
Miss Benson's Beetle
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Juliet Stevenson
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By:
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Rachel Joyce
About this listen
National best seller
“A beautifully written, extraordinary quest in which two ordinary, overlooked women embark on an unlikely scientific expedition to the South Seas.” (Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand)
From the best-selling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an uplifting, irresistible novel about two women on a life-changing adventure where they must risk everything, break all the rules, and discover their best selves - together.
She’s going too far to go it alone.
It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get through life, surviving on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandoning her job and small existence to set out on an expedition to the other side of the world in search of her childhood obsession: an insect that may or may not exist - the golden beetle of New Caledonia. When she advertises for an assistant to accompany her, the woman she ends up with is the last person she had in mind. Fun-loving Enid Pretty in her tight-fitting pink suit and pom-pom sandals seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. But together, these two British women find themselves drawn into a cross-ocean adventure that exceeds all expectations and delivers something neither of them expected to find: the transformative power of friendship.
Praise for Miss Benson's Beetle:
“A hilarious jaunt into the wilderness of women’s friendship and the triumph of outrageous dreams.” (Kirkus Reviews)
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Critic reviews
“[Miss Benson’s Beetle] feels larger than Joyce’s other books—more expansive, swashbuckling, a wild adventure. It is the best so far of her novels, and the most inspiring. . . . At the heart of the story is the slow, unlikely friendship that builds between the two women and how that friendship enables them both to grow stronger, more capable and more self-reliant. . . . There is resilience, there is redemption, and there is beauty—great beauty.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“I fell in love with the unlikely friendship between two wildly different women—their devotion to each other as they trek up and down mountains in someplace called New Caledonia is a hysterical delight. This novel made me realize how hungry I am for stories about women loving each other into being their best selves.”—Ann Napolitano, author of Dear Edward
“Miss Benson’s Beetle is a pure joyride. Sweet, witty, poignant, filled with intrigue and unlikely friendship, it’s a perfect escape. I loved it.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends
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Incredible story
- By PegCot on 03-05-23
By: Lucinda Riley
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The Homemade God
- A Novel
- By: Rachel Joyce
- Narrated by: Rachel Joyce, Sarah Winman
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
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There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family’s lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece. Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting. As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers.
By: Rachel Joyce
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Mary Barton
- A Tale of Manchester Life
- By: Elizabeth Gaskell
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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When her father assassinates Henry Carson, his employer's son and Mary's admirer, suspicion falls on Mary's second admirer, Jem, a fellow worker. Mary has to prove her lover's innocence without incriminating her own father.
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Mrs. Gaskell was so far ahead of her time
- By Pat on 08-20-13
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The Road Home
- By: Rose Tremain
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Abridged
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Winner of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2008, The Road Home is the best-selling story of Lev, a middle-aged migrant from Eastern Europe, who moves to London in search of work after losing his wife and job. Lev's London is awash with money, celebrity and complacency. The world Tremain creates is both convincing and poignant.
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OK - nice narration - good characters
- By bea on 02-21-11
By: Rose Tremain
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The Jane Austen Society
- A Novel
- By: Natalie Jenner
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now, it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people - a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others - could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen.
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Why so much bad language? Ruined a good book
- By Anonymous User on 08-12-20
By: Natalie Jenner
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Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
- A Novel
- By: Helen Simonson
- Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart.
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Charming book with an excellent narrator
- By jc on 03-05-10
By: Helen Simonson
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Daniel Deronda
- By: George Eliot
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 36 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Meeting by chance at a gambling hall in Europe, the separate lives of Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth are immediately intertwined. Daniel, an Englishman of uncertain parentage, becomes Gwendolyn's redeemer as she finds herself drawn to his spiritual and altruistic nature after a loveless marriage. But Daniel's path was already set when he rescued a young Jewess from suicide.
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Give it a try!
- By Tucker LaPrade on 01-30-16
By: George Eliot
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Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris and Mrs. Harris Goes to New York
- The Adventures of Mrs. Harris
- By: Paul Gallico
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Mrs. Harris is a salt-of-the-earth London charlady who cheerfully cleans the houses of the rich. One day, when tidying Lady Dant's wardrobe, she comes across the most beautiful thing she has ever seen in her life—a Dior dress. In all the years of her drab and humble existence, she's never seen anything as magical as the dress before her and she's never wanted anything as much before. Determined to make her dream come true, Mrs. Harris scrimps, saves, and slaves away until one day, after three long, uncomplaining years, she finally has enough money to go to Paris.
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A story of its time
- By Ella Quent on 02-15-23
By: Paul Gallico
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The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock
- A Novel
- By: Imogen Hermes Gowar
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1780s London, a prosperous merchant finds his quiet life upended when he unexpectedly receives an unusual creature - and meets a most extraordinary woman - in this much-lauded, atmospheric debut that examines our capacity for wonder, obsession, and desire. One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah’s trading vessels is waiting eagerly on the front step, bearing shocking news. On a voyage to the Far East, he sold the Jonah’s ship for something rare and far more precious: a mermaid.
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Gave up
- By Isabella Piestrzynska on 10-27-18
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The Brimstone Wedding
- By: Barbara Vine
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Unlike the other residents of Middleton Hall, Stella is elegant, smart and in control. Only Jenny, her care assistant, knows that she harbours a painful secret, and only she can prevent Stella from carrying it to the grave. As the women talk, Jenny pieces together the answers to many questions that arise: Why has she kept possession of a house that her family don’t know about? What happened there that holds the key to a distant tragedy?
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Amazing reader elevates book to a higher level
- By Doggy Bird on 10-04-14
By: Barbara Vine
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Good Eggs
- A Novel
- By: Rebecca Hardiman
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins, Gary Furlong, Siobhan Waring
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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When a home aide arrives to assist a rambunctious family at a crossroads, simmering tensions boil over in this “witty, exuberant debut” (People) that is an “absolute delight from start to finish” (Sarah Haywood, New York Times best-selling author) perfect for fans of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Evvie Drake Starts Over.
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This story will lift you up
- By Anita on 03-26-21
By: Rebecca Hardiman
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A Year at the French Farmhouse
- By: Gillian Harvey
- Narrated by: Lucy Scott
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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After ten years of loyal service, Daisy Butterworth has been made redundant. Like any clever woman, she knows the cure to redundancy is a little too much wine and her best friend. Only the next morning, Daisy has more than a hangover...she has a whole new house—in France! Seeing this as an opportunity instead of a disaster, she’s excited about finally moving to France, just as she and her husband always dreamed of. However, Daisy is in for another surprise. Despite planning to move there for over 20 years, her husband never actually intended to go.
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Why?
- By Howard on 02-16-23
By: Gillian Harvey
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Meet Me in Monaco
- A Novel of Grace Kelly's Royal Wedding
- By: Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb
- Narrated by: Nancy Peterson, Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flashbulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique, fending off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across 30 years of friendship, love, and tragedy.
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Pleasant but predictable
- By RueRue on 02-05-20
By: Hazel Gaynor, and others
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The Last Garden in England
- By: Julia Kelly
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, and others
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Present day: Emma Lovett, who has dedicated her career to breathing new life into long-neglected gardens, has just been given the opportunity of a lifetime: to restore the gardens of the famed Highbury House estate, designed in 1907 by her hero Venetia Smith. But as Emma dives deeper into the gardens’ past, she begins to uncover secrets that have long lain hidden.
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Lovely and slow but warning 1 narrator is horrible
- By E. Read on 06-30-21
By: Julia Kelly
What listeners say about Miss Benson's Beetle
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- kathleen
- 09-25-21
Terrific storytelling and performance
I came to read Miss Benson’s Beetle by following Audible reviews. No one had recommended the book and now I find myself wanting to share it with everyone. I will not spoil a second of the storytelling other than to say—the misguided misfits on a road trip will keep you guessing until the last word. I actually didn’t want this one to end. Good, old fashioned storytelling and a stellar Audible performance by Juliet Stevenson will be worth your journey with these unforgettable characters.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Melanie Palma
- 09-22-21
Laughed out Loud, A Lot
I don’t understand the bad reviews. This book was fantastic. The characters were complex and entertaining. The story was uplifting & hysterical. The gifted narration of Ms. Stevenson brought the spirit of the characters to life. One of my favorite books this year!
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2 people found this helpful
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- RuthAnn Stagg
- 02-09-21
Spoiler alert
I loved this book so much but the ending... I want a new ending. Please change the ending. Ok it’s a silky little book about finding a golden beetle. There are so many fun adventures, great little life’s lessons along the way. It’s such a fun read.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Bonnie Clyde
- 10-22-21
Tremendous narration!
Delightful! The narrator was an absolute treat. She really brought the characters to life and made the story exceptionally entertaining. I've never been so invested in a beetle expedition!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Deborah Weller Hirth
- 05-06-24
Who Would Have Thought?
This narrator was just amazing. Hard to believe it was just one person with all those voices and performances. The story was hysterical and yet deeply moving. I would give this 10 stars if it was posie. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time. What a treat.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Valerie Ellis
- 07-31-24
Surprises
The story seems far fetched at first but is developed in a way that keeps you tuned in, pulling you in with each surprise along the way. Beautiful friendships, wrongs made right and a strong testimony to follow your passions and to make a difference everywhere you can.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-28-21
This is my all time favorite!!
I’ve listened to scores of audiobooks. This is the best one yet! The story was mesmerizing, the performance OUTSTANDING!! Thank you for hours of listening joy!
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- Cathy Parker
- 02-04-21
Different and Enjoyable
A departure from what I usually read. I’ll be honest about me selection methods. I like to photograph the books at Target and look them up. This was an impulse selection and it was so quirky and engaging.
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- Miriam Davis
- 01-29-21
Wonderful book
Fine story, full of the unexpected. Characters so well developed, and their interior lives vividly conveyed. And I would listen to an automobile manual read by Juliet Stevenson. She’s a master of accents, and I was never in doubt as to who was talking. A good, resonant, and very expressive voice. I’m glad she was chosen for this excellent book.
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- George
- 02-13-21
Jolly good fun!!
Jolly good fun!! Endearing story. Definitely recommend!! Loved the friendship! Loved the adventure!! Read it!!
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