A Case of Life and Limb

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now €{{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Bloomsbury presents A Case of Life and Limb by Sally Smith, read by Jeremy Clyde.

'As brilliant a cosy crime novel as you'll ever read' JANICE HALLETT
'A masterful voice in the mystery world' S. J. BENNETT

1901. Gabriel Ward KC is hard at work on a thorny libel case involving London's most famous music hall star and its most notorious tabloid newspaper, but the Inner Temple remains as quiet and calm as ever. Quiet, that is, until the mummified hand arrives in the post...

While the hand's recipient, Temple Treasurer Sir William Waring, is rightfully shaken, Gabriel is filled with curiosity. Who would want to send such a thing? And why? But as more parcels arrive - one with fatal consequences - Gabriel realises that it is not Sir William who is the target, but the Temple itself.

Someone is holding a grudge that has already led to at least one death. Now it's up to Gabriel, and Constable Wright of the City of London Police, to find out who, before an old death leads to a new murder.

Critics Review

Witty and cunningly plotted . . . as entertaining as her first
Sunday Times
A masterful voice in the mystery world. As you’d expect from an ex-King’s Counsel, her language is as rich as it is precise ... Topsy Tillotson is a heroine I thoroughly enjoyed rooting for, and the court scenes are a heart-in-mouth highlight. I’m a big fan of the series and I’m already looking forward to Gabriel’s next adventure
S. J. Bennett, bestselling author of Death in Diamonds
We have the top-hatted world of the Temple, malice and vicious competition alongside Gabriel’s calm scholarship, the well-observed dynamics of class and gender conventions within and outside the Temple, police procedure, muckraking journalism, fine courtroom description, murders, tombs and homosexuality, all delivered with calm, skill, wit, humanity and a searching reaching into personalities and values
The Critic
Following up on a successful debut novel is tough for any author. Expectations are high but rarely fulfilled. Smith is one of the exceptions ... a brilliant mystery
Daily Mail
Perfectly paced with lots of twists and turns and an intellectually satisfying denouement
Historical Novel Society
[Gabriel Ward KC is] one of the most attractive figures to appear in crime fiction recently. Sally Smith ... brings both lightness of touch and elegance of prose to her enchanting story
Literary Review
Two sometimes overlapping plot lines are deftly woven together in a meticulously researched work that opens the doors of readers to the history and traditions of the Temple
The Times
Absolutely exquisite and a total charm. It reminds me of Dickens at his best. An utterly joyous read that sends you back in time with effortless skill
Imran Mahmood, author of Finding Sophie
An excellent and well-paced story, and the anachronistic world of the bar is brilliantly described ... I look forward to the next
Law Society Gazette
Praise for A Case of Mice and Murder: 'A delight from start to finish'
Sunday Times
A triumph of ingenuity
Daily Mail
A cunning and delightful mystery with rich, wonderful characters and period detail so vivid, you can touch it
Ian Moore, bestselling author of Death and Croissants
A total delight! ... Intelligent, insightful mystery ... all skillfully woven together with a poignant, human story. I devoured it in one sitting!
Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, author of A Murder of Crows
Intriguing, engaging, and thoroughly satisfying
T. E. Kinsey, bestselling author of A Quiet Life In The Country

More from the same

Author

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.