Listen to audio

Stream (help)

128kbps M3U (Hi-Fi)
64Kbps M3U (Lo-Fi)

Play / Download (help)

(188.7 M)64Kbps MP3 ZIP

Resources

H. Beam PiperMurder in the Gunroom (February 1, 2009)

Would you like to try our new video/audio player ? (beta!)

LibriVox recording of Murder in the Gunroom by H. Beam Piper. Read by anthonysvoice.

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 gunroom, 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)

For more free audio books or to become a volunteer reader, visit LibriVox.org.


This audio is part of the collection: The LibriVox Free Audiobook Collection
It also belongs to collections: Audio Books & Poetry; Community Audio

Artist/Composer: H. Beam Piper
Date: 2009-02-01
Source: Librivox recording of a public-domain text
Keywords: librivox; literature; audiobook; free; mystery; piper

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

Individual Files

Write a review
Downloaded 14,936 times Reviews
Average Rating:

Reviewer: ListeninginChicago - - July 12, 2010
Subject: No just for gun collectors
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.

Reviewer: mikezane - - March 18, 2009
Subject: Very good book
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. :-)