The Odessa File

By: Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by: David Rintoul

The suicide of an elderly German Jew explodes into revelation after revelation: of a Mafia-like organization called Odessa ...of a real-life fugitive known as the "Butcher of Riga"..of a young German journalist tumed obsessed avenger.......and, ultimately, of brilliant, ruthless plot to reestablish the worldwide power of SS mass murderers and to carry out Hitler's chilling "Final Solution."

Critic reviews

"Every bit as exciting as its noted predecessor and even eerie."--Cosmopolitan.

"A carefully thought out, meticulously researched, documented... highly suspenseful work of fiction."--Chicago Tribune.

"Much more complex than the Jackal... intriguingly fact packed with relentless exporting, a protagonist propelled by an unstoppable force as suicidal as that of a lemming, and a time-factored chase ticking off to an explosive climax."--The Cleveland Press.

"A highly superior combination of real-life facts and suspense fiction."--Publisher's Weekly

Enjoyed the movie more.

Excellent story. Having seen the movie twice did not ruin it. The story in the book had a different ending. Only part of the book was a degree of excess tediousness took be Miller tracking down the whereabouts of Rochman. Actually watching the movie made it easier to follow the book.

Great story but subpar ending

Great story although I like the movie ending better. The inside knowledge of Germany and how the SS worked was fascinating

Gripping story; exquisite detail

A great story to get engrossed in. Best to listen to in longer stretches (30-45mins at a time). There’s a lot of detail, so stopping and starting would make it difficult to remember and follow. Each chapter contains an episode that is resolved within the chapter while advancing the story. I enjoyed listening 2-3 hours at a time. Looking forward to my next Forsyth novel!

Duplicate Purchase

This is really a great book, but I did not realize I had already bought it, but it had been narrated by a different person.

I love Frederick Forsythe.

First read this one January 2026

David Rintoul is the best

This was an entertaining story and much better than the movie from 1974, but the real star is the narrator. David Rintoul is simply the best audiobook narrator in the business and could read a box of cereal and it would sound amazing.