Wobble to Death

Written by Peter Lovesey and Jeffrey Deaver

Narrated by David Thorpe

In 1879, race walking competitions, known as “wobbles,” were all the rage. The death of a contender, followed by a second murder,
introduces Sergeant Cribb, who goes on to investigate sports-related deaths in a series of eight books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705011461

Peter Lovesey

Peter Lovesey is a British writer of detective fiction. His work has won many awards, most notably the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, as well as the Macavity, Barry and Anthony Awards.

Reviews for Wobble to Death

[debbieandroo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun book to listen to. The narrator was superb - accents were spot on and truly added to the enjoyment of the novel.

[steller0707 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What's a Wobble? Turns out it is a race-walking competition, and was all the rage in Victorian England. It's the first of Peter Lovesey's Sgt. Cribb's detective series. Walkers must walk around a track for six days; the one walking the greatest distance wins! During the course of this race, there are a couple of murders, a cast of characters, and a variety of motives.

Oh, by the way, the winner walks over 500 miles. But I won't tell you who that is.

[eyejaybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Peter Lovesey is one of Britain’s most prolific and successful crime writes, having produced more than fifty novels and collections of short stories. Wobble to Death, published in 1970, was his first novel and introduced his enigmatic Sergeant Cribb, or Cribb of the Detective, as he is called by one of the characters. Set in the late nineteenth century, Wobble to Death recounts the mishaps that befell an endurance walking rate staged in Islington. Such events, known as ‘wobbles’ because of the jerking gait of the participants, became increasingly popular in Victorian London, attracting great media interest and becoming the subject of extensive betting. This race started at 1.00 a.m. on Monday and was scheduled to continue until late on Saturday night, with an enticing prize of £100 on offer to the competitor who had covered the greatest distance during that time. There were fourteen contestants, two of whom are allowed to compete on their own separate track, being what would now be termed ‘elite’ athletes, having performed with great success in a number of previous endeavours. One of them, Captain Erskine Chadwick, is a former army officer, attend by an assistant who had previously been his batman, while the other, Charles Darrell, is a professional walker/runner, who had racked up a number of celebrated victories in previous endurance races around the country. He is attended by Sam Monk, his personal trainer. While they are clearly the strongest contenders, neither Chadwick nor Darrell had previously competed over six consecutive days. Each of them is assigned a hut of their own in which to snatch any periods of rest, eat their meals and receive any ministrations from their attendants. The other competitors are less well known, with no racing pedigree to boast of, and each find themselves sharing their hut with another contestant, with all twelve having to compete on the same crowded track.The race starts fairly smoothly, and the large crowd is amused by the individual loping gaits of all the combatants. On their exclusive track, Chadwick and Darrell soon set the pace, leaving the others trailing significantly by the end of the first two days. Things take a more sombre note, however, when after returning from one of his rest and refreshment breaks, Darrell breaks into a very fast run, before succumbing to a seizure. Subsequent investigations show that he had been poisoned, and that the only suspects are his fellow competitors and the race organisers.It is at this point that Sergeant Cribb and his lugubrious colleague Constable Thackeray enter the proceedings. Cribb is certainly an engaging character, reminiscent of Sergeant Cuff who leads the investigation in Wilkie Collins’s masterpiece The Moonstone. Rather dry in his manner. Cribb is shrply observant, and also prone to some trenchant or laconic observations. Thackeray is rather more mournful, perhaps as a consequence of his long exposure to Cribb’s occasional flights of fancy.Even in his first novel, Peter Lovesey shows a skill at plot construction and an aptitude for extensive historical research, and presents an entertaining and engaging story.

[mysterymax_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A solid four stars! Solid characters, unique setting.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maybe I am being generous with my rating, as the detection by Sgt. Cribb didn't impress me, but I thought that the historical fiction aspect was excellent. The setting of the murders was unusual and I learned a new aspect of the late nineteenth century (the professional pedestrian racer whose races last days and who typically go 90-100 miles in a day!).

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wobble to Death by Peter Lovesey is a historical mystery set in Victorian England over the course of a week long pedestrian race. These races were called Wobbles and became very popular during the 1880’s. When one of the favourites to win the race dies under mysterious circumstances, the police are called and Detective Sgt. Crib and his assistant Constable Thackeray arrive to conduct their investigation. As they go about gathering clues and interviewing the suspects, another murder takes place. There is a great deal of period atmosphere revolving around Victorian spectator sporting events as the investigation is conducted while the remaining racers continue their long slog. The murderer was well concealed among the various suspects and Wobble to Death was an interesting and inventive mystery that I enjoyed. I understand that this book is the first of eight Sgt. Crib mysteries all of which I see are available for the Kindle so I will most probably we reading more about this particular detective in the future.

[4hounds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable. This didn't at all feel like a first mystery. The characters were great - I'm looking forward to reading more about Cribb and Thackeray.

[condorena · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Peter Lovesey make the scene very real. You can almost smell the desperation and the left oft over aroma of animals and fog. In the end the simple motives are usually the best:love, hate or money. You can pick and choose in this mystery.

[tloeffler_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good old 19th century detective novel, that takes place at a "wobble," or six day "Go As You Please Contest." These were walking contests, where the participants walked at their own pace, took their breaks & rest when they wanted, and competed to be the first to complete 500+ miles in the time allotted. There is foul play afoot (pun intended), of course, or there wouldn't be a story, and Sergeant Cribb and Constable Thackeray are there to tie up the loose ends.