Length5h 17m
About this audiobook
The Stroke of Death is Tom Tompkins's swansong. Now retired, he continues to have an input into the affairs of Thornham CID, although increasingly bad health significantly inhibits his efforts from time to time. He also encounters one of the most ruthless criminals he has ever encountered in his long career and the duel between them can only lead to the death of one or the other. We see the continuing influence of Pauline Caves, who together with Anne Anstruther, represent the two most important people in his life.
Audiobook details
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length5 hrs 17 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 9, 2026
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1THE STROKE OF DEATH
97mention place names."
2PROLOGUE
98“Not a clue.”
3CRIMINALIS ACTORES
99“Yes.”
4more like a cult than a faith.
100“Tell me about the Old Bill.”
5road to wealth and power.
101“London firm. The Comptons.”
Show all chaptersShow less
6a fairly lengthy commute each day.
102much good as all the other stuff.
7“Anything for me yet, Den?”
103for him.”
8“Or a woman with big feet?”
104information.
9body and head back to the nick.
105“Hey, what about my other fiver?”
10with Harry and Sally.”
106“Big Sammy, right?” asks Anne.
11and me.
107about it.
12“What about Adam Osman?” asks Harry.
108The young man nods.
13inform him?”
109“How?”
14ADAM
110with prison.”
15for.
111moment.”
16indulge in a full English plus two large cups of coffee.
112years.”
17your housekeeper?”
113Albert Einstein
18“Why? Who’s John Emms?”
114“Dark web.”
19his desk.
115“Go on.”
20windbag.
116“Fuck.”
21everything.
117him.
22CHARYS
118home.”
23his name.”
119a couple of weeks ago.”
24“Some Arab country.”
120“Presumably from London?”
25him on campus again.
121“Quite a coincidence.”
26MARIOS
122“Thanks, Dave. I appreciate it.”
27for long.
123“Nathalie Preston.”
28any hound off the scent.
124urgently back at the station.”
29GORDON
125firm in particular.”
30for him.
126“Why?”
31kind of legend.
127“Not a thing.”
32“Every day?”
128too.
33“Here?”
129“Sal!”
34“Yes.”
130slack.”
35ANNE
131“Must be Nathalie Preston, herself,” says Ben Field.
36a head like concrete.
132“Drop the envelope in my bag.”
37“Yes.”
133Her father stares.
38“Yes, why?”
134“Didn’t that strike you as odd?”
39quit.”
135Mack a couple of days ago.
40“What about Osman?” asks Sally.
136two most pressing investigations.
41“Yes.”
137the head of the table.
42“No, but…”
138face.
43PAULINE
139memories of people: absent friends.”
44“Why?”
140officer, is surrounded by ex-Assistant Commissioners, Chief and Assistant Chief Constables, Chief
45“Famagusta?”
141headdress on his head.
46“There’s more. Remember the Hussar Club?”
142dramatic!”
47B. F. Skinner
143“Hotel in your city. Traveller’s Rest.”
48Constable Faith Wryton.
144Compton.
49“Why?”
145out for him.
50“What about Tom?”
146the idea.
51my hand.”
147“Yes?”
52“Yes.”
148cold feet.
53his visit.
149coffee shop.
54“Evie Matthews.”
150Charys smiles and nods.
55“Yes.”
151“When?”
56“In what way?”
152“Okay, Wendy.”
57alone by the entrance.
153“Go on.”
58“Why?”
154“Exactly.”
59“Kala.” (Fine).
155She nods.
60your old stamping ground, back in the day.”
156“Okay.”
61“Count on it, Mr. Christofi.”
157nods.
62Barsetshire.”
158“One other thing.”
63Monday.”
159“Yes, Tom.”
64“Tompkins.”
160“Why?”
65Traveller’s.”
161Faith smiles at him.
66you the once over.”
162“Bingo.”
67“Because….?”
163him.”
68stop.”
164“Clement Atlee,” says Tompkins, annoyingly.
69area.
165“Agreed,” says Tompkins.
70“Sorry, Boss.”
166“And not a word to a soul.”
71“Balaclava, Boss.”
167“St Clair,” says Ben Field in astonishment.
72all kinds of shit.”
168nods his head and replies.
73“Still at the hospital.”
169gallery with a few others. Any questions?”
74“No change. Still unconscious.”
170partner?”
75please!”
171ago. Name of Christofi, Marios Christofi.”
76“What?”
172interrogation resumes.
77“Try me. Please.”
173AUGUST 3, 2015
78“The corollary.”
174“Whose?”
79almost anything.”
175south.”
80to him.”
176“In exchange for what?”
81possibility of renewal.”
177“Go on.”
82Mrs. Mack with a protective arm around the much taller woman.
178“Finished?”
83enter the house.
179“Just the one?”
84“Of course.”
180“Bring the drugs in to Thornham.”
85“Why?”
181“Okay.”
86“Bye, Pauline.”
182especially early in the morning.
87together?”
183becomes slippery with his blood.
88“Yes?”
184“Here in the glove box.”
89“But how…..?”
185“Yes.”
90“No deputy?”
186reads it straightaway in a cool, clear voice.
91“Oh, God!”
187her dispassionately and practically.
92“Jesus Christ!”
188Tom
93“What about Marios Christofi?”
189EPILOGUE
94of his hair away from his eyes.
190Pauline laughs. “Yeah, okay. Come.”
95Another big nod.
191ENVOI
96“Right away, boss.”
More from Paul Rogers
Thornham TalesPaul Rogers4h 14m$2.99
Portion of a Good Man's LifePaul Rogers5h 16m$2.99
Playing it StraightPaul Rogers9hFree
Just DesertsPaul Rogers7h 49m$2.99
Lack of ConvictionPaul Rogers6h 46m$2.99
Unremembered Skies & SnowsPaul Rogers9h 6m$2.99
Unfinished BusinessBlair Howard7h 17m$23
EmberJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 58m$23
The New Human Revolution, vol. 1Daisaku Ikeda7h 46m$12 · $0.00
Meddlesome MoneyMildred Abbott8h 21m$20
Midnight ShadowsS.E. Smith5h 40m$17
CollateralBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson13h 8m$23
The Complete Sherlock Holmes Novels & Stories (4 Novels + 56 Short Stories) (Annotated)Arthur Conan Doyle73h 13m$2 · $0.00
The ReunionJana Deleon6h 31m$26 · $0.00
Animal 3K’wan6h 33m$20
To Hold and ProtectSandra Owens7h 59m$8 · $0.00
Extinction WarNicholas Sansbury Smith12h 1m$23
Savy WisdomPeggy McColl2h 53m$15
3 a.m. Premium: Books 1–5Nick Pirog15h 27m$25
Farewell My Lovely (Annotated)Raymond Chandler10h 37m$2 · $0.00
The Labyrinth of the SpiritsCarlos Ruiz Zafon27h 55m$53 · $0.00
Tracing Killer EvidenceJodie Bailey5h 46m$12 · $0.00
AGATHA CHRISTIE Premium CollectionAgatha Christie37h 15m$2 · $0.00
Sign of the MakerBrian Shea7h 13m$17
No Sin UnpunishedLynDee Walker7h 43m$17
Sherlock HolmesMade for Success14h 22m$25
You may also like
Song of the LionAnne Hillerman10h 12m$29 · $0.00
The Perfect MurderH. R. F. Keating7h 33m$17
Police at the FuneralMargery Allingham10h 40m$2 · $0.00
Most Dangerous PlaceJames Grippando12h 9m$29 · $0.00
The Greek InterpreterSir Arthur Conan Doyle43m$4
The Wedding Chest Mystery (Annotated)Dorothy Fielding7h 28m$2 · $0.00
Murder as a Second LanguageJoan Hess9h 50m$20
No DefenseKate Wilhelm11h 56m$23
Roman BloodSteven Saylor14h 49m$25
Elevator PitchLinwood Barclay12h 52m$33 · $0.00
Midnight ClearMary Kay Andrews11h 9m$29 · $0.00
Extraordinary Minds on the Case - 5 Classic Detective Stories & MysteriesJacques Futrelle, Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur B. Reeve, Carolyn Wells, G. K. Chesterton25h 56m$2
Madame StoreyHulbert Footner10h 40m$1.20 · $0.00
British Murder Mysteries - Agatha Christie Boxed SetAgatha Christie45h 10m$1 · $0.00
The Adventure of Black PeterArthur Conan Doyle41m$2 · $0.00
The Farming MurderRoy Lewis5h 40m$17
The Ponson CaseFreeman Wills Crofts9h 24m$2.40
The Anteater of DeathBetty Webb9h 21m$20 · $0.00
A Vote for MurderJessica Fletcher, Donald Bain7h 34m$22
Jonah's LuckFergus Hume7h 39m$1 · $0.00