Discover the Libray of Best Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

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Title: A Small Town in Germany

Author: John le Carré

Narrator: Michael Jayston

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-05-13

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 126 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

A New York Times Best Seller

The British Embassy in Bonn is up in arms. Her Majesty's financially troubled government is seeking admission to Europe's Common Market just as anti-British factions are rising to power in Germany. Rioters are demanding reunification, and the last thing the Crown can afford is a scandal. Then Leo Harting - an embassy nobody - goes missing with a case full of confidential files. London sends Alan Turner to control the damage, but he soon realizes that neither side really wants Leo found alive.

Set against the threat of a German-Soviet alliance, John le Carré's A Small Town in Germany is a superb chronicle of Cold War paranoia and political compromise.

Members Reviews:

very good spy/mystery

i must preface this review by saying that I came to this straight after listening to the entire Smiley series and thoroughly enjoying all of its intricacies and Smiley himself is a great character and so I didn't quite enjoy this as much as i should perhaps. it is again well written, well narrated, well plotted etc and I enjoy the more cerebral spy novels without all the shooting and blowing things up. the mystery aspect and chess game maneuvering is great in LeCarre, but this one is a touch reminiscent of Forsythe's Odessa File near end, which came first i don't know. still enjoyed it but maybe i need to break from LeCarre for a bit and come back and get a little distance from Smiley, as I keep hoping he will somehow pop up in one of his cameo's.

All power corrupts.

"All power corrupts. The loss of power corrupts even more."

Throughout most of this early le Carré novel, I was convinced I would probably rate it three stars. It was interesting, but plodded at times. It seemed a little provincial, a bit dated, ended up being historically incorrect, and seemed almost like le Carré was writing a Henry James ghost story more than a le Carré thriller.

However, by the end I loved it. Chapter 17 (Praschko) right before the Epilogue (a conversation between Praschko, Turner and Bradfield) was absolutely genius. It was one of the most powerful chapters in any book I've come across that wasn't originally written in Russian.

Recollects the Tension, Jingoism and Polarization

Would you consider the audio edition of A Small Town in Germany to be better than the print version?

Michael Jayston is an excellent narrator. Some years ago I heard this same novel read by the author. Jayston's performance is much superior, and he helps to bring the story alive. His English dialects make the characters extremely vivid. Jayston is a professional actor (he played the role of Peter Guillam in the excellent British mini-series Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy) and his ability to read life into the book's characters is very enjoyable.

What did you like best about this story?

Although not a part of the George Smiley/Circus series of novels, this story could certainly take place in that world. Occurring mostly in the British embassy in Bonn, West Germany, the story has a claustrophobic quality not unlike The Spy Who Came In From the Cold. Harking back to Le Carre's earlier books, this is as much of a mystery as an espionage story, and the intriguing melding of the two genres will be perfected in his later masterpiece, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

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Title: The Russia House

Author: John le Carré

Narrator: Michael Jayston

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-05-13

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 165 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

"The Soviet knight is dying inside his armour."

"Glasnost" is on everyone's lips, but the rules of the game havent changed for either side. When a beautiful Russian woman foists off a manuscript on an unwitting bystander at the Moscow Book Fair, it's a miracle that she flies under the Soviets' radar. Or does she? The woman's source (codename: Bluebird) will trust only Barley Blair, a whiskey-soaked gentleman publisher with a poet's heart. Coerced by British and American Intelligence, Blair journeys to Moscow to determine whether Bluebird's manuscript contains the truth - or the darkest of fictions.

At once poignant and suspenseful, John le Carré's The Russia House is a captivating saga of lives caught in the crosshairs of history.

Members Reviews:

difficult poetry

I personally think LeCarre is one of the most difficult writers to actually read. I finally got the hang of it when I listened to him read one of his novels. He translates himself wonderfully, but this is not always what narrators or film makers can do. Russia House is one of my favorite movies, as much for the music as the story. I read Dawin8u's review and decided to try this narrator because I knew the story well and loved it.

Either I am getting better at listening or Jayston understands well enough to translate. He did a wonderful job with a difficult writer. The problem with LeCarre is that a chess game of characters and plots moves into poetry and then dance. He, LeCarre, has not just complex plots but complex interest in the goals of writing. The intellectual and the sensual seem to take equal weight and until one arrives at the willingness to translate these strands into comprehension whole parts of a story refuse to read. There may be something about writers attempting to understand Russia that I like as well. Martin Cruz Smith writes in ways that read like poetry in his Renko books.

Spying is Waiting.

"The old isms were dead, the contest between Communism and capitalism had ended in a wet whimper. Its rhetoric had fled underground into the secret chambers of the grey men, who were still dancing away long after the music had ended."

I love 'The Russia House'. I love the anger; the way the novel seems to capture all the threads that le Carré had woven in most all of his cold war novels and noose both sides. I love it for its humanity. In some ways it reminded me of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four: with the bureaucracies/grey men of both sides of the Cold War desperate to continue the fight, desperate for an enemy, desperate for perpetual fear for the greater good.

While I was knocked over by Orwell's GREAT novel, I never cared for Winston Smith quite the same way I cared for Scott Blair. Le Carré's genius is making you absolutely love his sinners and fear his saints, and then making you forget which is which and who is who. The West is mirrored by the East. We have become what we feared, what we fought.. Ultimately, le Carré's characters become like family. Yes, they are flawed. Yes, they are giants. Yes, they are petty...and, utimately they are you.

Dense

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Too long and too dense even for Le Carre.

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Title: The Devil's Waters

Subtitle: A USAF Pararescue Thriller, Book 1

Author: David L. Robbins

Narrator: Benjamin L. Darcie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-30-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 358 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

David L. Robbins, author of the war classic War of the Rats, delivers another heart-stopping, deeply researched military adventure, this time right off todays front pages.

The US militarys most highly trained and elite unit is the US Air Force pararescuers, known as PJs. All battle-hardened vets, their motto is "That Others May Live". Their singular mission is CSAR: Combat Search and Rescue. But, off the Horn of Africa, one PJ unit is tasked with a desperate assignment that goes against its oath: Take down a cargo ship full of secrets thats been captured by Somali pirates. The team doesnt hesitate, because one of its own is already on board the hijacked ship. There, they will face ruthless Yusuf Raage, a pirate leader who will sacrifice anything and anyone to keep his captured ship. The PJs have only one hour before the ship is destroyed by a missile, with all hands and cargo aboard.

Members Reviews:

Excellent military/espionage novel

There is a tendency for military thriller authors to substitute continuous action and fabricated suspense for a real plot. The Devil's Waters has all of the action and suspense expected while also having a strong plot. This is the first novel in the USAF Pararescue Thriller series. It is a better novel than The Empty Quarter which is the second book in the series (I reviewed it 13 months ago). The team fights Somali pirates without understanding their real mission is espionage against Iran. Some reviewers write that this novel is unrealistic. I disagree! The espionage scenario by the US could easily occur.

A good Military action novel

I am so glad to see a book about the United States Air Force. At times I feel the authors have forgotten this service. This is a highly engaging fast pace military action story. A big freighter is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the cargo is top secret, the order goes out get it back at all costs. The only unit close by is a USAF Para-rescue Jumpers (PJ) a combat search and rescue group stationed in Djibouti. They are usually not a combat operation unit but all the men are combat trained medical rescue people. Robbins spend a considerable amount of time researching this book both military framework and the characters. The amount of time spent on character building would imply Robbins is planning this to be a series rather than a stand alone book. There is lots of action, suspense and thrills in the book to keep one glued to the story. If you enjoy a military action story this book is for you. If you wish to learn a bit about the horn of Africa this book would interest you. Benjamin L Darcie did a good job reading the story.

Ridiculous story line

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story line could be reasonable.

Has The Devil's Waters turned you off from other books in this genre?

I stopped listening to the book with an hour and 20 minutes left, because the story line was so ridiculous and treated the PJs as if the were totally inept.

What aspect of Benjamin L. Darcies performance would you have changed?

It was okay.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Devil's Waters?

Many of the fighting scenes would have been edited to eliminate discussions that would not have occurred at the time.

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Title: Live and Let Die

Author: Ian Fleming

Narrator: Rory Kinnear

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-30-12

Publisher: Ian Fleming Publications Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

When 007 goes to Harlem its not just for the jazz. This is the kingdom of Mr Big, master of crime, voodoo baron and partner in SMERSHs grim company of death. Those who Mr Big cannot possess, he crushes like his beautiful prisoner, Solitaire, and her would-be saviours James Bond and Agency man, Felix Leiter. All three are marked out as victims in a trail of terror, treachery and torture that leads from New Yorks underworld to the shark-infested island in the sun that Mr Big calls his own.

Ian Fleming was born in London in 1908. He was educated at Eton and worked as a journalist in Moscow and a banker and stockbroker in London before becoming personal assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence during the Second World War. He wrote his first Bond novel, Casino Royale, in 1952 at Goldeneye, his home in Jamaica. Since then James Bond has gone on to become a global phenomenon.

Rory Kinnear, a renowned theatre actor, won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor for his performances as Angelo in Measure for Measure and the title role in Hamlet, and gained an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Sir Fopling Flutter in The Man of Mode. His TV credits include Count Arthur Strong, Lucan, Women in Love and Black Mirror, and he played Bill Tanner in the Bond films Quantum of Solace and Skyfall.

Critic Reviews:

"Speed tremendous zest communicated excitement. Brrh! How wincingly well Mr Fleming writes." (Sunday Times)

"Tense; ice-cold, sophisticated." (The Evening Standard)

"Dont blame me if you get a stroke." (The Observer)

"This is an ingenious affair, full of recondite knowledge and horrific spills and thrills." (The Times)

"The second adventure of his Secret Service agent fully maintains the promise of his first bookcontaining passages which for sheer excitement have not been surpassed by any modern writer of this kind." (Times Literary Supplement)

Members Reviews:

A product of its time

Nicely performed and written. Rory Kinnear sounds a little condescending but JB is not a boy scout. He is a cold blooded killer who is very professional and lucky. He gets hurt, he feels pain and he has ambition. He is human, something the movies seem to only touch on as they need Bond to have sex. A little hard if you don't feel. Yes this book is dated in language and attitude, but it was written back in 1954. I am so glad they didn't update the language as it would be all wrong. Would be nice to see Ian Fleming's James Bond novels made into a TV series set in the 1950s without all the stupid gadgets and over the top explosions.

A decent read to pass the time

Ian Fleming's second 007 novel is probably not the most intense or action-packed of his repetoire, but it is a fairly enjoyable read. Bond's investigation into illegal currency trafficking leads him into a culture entrenched in voodoo superstition.

Rory Kinnear does a great job of narrating the story. His crisp British tones are perfect for the story and he brings Bond to life superbly. His voicework for Mr Bigg's goons is a joy to listen to, however his attempts at American accents are terrible and thankfully infrequent.

One thing this audiobook has done is instill in me an incentive to get the next in the series. I've always been a huge fan of the Bond films, but never read the books.

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Title: A Foreign Country

Author: Charles Cumming

Narrator: Jot Davies

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-07-12

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 204 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

From the internationally acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author of The Trinity Six, Charles Cumming, comes A Foreign Country, a compelling tale of deceit and betrayal, conspiracy and redemption.

Members Reviews:

After a good start, story drifts

What did you like best about A Foreign Country? What did you like least?

After an interesting beginning, the story loses some steam and the plot gets a little far fetched. The reason for the French secret service being the bad guy is given a weak explanation. Over all, this proved to be just an ordinary audiobook.

Jack in Marin

Would you be willing to try another book from Charles Cumming? Why or why not?

Yes! I have listened to several other Cumming books. I enjoy the stories involving the WWI nurse.

What does Jot Davies bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The reader did a good job and made it easier to finish the story. Had I read the book, I might have given it up.

Could you see A Foreign Country being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It is not a blockbuster story. I doubt it is unique and/or compelling enough for a movie or TV show.

Any additional comments?

I enjoy my Audible membership. On the rare occasions that I have had problem your customer service staff resolved them promptly.

Worth listening

So many reviews promise spy thrillers similar to le Carre and Greene. This one does have echoes. I liked it much more than Steinhauer, whose characters I can't seem to care about. Cumming's ending wouldn't have come from le Carre or Greene (planning a series?) but this was the first thriller in a long time I wanted to listen to without a break. Another reviewer suggested it's a slow starter; but I was hooked from the first paragraph.

Narrator Great, Story Starts Very slowly

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed this book because the narrator was excellent (none of us chronic Audible devotees think the narrator is of marginal importance, of course). But the story got off to a VERY slow start. Once it got rolling, it was worth the wait, but persistence is required.

What does Jot Davies bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

He has a wonderful facility with the differentiation of accents and gender.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Depending on the casting, the book would make a good movie.

great intrigue!

this was my first book by Charles Cumming and I thoroughly enjoyed it. those who liked Night Heron and Red Sparrow will enjoy this one.

Kept waiting for it to get interesting

It felt like a summary, not a complete book. Narrator did not hold my attention.

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Title: Sentinel

Subtitle: Spycatcher, Book 2

Author: Matthew Dunn

Narrator: Rich Orlow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-07-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 57 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

The United States and Russia are on the brink of war and only Will Cochrane - the master spy introduced in the critically acclaimed Spycatcher - can find and unmask the diabolical double agent responsible for it all in this enthralling espionage thriller, written by a real-life former field officer.

Fourteen days ago, CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, received a cryptic message from an agent operating deep undercover in Russia: "He has betrayed us and wants to go to war." Unable to make contact, the director of operations is forced to turn to one of his most deadly field officers - Will Cochrane. His mission is simple: infiltrate the remote submarine base in eastern Russia's Avacha Bay, locate the MI6 agent operating under the code name Svelte, and decode his message - or die trying.

It's a near-impossible task - even for a man who carries the code name Spartan, a title given to the most effective and deadliest Western intelligence officers. Will successfully locates the base but finds Svelte near death, his last words a final clue: Only Sentinel can stop him.

Meanwhile, political and economic tensions between the United States and Russia are rising by the day, with both sides rounding up known enemy sleeper agents within their borders for interrogation. Now it's up to Will - with the help of the top-secret joint CIA-MI6 Spartan Section - to uncover the true meaning of Svelte's message . . . and discover the identity of the legendary operative known only as Sentinel.

Members Reviews:

Promising but unrealalized potential

After reading a few reviews of Matthew Dunn's other books I decided to start with Sentinel. Unfortunately that didn't save it for me. Rarely do I stop listening to a book before the end, but I did with Sentinel. The characters are a flat, not dynamic at all and I found the plot started to DRAG very quickly. I found myself wanting to listen to almost anything else before I'd gotten 1/2 way through. By the 2/3 mark I had to punch out...

Additionally Rich Orlow's narration is not my particular favorite. The character's voices get garbled and indistinct after a very short while. Listen to the sample and imagine adding a bunch of characters, something I normally like, but no way to differentiate them. FRUSTRATING.

All this is too bad because there are moments that hint at more. But those moments come too far apart for me to continue. I really wanted to like this book, but I am sorry to say I'll be asking for my credit back.

Predictable and boring

Sorry, burn the super hero Will Cochran is beginning to bore me. Involnerable, always restistant towards beautiful women and always the gentlemen. this is my third book and I think also my last. I'm longing for an English novel, bored to death by the word vehicle. what's wrong with car, lorry, truck? How many times is the word vehicle used in this book? To many!

Will Cochrane storyline series is the best.

narrator easy to listen to. maybe some things that continually happen to the hero are over the top, a secret agent series that's always captivating. highly recommended Will Cochrane series!

The reader distracted from the story

Would you listen to Sentinel again? Why?

No. The story was okay but the reader was distracting. Most of the action scenes were really far-fetched and the main character seemed too robotic.

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Title: The Tailor of Panama

Author: John le Carré

Narrator: John le Carré

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-10-12

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

Le Carre's Panama is a Casablanca without heroes, a hotbed of drugs, laundered money and corruption. It is also the country which on December 31, 1999, will gain full control of the Panama Canal.

Seldom has the weight of politics descended so heavily on such a tiny and unprepared nation. And seldom has the hidden eye of the British Intelligence selected such an unlikely champion as Harry Pendel - a charmer, a dreamer, an evader, a fabulist and presiding genius to the house of Pendel & Braithwaite Co. Limitada, Tailors to Royalty, formerly of London and presently of Panama City.

Yet there is a logic to the spies' choice, for everybody who is anybody in Cental America passes through Pendel's doors. He dresses politicos and crooks and conmen. His fitting room hears more confidences than the priest's confessional. And when Harry Pendel doesn't hear things as such - well, he hears them anyway, by other means.

In a thrilling, hilarious AudioBook, le Carre once again effortlessly expands the borders of the spy story to bring us a magnificent entertainment straight out of the pages of tomorrow's history.

Critic Reviews:

"Le Carre remains far in front in his field, a startlingly up-to-date storyteller who writes as well about the shadows around the power elite as anyone alive."(Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Read by the author- such a wonderful book

This book is fantastic- to hear it read by the author makes this listen sublime.

Did not enjoy this book.

I did not enjoy this book. The narrator changed the volume of his voice too much, meaning at normal volume other voices were an inaudible whisper, and when turned up to hear the whispers, normal voices were painfully loud. The story I found to be boring, and when the book was over, I wondered to some extent what it was about.

A Good Spy Tale

I got this abridged version as it was narrated by Le Carre. I liked the story as I am interested in spy novels, and I have read Le Carre in the past. The narration was difficult in parts as Le Carre spoke softly for Harry Pendel, and I had to turn up the volume to get it. Also it is difficult for a man to do a female voice and a spanish accent even more difficult, so the female parts were lost a bit in the narration.

If you are looking for a short spy caper then this would be a good one.

His Masters voice

Yet another wonderful tale by the spymaster in chief. Beautifully read by the author himself.

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Title: Mission to Paris

Author: Alan Furst

Narrator: Daniel Gerroll

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-12-12

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 427 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

From the New York Times best-selling author and the "modern-day master of the genre" (Newsday) comes a gripping novel of espionage and deception in 1938 pre-war Paris.

At the center of the intrigue is Hollywood star Frederic Stahl. September 1938. On the eve of the Munich Appeasement, Stahl arrives in Paris, on loan from Warner Brothers to star in a French film. He quickly becomes entangled in the shifting political currents of pre-war Paris - French fascists, German Nazis, and his Hollywood publicists all have their fates tied to him. But members of the clandestine spy world of Paris have a deeper interest in Stahl, sensing a potential asset in a handsome, internationally renowned actor.

Ranging from the high society of glittering Paris to film set locations in far-away Damascus and Budapest, Alan Furst's new novel confirms his status as a writer whose stories unfold "like a vivid dream" (The Wall Street Journal).

Members Reviews:

Cary Grant Goes to Paris

This is my first introduction (other than by reputation) to Alan Furst, and while the novel was interesting and well-researched from a historical perspective it just wasn't a great spy thriller. Perhaps, I was hoping Mission to Paris would be grittier, but it seems like Furst was more interested in telling this pre-WWII spy novel in the tone and style of a Cary Grant/Gary Cooper movie script.

Stahl is a pawn in a political/spy/war game between big power; a lover of a lot of attractive and dangerous women; a reluctant hero, a smoldering spy. Yeesh. It wasn't THAT over-the-top, but it just wasn't what I expected. Predicable, and almost throw-away, but still enjoyable. Mission to Paris is a good vacation or beach read, just not a spectacular spy novel.

The narration was dynamic. David Gerroll, like Furst himself, pays attention to the details.

Average story with unexpected delights

This is not Alan Furst's best novel, by any stretch. The plot and the characters are good but not unexceptional and, if it's not wasted money to buy this book, you probably will be able to put it down long enough for convenience breaks.

I enjoyed Daniel Gerroll's reading very much. He doesn't act out the characters and scenes although he gives each character a different voice. What was unexpected and a great delight is to have the impression, very often, of hearing Peter Sellers' Pink Panther in many of the dialogues. Same tone, same inflection, same way to end a sentence by letting it die down.

The Best Alan Furst novel

I read the reviews of this novel and wondered whether or not I would like it. What finally made me choose to buy it was the reference to Cary Grant. In my view this is better than a Cary Grant feature. I like Cary Grant yet this is better than any feature film of Cary Grant. I only wish he had been able to do this work on film. This is a feel good to be an American book and I love it! I think the best characteristics of being an American are noted here in this story. I enjoyed this book. It made me feel so grateful to be an American living in America!

An Exciting Story of a Darkening Europe

Alan Furst is one of very few authors whose books I automatically read as they are published, without waiting for either professional or readers reviews. Ive yet to be disappointed, and his newest, Mission to Paris, is among his best works.

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Title: Live and Let Drood

Author: Simon R. Green

Narrator: Gideon Emery

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-05-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 298 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

The New York Times best-selling author of the Nightside series, Simon R. Green has won widespread acclaim and an immense following for his Secret Histories novels featuring Eddie Shaman Bond Drood. In Greens action-packed riff on everyones favorite superspy, Eddie once again finds himself at the center of supernatural intrigue. And even though protecting humanity from the forces of darkness is nothing new to Eddie, he now faces a threat thats leaving him both shaken and stirred.

Members Reviews:

Weird. . .

I liked this book. Having said that, the end is kind of a cop out. You can see what's coming fairly early on. It sets up the next few books in the series. The Regent is a pretty awesome character. Emery did his usual job. His Molly cracks me up.

My Favorite Drood Tale

I listened to this one straight through. The narration was outstanding. I liked this because it was more plot centric rather than non-stop random violence. Without giving anything away, Molly has become less edgy (more of a wuss) and didn't respond the way I would have expected based on a major revelation. Her sisters were also a bit more forgiving than I would have thought. I downgraded the story to a four because of that. I still enjoyed the whole experience and look forward to the next one.

Another book that I wish didn't end...

Any additional comments?

I love the books that make me curse them for ending too soon and wishing for another right away. This...is one of those books.

Full of surpises Eddie and Molly at it again

Would you listen to Live and Let Drood again? Why?

Maybe if this is the last one of the series We hope Mr Green will keep up the good work

What other book might you compare Live and Let Drood to and why?

Not sure it has an interesting ending which will lead to a new series if we are lucky

What does Gideon Emery bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

We like Mr Gideon he does it right and we enjoy listening to him Keep up the professional work

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Sorry we are a group of truck drivers who only get 4-5 hours max to listen, but we burn up good books like our trucks burn fuel

Any additional comments?

We hope Mr Green will continue his stories alot of us enjoy them with his varied charactors

Drood and let Listen

Sorry about that chief!

I really enjoy listening to this series. I'm a fan of Mr. Green and I think this series is the best so far.

The banter between Molly and Eddie is enjoyable but sometimes its a little adolescent (one love and all that delusion).

Even though it gets kind of irritating, I would still buy the next audible book.

Thanks for making my evenings more enjoyable and light hearted!

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Title: Istanbul Passage

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Joseph Kanon

Narrator: Jefferson Mays

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-29-12

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 393 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Espionage

Publisher's Summary:

From the acclaimed, best-selling author of Stardust, The Good German, and Los Alamos - a gripping tale of an American undercover agent in 1945 Istanbul who descends into the murky cat-and-mouse world of compromise and betrayal that will come to define the entire postwar era.

A neutral capital straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul has spent the war as a magnet for refugees and spies. Even American businessman Leon Bauer has been drawn into this shadow world, doing undercover odd jobs and courier runs for the Allied war effort. Now, as the espionage community begins to pack up and an apprehensive city prepares for the grim realities of postwar life, he is given one more assignment, a routine job that goes fatally wrong, plunging him into a tangle of intrigue and moral confusion.

Played out against the bazaars and mosques and faded mansions of this knowing, ancient Ottoman city, Leon's attempt to save one life leads to a desperate manhunt and a maze of shifting loyalties that threatens his own. How do you do the right thing when there are only bad choices to make? Istanbul Passage is the story of a man swept up in the aftermath of war, an unexpected love affair, and a city as deceptive as the calm surface waters of the Bosphorus that divides it.

Rich with atmosphere and period detail, Joseph Kanon's latest novel flawlessly blends fact and fiction into a haunting thriller about the dawn of the Cold War, once again proving why Kanon has been hailed as the "heir apparent to Graham Greene" (The Boston Globe).

Critic Reviews:

"Istanbul Passage bristles with authenticity. Joseph Kanon has a unique and admirable talent: He brilliantly marries suspense and historical fact, wrapping them around a core of pure human drama, while making it seem effortless. This isn't just talent; it's magic." (Olen Steinhauer, New York Times best-selling author of The Tourist)

"Istanbul Passage is a first-rate espionage novel, filled with complexity and thrills, but its greatest success may be in this much more universal literary exploration: how an ordinary man is transformed by extraordinary circumstances." (Publishers Weekly)

"With dialogue that can go off like gunfire and a streak of nostalgia that feels timeless, this book takes its place among espionage novels as an instant classic." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Terrific story!

I loved this book - it was a bit slow at the start, but it picked up and i found myself listening to it even when I wasn't in the car (my usually listening spot). The reader is fabulous, and I'm only sorry I don't have the hard copy so I can check out all the places in it when we go to Istanbul.

What choice do you make when all options are bad?

Leon Bauer is, or appears to be, just an agent for American tobacco interests in Turkey. Rejected for military service, he's spent several years in Istanbul, learning the language and customs and steeping himself in the beautiful city that sits between east and west. With his German refugee wife, Anna, he has made Istanbul his home. Even after World War II ends, he has no desire to return to the United States.

Leon's other life is on the fringes of the intelligence community. He does occasional side jobs, mostly package deliveries, for a friend at the U.S. consulate.