This is the first time reviewing a book that I didn't read. Rather, I listened to it. There's a while in post-operative recovery where "reading" is just too darned hard, but "listening" is possible. Unfortunately, I fall asleep with podcasts, and audio books turn out to be not too different, so in practice I think I've listened to this story about twice in overlapping chunks. (And in case you're wondering, yes, I'm reviewing months after reading, er, listening. If you can't read, you're certainly not going to write a review at the time!)
This is very mid-sequence Pratchett. Ankh-Morpork is not yet evolving, as with the later Vimes and von Lipwig stories, but the common danger is no longer the Dungeon Dimensions, either. The threat is an utterly insane assassin, Teatime, on a particularly disruptive mission.
It's really a Death book, and I've never got on with them particularly well, for reasons I've never worked out. I love Death as a minor character, but whenever his plotlines become centre-stage... it's just not my thing. Predictably, the book didn't set my world on fire.
Having said that, it's much better than I might have feared. The plot is good fun and full of very Discworld logic, driven by the best villain that Discworld's ever had. It's a shame that (spoiler!) he gets his comeuppance at the end of the book, so that he's unavailable for any sequels! Susan is also extremely good (and well voice-acted).
Summary: Pretty good, actually.
Posted 2022-05-04.