The Frenchman: Book 1

By: Jack Beaumont

Narrated by: Victor Bevine

Based on the experiences of a real French spy, Jack Beaumont’s first-hand knowledge and experiences make this thriller plausible and frightening as you’re plunged into the very real world of terror, espionage, and danger.

Alec de Payns is an undercover operative in the ultra-elusive French Y Division of the DGSE, a foreign intelligence service equivalent to the CIA or MI6. Codenamed Aguilar, de Payns is one of the division’s most accomplished agents working to neutralize international threats on a daily basis while simultaneously trying to balance his home life as a husband and father. When a routine mission to infiltrate a dangerous terrorist group unexpectedly goes belly up, Alec is faced with the unthinkable: that he may have been betrayed by someone in his close-knit team—and they may be trying to pin the blame on Alec himself.

Back in Paris, Alec is assigned to investigate a secretive biological weapons facility in Pakistan which the DGSE believes to be producing a newly weaponized strain of bacteria, intended for release in France. As Alec works to uncover the facility’s secrets, he must also fight to clear his name and discover who the mole is before it’s too late. It’s not just his reputation that’s at stake—it’s the lives of his wife, two young children, and the entire population of Paris.

©2023 Jack Beaumont (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Outstanding story on par with LeCarre

This story takes you behind the curtain of the special services of France in the same way The Bureau des Legendes did on TV. The operational detail and intricate plot made this hard to put down between chapters. I have already pre-ordered the 2nd installment. We'll done Aguilar.

I loved the details put into the storyline. it seemed like u were talking about somthing that actually happened.

it's hard for me to listen to this book and understand the names and who was being talked about. maybe because I'm stupid or just don't register french names as well as american names. then each person has all these different names. I get it, it's me.

Good spy novel

I love a well written spy novel and this one is filled with twists and turns.

Above Average Spy Story

All in all, I feel like this book is superior to a lot of much more popular, higher selling, higher profile books.

This was a solid spy story that was better than average, it felt a little more realistic as far as what was and what wasn't possible for the characters and it felt like it was written by someone with more understanding of how espionage works than most.

And I appreciate a book with minimal swearing and a character that wants to remain faithful to his wife.

"Free" listen as part of my subscription, but will likely buy or spend a credit on the next one.

*Note: This is not a typical American Spy Novel. This is a French book.

Balanced and well plotted

Good story and character development. Great perspective on the minutiae of tradecraft and a European perspective.