The Secret Lovers Audiobook By Charles McCarry cover art

The Secret Lovers

A Paul Christopher Novel

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The Secret Lovers

By: Charles McCarry
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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Early one morning in West Berlin, a nervous courier delivers the handwritten manuscript of a dissident Russian novel to Paul Christopher. Minutes after the handoff, the courier's spine is neatly snapped by an impact with a passing black sedan. Meanwhile, in Rome, Christopher's wife, Cathy, takes a famous film director as a lover to stir her husband out of the stoicism that defines his personality.

These two seemingly discrete events set in motion a spiral of operational and personal intrigue, leading Christopher from the cafés of old Europe to the front lines of the Cold War in the Congo. As he secretly arranges the publication of a novel that could bring the Soviet system to its knees, he races to identify the leak that compromised his messenger and possibly the entire mission.

Spy guy: don't miss more from Charles McCarry.©1977 Charles McCarry (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc. Espionage Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense Marriage

Critic reviews

"The absolute best thriller writer alive." (P.J. O'Rourke)
"Mr. McCarry's spy novels...are as much a part of our national literature as the works of Mark Twain, Raymond Chandler, and Ernest Hemingway and...belong on the shelves of anyone who thinks good books matter." (Otto Penzler)

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Elegant Writing • Intricate Plot • Multidimensional Characters • Amazing Tale
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the first ten chapters built a bit slowly, but so glad I stayed for the finish. excellent writing, story, characterizations.

slow to start but well worth the listen

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It’s like when you have a knot in a thin chain necklace, the unraveling is so complex, satisfying, surprising…

Amazing

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This is without doubt the best love story/spy thriller I have encountered in many listens. The reader is great and it was surprising to me how well a male author captured female views. So many of these tales just want justify a womans roll in the ranks of spys and cops. This one was much more.

The Best

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Once again, this author has wound and then unraveled an amazing tale that makes it hard to pause. The narration is outstanding, just as this tale deserves.

An unexpected surprise

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I enjoyed the story, but am confused. In book 2 Paul had already separated, or divorced himself from Kathy. He was with Molly at that time. Now in book 3 he’s with Kathy…

Confused

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

My mother recommended this audiobook and I wholeheartedly agree with her recommendation. This book is elegantly written with an intricate, meticulously-drawn plot and multi-dimensional characters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The writer, "Kamensky", was my favourite character because of his profound capacity to love.

Have you listened to any of Stefan Rudnicki’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No - but I thought this performance was wonderful.

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

Yes.

Any additional comments?

The Secret Lovers is so much more than a spy thriller. It is a love story told with such elegant brilliance that it took my breath away.

Thank you, Mom!

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In the telling of the life of Paul Christopher, this is essential to understand him. Wonderful telling of the story, revealed one petal at a time. Outstanding.

Essential

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The story is just so irrelevant, the plot is boring, the whole thing is slow, struggled to get to the end. And sexualazation of women in this book made me very uncomfortable. The narrator is quite good, making the best of very bad book

So boring...

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Worth the time and very enjoyable.

Good Listen

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Too long and never got excited about the book. Could not get the story right.

Nothing

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