Murder in the Gunroom
H. Beam Piper
Read by Anthony Wilson





The Lane Fleming collection of early pistols and revolvers was one of the best in the country. When Fleming was found dead on the floor of his locked gun room, a Confederate-made Colt-type percussion .36 revolver in his hand, the coroner's verdict was "death by accident." But Gladys Fleming had her doubts. Enough at any rate to engage Colonel Jefferson Davis Rand—better known just as Jeff—private detective and a pistol-collector himself, to catalogue, appraise, and negotiate the sale of her late husband's collection.
There were a number of people who had wanted the collection. The question was: had anyone wanted it badly enough to kill Fleming? And if so, how had he done it? Here is a mystery, told against the fascinating background of old guns and gun-collecting, which is rapid-fire without being hysterical, exciting without losing its contact with reason, and which introduces a personable and intelligent new private detective. It is a story that will keep your nerves on a hair trigger even if you don't know the difference between a cased pair of Paterson .34's and a Texas .40 with a ramming-lever.
(Summary from the text) (6 hr 52 min)
Chapters
00 - Preface | 1:36 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
01 - Chapter 01 | 15:11 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
02 - Chapter 02 | 17:28 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
03 - Chapter 03 | 16:19 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
04 - Chapter 04 | 12:22 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
05 - Chapter 05 | 18:39 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
06 - Chapter 06 | 14:42 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
07 - Chapter 07 | 18:04 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
08 - Chapter 08 | 10:27 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
09 - Chapter 09 | 30:39 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
10 - Chapter 10 | 31:00 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
11 - Chapter 11 | 21:00 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
12 - Chapter 12 | 18:24 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
13 - Chapter 13 | 18:09 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
14 - Chapter 14 | 21:55 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
15 - Chapter 15 | 18:20 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
16 - Chapter 16 | 17:15 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
17 - Chapter 17 | 24:53 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
18 - Chapter 18 | 10:22 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
19 - Chapter 19 | 25:00 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
20 - Chapter 20 | 20:02 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
21 - Chapter 21 | 30:22 | Read by Anthony Wilson |
Reviews
Very good book





mikezane
This story really kept me guessing, I didn't see the clues until the very end. A detective turned gun collector is hired for an exorbitant amount to sell some old guns. Being the smart fellow he is, he realizes that the woman who hired him means for him to investigate a murder at the same time. There are quite a few people with motives, but whodunit? You'll have to listen and find out. :-)
Quite a Good Mystery





Tamara
excellent characters excellent story and read very well. A good pace to action and character development. will look for more by this author!
An interesting murder mystery





David
This story had twist and turns. I enjoyed the murder mystery filled with fun characters. The story is well read for sure.





Ed
Very nice, good reader — thank you! I’ve read lots of Piper’s SF and always enjoyed it. He also spins a good contemporary tale.
Excellent Reader





Bibliophile
Such a fantastic reading. The story itself didn't always hold my attention, but that may not be the book's fault, and I enjoyed the touches of humour here and there. While not as enthusiastic as some reviews, I nevertheless recommend this book if you're generally a fan of or like the American detective story. It is very much in the American tradition, relative to its period anyway, so it may not be to your liking if you favour the traditional British style of murder mystery or indeed the more AKG American style.
No just for gun collectors





ListeninginChicago
Piper certainly knows the history of guns around the world, but he's struck a nice balance in this mystery. There's a fair amount of various collectors gushing over their collections, but not so much that it slows down the plot. I also was guessing until the end. Anthonysvoice does a good job reading this solo project for Librivox. The only voicing is to indicate feminine speakers - otherwise, it's a straight reading.
Murder in the Gunroom





Leona
Hands down one of the best books ever written. The story is intriguing, you won't want to stop listening. Any TRUE mystery,whodunit,or detective story reader is bound to fall in love with this book. You will want to re-listen to this one again and again.
interesting read





Cindy Barnett
Liked the details on weaponry, even omitted the plot was interesting, the cast engaging enough to keep me reading. Well narrated, clearly by a pleasant male voice. Will read author's other books. Free at librivox.org (audio) and Gutenberg.org (eBook). Recommended for those preferring clean reads.