Product guide

Only the Dead (DCI Bennett Book 1) Audiobook

Only the Dead is the first DCI Bennett audiobook, by Malcolm Hollingdrake and narrated by Nicholas Camm. The crime thriller follows DCI Cyril Bennett and DS David Owen as they investigate two infant deaths while a killer stages attacks with sulphur mustard.

At a glance

The first book in the DCI Bennett series, centred on detectives Cyril Bennett and David Owen.
The investigation combines the discovery of two dead infants at a teacher training college with attacks staged by a killer seeking revenge.
The unabridged recording runs for 8 hours and 23 minutes.

Price

£4.99Save 61.64%

Reference price: ~~£13.01~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

The two connected investigations offer listeners parallel strands of crime and detective work.
The unabridged audio format provides a substantial single-title listening session.

Technical specifications

8 specifications

Audiobook details
Format	Audiobook
Edition	Unabridged
Listening length	8 hours and 23 minutes
Language	English
Publication date	5 Oct. 2017

Credits
Author	Malcolm Hollingdrake
Narrator	Nicholas Camm
Publisher	QUEST from W. F. Howes Ltd

What to know before buying

The plot includes the deaths of two infants and attacks involving sulphur mustard, which may be difficult subject matter for some listeners.

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Listeners seeking a British police procedural with two linked investigative threads.
Audiobook listeners who want an unabridged crime thriller of around eight and a half hours.

Less suited to

Listeners who prefer lighter subject matter or want to avoid plot elements involving dead infants and chemical attacks.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.1 / 5 · 2,372 ratings

5 stars44%44%
4 stars34%34%
3 stars16%16%
2 stars4%4%
1 star2%2%

Customer feedback describes an engaging crime story, highlighting plot twists, two storylines, writing and character development. This aligns with the listing's parallel investigations, though the aggregate ratings also include a notable middle-rating share, so positive reactions should not be taken as universal. The reported praise concerns the book, not an independent assessment of the narration.

Positive themes

Customer feedback praises the plot twists, writing quality, character development and detailed treatment of the story.

Frequently asked questions

What is Only the Dead about?

DCI Cyril Bennett and DS David Owen investigate the deaths of two infants at a teacher training college while pursuing a killer staging sulphur mustard attacks.

Who wrote and narrates the audiobook?

It is written by Malcolm Hollingdrake and narrated by Nicholas Camm.

How long is the audiobook?

The listed listening length is 8 hours and 23 minutes.

Is this an abridged recording?

The listing describes it as unabridged.