The Secret Lovers

A Paul Christopher Novel

By: Charles McCarry

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

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.

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)

slow to start but well worth the listen

the first ten chapters built a bit slowly, but so glad I stayed for the finish. excellent writing, story, characterizations.

Amazing

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

Confused

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…

The Best

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.

An unexpected surprise

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.