The Widening Stain by W. Bolingbroke Johnson and narrated by Todd Menesses is a golden age mystery written originallly in 1942 and I was hooked in by the author bio read in the first chapter. Utterly intrigued, I was set and ready for a fantastic listen and I certainly was not disappointed.

If you enjoy the golden age of Hollywood, (pre WWII) and the mystery movies, you will utterly adore this audiobook. Read in an authentic style by Todd Menesses, we are transportedd to another time, to a seemingly peaceful library which is rocked by the accidental death of a women falling from the top of the stacks, then the discovery of a man seemingly strangled and surrounded by literary erotica and then, worse than these, a valuable manuscript goes missing

At times funny and others suspenseful, there is no shortage of intrigue and I absolutely devoured it!

Thank you to Netgalley, Highbridge Audio, the author W. Bolingbroke Johnson and narrator by Todd Menesses
for this intriguing ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I have read this book as a paper book and I am thrilled to see it on audio. So fun, so wry, so mysterious. I am a huge fan. I absolutely loved the narrator’s work. More Otto Penzler audiobooks!!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook!

The introduction describes this mystery as smart and witty, and I definitely agree. Two murders take place in a college library, and it's difficult to tell who to suspect. Was it the caretaker, the head librarian, a professor, a student? Are these two crimes even related?

I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook, and the dialogue was funny and clever. And I can't help but love a mystery set in a library!

Title: The Widening Stain
Author: W. Bolingbroke Johnson
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Todd Menesses
Publisher: High Bridge Audio
Pub Date: April 23, 2024 Originally published January 1, 1942
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 148
The story is about a body found in the college’s library.
The narrator made this story entertaining. He was great in performing some characters and others not so much which actually added to the humor.

This story was a hit in 1942 It is set in the library that resembles Cornell University’s Library.
The author hid his identity and used the pseudonym W. Bolingbroke Johnson and later revealed he was Morris Bishop, professor of French literature and provost at Cornell.

Although “The Corpse in the Library” had been suggested for this mystery ~ “The Widening Strain” was selected in 1942 ands kept for this 2024 release!

Want to thank NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for granting me this audio Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 2, 2024.