
The Doll
A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $20.25
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Hillary Huber
-
By:
-
Taylor Stevens
About this listen
“A heroine every bit as provocative as Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander.” –The Dallas Morning News
Haunted by a life of violence and as proficient with languages as she is with knives, Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and hunter, has built her life on a reputation for getting things done—dangerous and often not-quite-legal things. Born to missionary parents in lawless Africa, taken under the tutelage of gunrunners, and tortured by one of the jungle’s most brutal men, Munroe was forced to do whatever it took to stay alive.
The ability to survive, fight, adapt, and blend has since taken her across the globe on behalf of corporations, heads of state, and the few private clients who can afford her unique brand of expertise, and these abilities have made her enemies.
On a busy Dallas street, Munroe is kidnapped by an unseen opponent and thrust into an underground world where women and girls are merchandise and a shadowy figure known as The Doll Maker controls her every move. While trusted friends race to unravel where she is and why she was taken, everything pivots on one simple choice: Munroe must use her unique set of skills to deliver a high-profile young woman into the same nightmare that she once endured, or condemn to torture and certain death the one person she loves above all else.
Driven by the violence that has made her what she is, cut off from help, and with attempts to escape predicted and prevented, Munroe will hunt for openings, for solutions, and a way to strike back at a man who holds all the cards. Because only one thing is certain: she cannot save everyone.
In this high-octane thriller for fans of Lee Child, Stieg Larsson, and Robert Ludlum's Bourne trilogy, Vanessa Michael Munroe will have to fight fast, smart and furiously to overcome a dangerous nemesis and deliver her trademark brand of justice.
©2013 Taylor Stevens (P)2013 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Informationist
- A Thriller
- By: Taylor Stevens
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vanessa “Michael” Munroe deals in information - expensive information - working for corporations, heads of state, private clients, and anyone else who can pay for her unique brand of expertise. Born to missionary parents in lawless central Africa, Munroe took up with an infamous gunrunner and his mercenary crew when she was just fourteen. As his protégé, she earned the respect of the jungle's most dangerous men, cultivating her own reputation for years until something sent her running. After almost a decade building a new life and lucrative career from her home base in Dallas, she's never looked back. Until now....
-
-
Strong premise & character descend into melodrama
- By John C. on 05-12-11
By: Taylor Stevens
-
Liars' Legacy
- By: Taylor Stevens
- Narrated by: Jennifer O'Donnell
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Broker is dead. The secret network he controlled has lost its restraints. From the darkest deep-state enclave to the farthest reaches of the planet, the world's deadliest assassins are now free to pursue their own agendas. The United States government, unwilling to risk upheaval and global chaos, has preemptively mobilized killers of its own to hunt down and terminate each threat. Among the most dangerous agents on this list are Jack and Jill.
-
-
Clever and timely
- By Lara on 02-05-20
By: Taylor Stevens
-
The Maddie Castle Series, Books 1-3: The Handler - Tracking Justice - Hunting Grounds (Maddie Castle Box Sets Book 1)
- By: L.T. Ryan, C.R. Gray
- Narrated by: Katie Hagaman
- Length: 27 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dive into the world of Maddie Castle, a retired K9 handler turned private investigator, in this heart-pounding collection of the first three novels in the bestselling series. From gripping mysteries to life-threatening pursuits, Maddie and her canine partners battle danger, corruption, and their own pasts to bring justice to those who need it most.
-
-
4 star story
- By Marie Anderson on 05-06-25
By: L.T. Ryan, and others
-
Her Deadly Game
- Keera Duggan, Book 1
- By: Robert Dugoni
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. For the competitive former chess prodigy, returning to her family’s failing criminal defense law firm to work for her father is the best shot she has. With the right moves, she hopes to restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.
-
-
Legal thriller filled with twists!
- By Wayne on 03-28-23
By: Robert Dugoni
-
The Secret Hours
- By: Mick Herron
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, investigating "historical over-reaching" by the British Secret Service “to investigate historical over-reaching.” Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer—and allowed Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, the two civil servants seconded to the project, unfettered access to any and all confidential information in the Service archives in order to do so. But MI5’s formidable First Desk did not become Britain’s top spy by accident, and she has successfully thwarted the inquiry at every turn.
-
-
Just about perfect
- By June Lapidow on 09-28-23
By: Mick Herron
-
The Guilty One
- By: Bill Schweigart
- Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every town needs a hero, and Detective Cal Farrell fits the bill. He stopped an active shooter six months earlier, and now he’s become the darling of the Alexandria press. The problem is that Cal remembers nothing from that day. He’s working with a psychiatrist to recover his memories, but hasn’t had much luck. Then, on one of his morning runs, he is once again the first on scene for a grisly discovery—a body hanging impossibly high on a tree. Soon there’s another victim, killed by a blade and dumped in a ravine.
-
-
Simply excellent!
- By Richard S. Swol on 06-16-23
By: Bill Schweigart
-
The Informationist
- A Thriller
- By: Taylor Stevens
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vanessa “Michael” Munroe deals in information - expensive information - working for corporations, heads of state, private clients, and anyone else who can pay for her unique brand of expertise. Born to missionary parents in lawless central Africa, Munroe took up with an infamous gunrunner and his mercenary crew when she was just fourteen. As his protégé, she earned the respect of the jungle's most dangerous men, cultivating her own reputation for years until something sent her running. After almost a decade building a new life and lucrative career from her home base in Dallas, she's never looked back. Until now....
-
-
Strong premise & character descend into melodrama
- By John C. on 05-12-11
By: Taylor Stevens
-
Liars' Legacy
- By: Taylor Stevens
- Narrated by: Jennifer O'Donnell
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Broker is dead. The secret network he controlled has lost its restraints. From the darkest deep-state enclave to the farthest reaches of the planet, the world's deadliest assassins are now free to pursue their own agendas. The United States government, unwilling to risk upheaval and global chaos, has preemptively mobilized killers of its own to hunt down and terminate each threat. Among the most dangerous agents on this list are Jack and Jill.
-
-
Clever and timely
- By Lara on 02-05-20
By: Taylor Stevens
-
The Maddie Castle Series, Books 1-3: The Handler - Tracking Justice - Hunting Grounds (Maddie Castle Box Sets Book 1)
- By: L.T. Ryan, C.R. Gray
- Narrated by: Katie Hagaman
- Length: 27 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dive into the world of Maddie Castle, a retired K9 handler turned private investigator, in this heart-pounding collection of the first three novels in the bestselling series. From gripping mysteries to life-threatening pursuits, Maddie and her canine partners battle danger, corruption, and their own pasts to bring justice to those who need it most.
-
-
4 star story
- By Marie Anderson on 05-06-25
By: L.T. Ryan, and others
-
Her Deadly Game
- Keera Duggan, Book 1
- By: Robert Dugoni
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Keera Duggan was building a solid reputation as a Seattle prosecutor, until her romantic relationship with a senior colleague ended badly. For the competitive former chess prodigy, returning to her family’s failing criminal defense law firm to work for her father is the best shot she has. With the right moves, she hopes to restore the family’s reputation, her relationship with her father, and her career.
-
-
Legal thriller filled with twists!
- By Wayne on 03-28-23
By: Robert Dugoni
-
The Secret Hours
- By: Mick Herron
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome inquiry, investigating "historical over-reaching" by the British Secret Service “to investigate historical over-reaching.” Monochrome’s mission was to ferret out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer—and allowed Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, the two civil servants seconded to the project, unfettered access to any and all confidential information in the Service archives in order to do so. But MI5’s formidable First Desk did not become Britain’s top spy by accident, and she has successfully thwarted the inquiry at every turn.
-
-
Just about perfect
- By June Lapidow on 09-28-23
By: Mick Herron
-
The Guilty One
- By: Bill Schweigart
- Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every town needs a hero, and Detective Cal Farrell fits the bill. He stopped an active shooter six months earlier, and now he’s become the darling of the Alexandria press. The problem is that Cal remembers nothing from that day. He’s working with a psychiatrist to recover his memories, but hasn’t had much luck. Then, on one of his morning runs, he is once again the first on scene for a grisly discovery—a body hanging impossibly high on a tree. Soon there’s another victim, killed by a blade and dumped in a ravine.
-
-
Simply excellent!
- By Richard S. Swol on 06-16-23
By: Bill Schweigart
-
The Kill Artist
- By: Daniel Silva
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the assassination of his wife and son, Gabriel Allon retires from his brutal anti-terrorist career and loses himself in his previous cover job: art restoration. But when Tariq al-Hourani, the Palestinian terrorist responsible for his family’s death, begins a killing spree designed to destroy Middle East peace talks, Gabriel once again slips into the shadowy world of international intrigue. In a global game of hide-and-seek, the motives of Gabriel and Tariq soon become more personal than political.
-
-
Reluctant Assassin
- By Snoodely on 10-30-13
By: Daniel Silva
-
A Clean Kill in Tokyo
- A John Rain Novel
- By: Barry Eisler
- Narrated by: Barry Eisler
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Half American, half Japanese, expert in both worlds but at home in neither, John Rain is the best killer money can buy. You tell him who. You tell him where. He doesn’t care about why... Until he gets involved with Midori Kawamura, a beautiful jazz pianist - and the daughter of his latest kill.
-
-
Intelligent, engaging, clever, and instructive
- By Cholmondeley on 07-04-16
By: Barry Eisler
-
JET - Ops Files
- By: Russell Blake
- Narrated by: Braden Wright
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
JET - Ops Files chronicles the early years of Maya, who would go on to become the Mossad's deadliest operative: the assassin known as Jet.
-
-
Prequel to the JET series about an incredible...
- By Wayne on 10-17-16
By: Russell Blake
-
My Sister's Grave
- Tracy Crosswhite, Book 1
- By: Robert Dugoni
- Narrated by: Emily Sutton-Smith
- Length: 10 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tracy Crosswhite has spent 20 years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House - a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder - is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers.
-
-
Story not for me--but that's just my taste
- By Kathi on 01-30-17
By: Robert Dugoni
-
The Cipher
- Nina Guerrera, Book 1
- By: Isabella Maldonado
- Narrated by: Roxanne Hernandez
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera escaped a serial killer’s trap at 16. Years later, when she’s jumped in a Virginia park, a video of the attack goes viral. Legions of new fans are not the only ones impressed with her fighting skills. The man who abducted her 11 years ago is watching. Determined to reclaim his lost prize, he commits a grisly murder designed to pull her into the investigation...but his games are just beginning. And he’s using the internet to invite the public to play along.
-
-
Not the Right Narrator for This Book
- By N. McCurdy on 01-28-21
-
Redshirts
- A Novel with Three Codas
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the facts that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces; (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations; and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.
-
-
Not his Wheal-house
- By P. Stover on 09-16-13
By: John Scalzi
-
Divergent
- By: Veronica Roth
- Narrated by: Emma Galvin
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
-
-
It's not for me. Loved it anyway.
- By Grant on 05-24-12
By: Veronica Roth
-
The Breakdown
- By: B. A. Paris
- Narrated by: Georgia Maguire
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside - the woman who was killed. She's been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It's a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she'd broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she'd stopped.
-
-
BUY BUY BUY! Read review NO SPOILERS
- By Very disappointed on 07-24-17
By: B. A. Paris
-
Infinite
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Galahad, a faster-than-light spacecraft, carries 50 scientists and engineers on a mission to prepare Kepler 452b, Earth's nearest habitable neighbor at 1400 light years away. With Earth no longer habitable and the Mars colony slowly failing, they are humanity's best hope. After 10 years in a failed cryogenic bed - body asleep, mind awake - William Chanokh's torture comes to an end as the fog clears, the hatch opens, and his friend and fellow hacker, Tom, greets him...by stabbing a screwdriver into his heart. This is the first time William dies.
-
-
a rather complex science fiction story
- By Midwestbonsai on 12-26-17
By: Jeremy Robinson
-
Clockwork Angel
- The Infernal Devices, Book 1
- By: Cassandra Clare
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ehle
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When 16-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
-
-
Melodramatic teenage story in an intriguing world
- By Luke on 09-15-11
By: Cassandra Clare
-
Legion
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
- Length: 2 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stephen Leeds, AKA 'Legion,' is a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of personae: hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personal characteristics and a vast array of highly specialized skills. As the story begins, Leeds and his 'aspects' are drawn into the search for the missing Balubal Razon, inventor of a camera whose astonishing properties could alter our understanding of human history and change the very structure of society.
-
-
The only flaw...
- By Joshua on 12-09-12
-
The Rosary Girls
- By: Richard Montanari
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A devious serial killer lays siege to the city of Philadelphia, brutally sacrificing pretty young Catholic girls on the altar of insanity. As the body count rises, an exceptional investigating partnership struggles to stop him. Detective Jessica Balzano, Philly's Homicide Unit's newest rookie, is teamed up with veteran cop Kevin Byrne, respected for his solve rate and known for his unorthodox methods.
-
-
Excellent Read
- By Paw Paw T on 03-06-05
Critic reviews
"Munroe is a sensational character and Stevens is a sensational writer, and together they put The Doll high on my books-of-the-year list." (Lee Child, New York Times best-selling author of the Jack Reacher series)
"Prolific linguist and exquisitely honed killer Munroe is no less effective here for still suffering from past trauma.… Stevens’ third series outing is another brisk, adrenaline-fueled adventure with a trail of bodies and a damaged protagonist who may live to kill another day." (Library Journal)
"Stevens’ third Munroe book is another international action-adventure with a Bourne-like avenging angel at the reins." (Booklist)
Would you listen to The Doll again? Why?
The only hesitation regarding would I read it again is that there are SO many books I want to read. I'm voracious. But this whole series is among books I might read again if I had another life which let me double my reading!What other book might you compare The Doll to and why?
If you liked The Informationist, Stevens' first book, you will like this one a lot.Have you listened to any of Hillary Huber’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Huber does a great job with this series. If I were writing a suspense book, I'd want her reading it.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I appreciate the anguish and decisions the main character, Vanessa, goes through in trying to master her darker nature and overcome her deep wounds.Any additional comments?
This book is as good as The Informationist. I felt the second one slipped just a bit, but now we're back up to a thrilling read.Fabulous, riveting!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Only complaint I have was not understanding her female companions rationale for some of her actions near the end of the book.
Fabulous again
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What made the experience of listening to The Doll the most enjoyable?
Action packed throughoutWhat was one of the most memorable moments of The Doll?
The endingWhat about Hillary Huber’s performance did you like?
Liked her read very muchWas this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
YesAny additional comments?
Pacing and action similar to her first novelFast paced thrillers
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Got tedious
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you could sum up The Doll in three words, what would they be?
Wild Entertaining ThrillerWhat other book might you compare The Doll to and why?
Hard to compare this to other books because Munroe is so unique. But perhaps the closest are the Beatrix Rose books.What does Hillary Huber bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
She brings emotion and depth to a character that is so different that it might be difficult to form a good picture of.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, all the Vanessa Michael Munroe books are great!Any additional comments?
Another wild and entertaining ride from Taylor Stevens. Her Munroe character is fascinating and complex: the product of a horrific childhood. Hillary Huber does a masterful job as the narrator of the Audiobook version. If you like complex, messy thrillers, I highly recommend "The Doll" and the other Munroe books and audiobooks.Another wild and entertaining with badass Munroe.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed this novel more than I did "The Innocent".and almost as much as "The Informationist" . The plot was tight, the story arc breathtaking and the character development of primary characters continues - builds nicely on what was learned in the first two novels.
If the reader hasn't read the story of Taylor Stevens life, I suggest you go to her website and read a couple of the interviews. This woman writes from her life. She knows what it is like to be an innocent young girl held captive by male nut cases. Michael Vanessa isn't Taylor Stevens, but Stevens history is used to build much of her story and the tenseness of her writing comes out with the difficult life she had as a young girl and woman.
This is a "Worth Your Credit" - I don't award a lot of 5 star ratings-it takes a pretty spectacular book to get 5 stars in my opinion. My 4 star rating is well deserved for his book. The Narrator gets 5 stars for her ability!
An excellent follow up to "The Informationist"
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great Audiobook
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Exceptional
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Michael's Intriguing heroine.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Timeless entertainment
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.