Narrator Edoardo Ballerini once again invites listeners into the lives of retired legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon and a host of familiar characters. Allon is asked by an acquaintance to unofficially assist in the investigation of an art history professor's brutal murder in Cornwall. With the talented Ballerini as a guide, listeners follow the fast-paced plot from Venice to Cornwall, Paris, Monaco, and London. Ballerini masterfully differentiates the many characters from various countries, allowing listeners to fully engage with the story and spend time with some of the best written characters in thriller land. While fans might miss some of the old regulars from Allon's spy days, there are enough intriguing new characters to satisfy all. A nonstop listen.
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063384279
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Grisham fans will hang in there until the end, but for many, this may prove a challenging listening experience.
What happens when American couples enjoying their dream honeymoons in Paris are kidnapped? Grisham, the master of the legal thriller, delivers a complex thriller of global terrorism. While narrator Michael Beck is excellent at male characters with American accents, his female characters and his pronunciation of French place names and words are jarring. Further, listeners will need to pay close attention in order to follow the shifting points of view and the introductions of new characters and settings. Unfortunately, the writing has the emotional intensity of an after-action report. The exceptions are the brutal torture scenes, which are painful to listen to.
Grisham fans will hang in there until the end, but for many, this may prove a challenging listening experience.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 14 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593830154
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: yesterday
With her talent for distinct voices, Huber will keep listeners fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end.
In this third addition to The Martini Club series, narrator Hillary Huber masterfully performs the returning characters plus many new players—the good and the just pretending to be good. Martini Club member and former CIA agent Ingrid Slocum is managing a conference on potential global health disasters. When one of the prominent speakers, a Russian defector, is murdered, the Martini Club members are forced to return to their spy roots, sending Ingrid and former and current colleagues on a precarious adventure. With the assistance of the local chief of police, they investigate a series of murders mysteriously tied to a botched operation from their past.
With her talent for distinct voices, Huber will keep listeners fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781511354622
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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