The Translator

By: Harriet Crawley

Narrated by: Simon Mattacks

A passionate love story, centred on a devastating Russian plot to sabotage the undersea communication cables linking the US to the UK.

Clive Franklin, a Russian language expert in the Foreign Office, is summoned unexpectedly to Moscow to act as translator for the British Prime Minister. His life is upended when he discovers that his former lover, Marina Volina, is the interpreter to the Russian President. Together they will try to stop the attack that could paralyse communications and collapse the Western economy.

©2024 Harriet Crawley (P)2024 Faber Factory

Critic reviews

'Enthralling.' Sunday Times Best Thriller Books of 2023

'Wonderfully realised.' The Times Thriller Book of the Month

'Engaging spy story…in a Moscow full of menace.' Financial Times Best Summer Thrillers of 2023

Timely and engaging

The story started out slowly but by the end I couldn’t stop listening . Ending seemed to indicate that there might be a sequel

Great story with likeable and believable characters

Really enjoyed this one. Refreshing to have a spy novel written by a woman and also one where the main characters feel real and not just a James Bond rip off.

Great story and I look forward to more by this author.

Narration was excellent. Beautifully paced. I wonder about the choice to use English regional accents for the Russians. It’s not bad and certainly doesn’t detract. Just a bit odd. Gave me a giggle though.

Worst of the worst

Story for teenagers or someone who has no idea about Russia or espionage. I thought that I have already read them all but this one is so bad that I don’t even know where to start. Terrible story, terrible undeveloped personalities, terrible writing, absolutely no idea how things work in Russia that even some accurate details can’t save this book. And the worst of all - it promises another story in the making… Absolutely atrocious, I’m sure I have but I don’t remember anything that bad in years