Listen to a sample
Different Class
- Author
- Joanne Harris
- Narrator
- Ewan Goddard, Steven Pacey
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Publish Date
- 21 April 2016
- Run Time
- 14 hours 56 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Crime and mystery fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary
- Rating
- 4.0 (1 review)
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What to expect
The impressively versatile Joanne Harris in her psychological thriller mode, at her darkest and most unsettling. Perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Susan Hill, Nicci French and Val McDermid.
'A magnificently plotted and twisty journey to the heart of a 24-year-old crime...darkly humorous...constantly wrongfoots and misdirects...up to a satisfyingly eccentric conclusion.' -- Observer
'Classy writing, sensitive and moving.' -- The Times
'Harris pulls off an impeccable thriller denouement...consistently entertaining.' -- Sunday Times
'Just fabulous' -- ***** Reader review
'An absolute triumph of a book' -- ***** Reader review
'Twists, turns and droll humour - a great read!' -- ***** Reader review
'Absorbing' -- ***** Reader review
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After thirty years at St Oswald's Grammar in North Yorkshire, Latin master Roy Straitley has seen all kinds of boys come and go - the clowns, the rebels, the underdogs, and those he calls his Brodie boys. But every so often there's a boy who doesn't fit the mould. A troublemaker. A boy capable of twisting everything around him. A boy with hidden shadows inside.
With insolvency and academic failure looming, a new broom has arrived at the venerable school, bringing Powerpoint, sharp suits and even sixth form girls to the dusty corridors. But while Straitley does his sardonic best to resist this march to the future, a shadow from his past is stirring. A boy who even twenty years on haunts his teacher's dreams. A boy capable of bad things.
Critics Review
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A magnificently plotted and twisty journey to the heart of a 24-year-old crime...darkly humorous...constantly wrongfoots and misdirects...up to a satisfyingly eccentric conclusion.
Observer
-
Slowly, Harris reveals tiny clues, withholding full explanations until the startling denouement. Classy writing, sensitive and moving.
The Times
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Harris pulls off an impeccable thriller denouement...consistently entertaining.
Sunday Times
-
It's Goodbye, Mr Chips meets The Bad Seed. Joanne Harris' latest has a killer elevator pitch and, what's more, it delivers on its intriguing premise...a rich, dramatic tale that builds to a surprising conclusion.
Washington Post
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A masterpiece of misdirection.
Val McDermid
-
Harris magnificently manages every minute thread of the story, and even makes us laugh along the way . . . exquisitely sinister. . . Part black comedy, part thriller, and totally enjoyable.
Daily Mail
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Tackles big subjects, including teacher-pupil romances, sexual assault, homophobia and murder.You'll love it if...you enjoyed The Girl on the Train so crave another intelligent thriller.
Sunday Telegraph
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Deftly orchestrated and beautifully written tale of abuse, loyalty and regret.
Guardian
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Her real metier is psychological suspense, and her accomplished new book, Different Class, is a prime example of her skills in this area . . . Crime novel or literary novel? Categories really don’t matter; readers will find themselves comprehensively gripped.
Independent
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A long way from Chocolat, Joanne Harris's reinvention as a writer of psychological thrillers continues apace...delivers it beautifully.
Mail on Sunday
User Reviews
Book 4.0
Narration 3.0
- No written reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Joanne Harris
- Narrator
- Ewan Goddard, Steven Pacey
- Duration
- 14 hours 56 minutes
- Release Date
- 21 April 2016
- ISBN
- 9781473510937
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Transworld
- Genre
- Psychological thriller, Crime and mystery fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction: general and literary
- Rating
- 4.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 3.0(1 review)
Synopsis
The gripping new psychological thriller from Joanne Harris, to follow her bestselling Gentlemen & Players and Blueeyedboy. Perfect for fans of Claire Mackintosh, BA Paris. Paula Hawkins and Tracy Chevalier. After thirty years at St Oswald’s Grammar in North Yorkshire, Latin master Roy Straitley has seen all kinds of boys come and go. Each class has its clowns, its rebels, its underdogs, its ‘Brodie’ boys who, whilst of course he doesn’t have favourites, hold a special place in an old teacher’s heart. But every so often there’s a boy who doesn’t fit the mould. A troublemaker. A boy with hidden shadows inside. With insolvency and academic failure looming, a new broom has arrived at the venerable school, bringing Powerpoint, sharp suits and even sixth form girls to the dusty corridors. But while Straitley does his sardonic best to resist this march to the future, a shadow from his past is stirring. A boy who even twenty years on haunts his teacher’s dreams. A boy capable of bad things.'A masterpiece of misdirection' Val McDermid; 'Compellingly suspenseful...both a splendidly dark comedy and a disturbing thriller' Ramsey Campbell; 'Terrific twists pile up at a highly satisfying rate...you'll be hooked' James Walton, Reader's Digest What the critics said about Joanne Harris' psychological thrillers: 'A terrific and absorbing suspense novel...twists and turns to keep you on your toes' - Peter Robinson; 'Gripping psychological thriller...one of our most accomplished novelists... pace, wit and acute observation...at the top of her form' - Daily Express; 'The plot is so cleverly constructed, the tension so unflagging, you'd think she'd been writing thrillers all her life' Daily Mail; '[A] clever story of obsession and revenge' - Sunday Telegraph
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