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The Genealogist's Challenge



Single-voiced Crime and Mystery Serial Audio Book


Synopsis:

Book One: Murder in the Family Tree

Welcome to a tale where bloodlines serve as cryptic maps and whispered ancestral secrets hold the power to unravel the present. The Blackwood family, enshrouded in both prestige and enigma, faces a crisis centuries in the making. A brutal murder in their ancestral home has broken the facade of tranquility, thrusting a unique team into a web of deceit and hidden identities.

Meet Abby and Liz, childhood friends who are devoted to forensic science and genealogy, respectively. Their knowledge is essential for unraveling the Blackwood family history. Thomas “Tom” Hawthorne, a historian with a unique talent for untangling the most complicated family trees, and Detective William “Will” Grady, whose sharp forensic mind has solved many complex cases, are joining them. Together, they race against time to solve a murder with roots deep in history, threatening to expose a scandal capable of crumbling the Blackwood name.

Their investigation intersects with that of a diverse cast, each holding a piece of this intricate puzzle. Jonathan Blackwood, the charismatic yet mysterious heir; Maxime Desjardins, a morally ambiguous police officer with deep ties to the case; and Lucien Dupont, the formidable rival genealogist, all add layers to the unfolding drama.

“The Genealogist’s Challenge” weaves a tale of time-spanning intrigue, diving deep into the realms of genealogy and forensics. It's a story that reveals how the forgotten past can surge into the present in unforeseen ways. This journey, blending methodical investigation with sudden twists, is not just a pursuit of truth but an exploration of how deeply our ancestors' shadows can fall upon our lives.

As you navigate this labyrinth of secrets and lies, prepare for a narrative that oscillates between the steady unraveling of historical mysteries and the pulse-quickening pace of modern crime-solving. The Blackwoods await your arrival with their secrets tightly held. The question is, are you ready to delve into the heart of their family tree, where every branch whispers a story of its own?

Embrace the darkness, let the genealogist’s grimoire be your guide, and discover the truths hidden within Blackwood Manor.


Format: Audio Book

Continuity: Serial

Voices: Single

Genres: Crime and Mystery

Not tagged: [Maturity] [Creator demographics] [Character demographics] [Country of origin] [Transcript] [Completion status] [Content warnings]

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Episodes:

Epilogue

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:08:52 +0000

"To Be Continued in 'The Genealogist’s Challenge: Shadows of the Ancestors."

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Unveiling the Truth

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:06:35 +0000

Cecilia’s secret marriage to Horatio was an act of love and a binding covenant, intertwining the Beauchamp belief in Wicca with the Blackwood lineage.

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The Fading Light

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:03:24 +0000

The day closed with an unspoken acknowledgement that the secrets buried in the lineage of the Blackwood family were about to be illuminated, for better or worse.

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Blood or Justice

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:59:18 +0000

Blood-bound and gold-cursed. The line that dares not speak its name.

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Echoes of Betrayal

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:55:35 +0000

He paused at a record from the 1800s, his finger tracing the line of birth not officially recognised—a child born to a servant but bearing the unmistakable features of a Blackwood.

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The DNA of Duplicity Revisited

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:51:38 +0000

The implications of the DNA match extended beyond the walls of the lab, beyond the Manor’s ancient stones. It wove Evelyn into the tapestry of the Blackwood legacy in a way that was irrevocable and darkly significant.

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The Web of Deceit

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:47:00 +0000

With Abby being a direct descendant of the Blackwood lineage, her involvement in unravelling the family’s secrets takes on a new, personal dimension.

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Clocks and Curses

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:35:08 +0000

The original Earl was rumoured to have consulted a soothsayer, who prophesied doom should the family ever betray its roots.

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Perplexing Puzzles

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:33:52 +0000

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Secrets of the Soil

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:31:33 +0000

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An Unbroken Pact

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:30:21 +0000

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Sinister Symbols

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:28:57 +0000

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The Codex and the Curse

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 01:27:04 +0000

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Buried Memories

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:28:35 +0000

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Sanguinary Solutions

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:25:23 +0000

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Ancestral Adversaries

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:27:07 +0000

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Cryptic Clues and Crypts

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:33:00 +0000

The Beauchamp Crypt

The sudden discovery in the crypt had brought a new, unsettling dimension to the mystery. A hidden long sealed and forgotten, secret, even deeper and more dangerous than they had imagined. Back in the crypt, with its whispering shadows and ancient stones, everything seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the truths it concealed to finally emerge into the light.

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The DNA of Duplicity

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:28:31 +0000

Detective Will Grady reveals

A piece of evidence, previously overlooked, emerged under the scrutiny of the forensic team, promising to shed light on the dark corners of the Blackwood mystery. 

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Puzzling Pieces

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:19:49 +0000

Detective Will Grady ponders the case.

The case was unlike any other, tangled with centuries of secrets and lies. My team and I were piecing together a puzzle that spanned generations, where every clue seemed to lead deeper into the Blackwood family's enigmatic past.

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Genealogy of Guilt

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 04:15:50 +0000

Cecilia Beauchamp

The Boudoir:

The diary entry

Rich, deep-colored walls adorned with floral wallpaper.

Heavy velvet drapes frame a large bay window, through which the mellow light of the setting sun filters in, casting a warm, amber glow.

An ornate mahogany writing desk with intricate carvings, placed near the window, has an open diary, an inkwell, and a quill.

A large, gilt-framed mirror reflects the room, adding depth and a hint of the lady's reflection as she writes.

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The Family Skeleton

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:24:22 +0000

And so, under the watchful eye of history, the team found themselves in a race against time, unravelling a mystery that was centuries in the making. The game was afoot, and the players were ready. But were they prepared for the truths they were about to unearth? Only time will tell.

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Deciphering Death

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:21:04 +0000

The stage was set for a wits-versus-time, secrets-versus-truth struggle against the terrifying unpredictability of what lay ahead. The players were prepared for the game, and the stakes were high. They had no idea that the real game had only just begun.

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The Inherited Secret

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:19:19 +0000

The inherited secret had set a chain of events in motion—events that would shake the very foundations of the Blackwood family and forever change the course of Abby's investigation. The ghost of the past had begun to stir, and there was no turning back. Little did they know, the journey they had embarked upon was far from over. They were only at the beginning.

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Unearthing the Past

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:15:19 +0000

The participants had been assigned their roles, the stage had been set, and the game of life and death had begun in grand Agatha Christie fashion. It was time to confront the resurrected ghosts of the past. Were Abby and Liz ready for the shocking discoveries that were about to be revealed? The solution remained hidden in old texts and the ancestral halls of Blackwood Manor.

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The Masquerade of Shadows

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:10:44 +0000

In the echoing halls of Blackwood Manor, a murder not only shatters the present but reverberates through centuries of secrets. “The Genealogist’s Challenge: Murder in the Family Tree” invites you into a world where the past is not just a memory but a key to mysteries.

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