and speech of the narrator distracting on occasion and sometimes positively off-putting.

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Profile Image for Christina Grey

Wonderful Unreliable Narrator

Prue is a hotchpotch of ladies of a certain age living in Muswell Hill who have read far too much of The Guardian and mistaken it for reality. Absolutely hilarious and l enjoyed it immensely. Loved the plummy voiced narrator having been told by a friend the book was awful! But then she lives in Chichester!

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Not sure about the narrators voice.

I liked the story but not sure about the sort of simpering voice. It was a bit annoying.

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A hoot!

Lose all incredulity and enjoy the romp....!

The story is far-fetched but such a tonic.

Good performance by the narrator...just right.

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Profile Image for SERA Bluefalcon

Great ending 👏

there was a bit of a struggle with the rich suburb life, it was grating. but once Pru's mad life took form I was well away. love the twisted plot points and how calm Pur is on the weird side.

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easy listening with some surprises

Deirdre was not a pleasant voice but the story was engaging and end satisfying.

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Profile Image for Sarah Marshall

Good story, spoiled by the Narrator

I read this book last year and enjoyed it, as I have all the author’s works. I downloaded it for a long haul flight to Australia and did listen to the end because the story is a good one. BUT - sadly, ruined by the awful voice of the narrator. Such a shame.

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Profile Image for Geecross

Story seems good but Narration Awful

I am into my 3rd chapter.. I am liking the story but I can't listen anymore the Narrators voice is so grating The pitch there is no change in tone which is a shame as I think the book would be good

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