A Foreign Country

De: Charles Cumming

Narrado por: Jot Davies

From the internationally acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author of The Trinity Six, Charles Cumming, comes A Foreign Country, a compelling tale of deceit and betrayal, conspiracy and redemption.

On the vacation of a lifetime in Egypt, an elderly French couple are brutally murdered. Days later, a meticulously planned kidnapping takes place on the streets of Paris. Amelia Levene, the first female Chief of MI6, has disappeared without a trace, six weeks before she is due to take over as the most influential spy in Europe. It is the gravest crisis MI6 has faced in more than a decade. Desperate not only to find her, but to keep her disappearance a secret, Britain’s top intelligence agents turn to one of their own: disgraced MI6 officer Thomas Kell. Tossed out of the Service only months before, Kell is given one final chance to redeem himself - find Amelia Levene at any cost. The trail leads Kell to France and Tunisia, where he uncovers a shocking secret and a conspiracy that could have unimaginable repercussions for Britain and its allies. Only Kell stands in the way of personal and political catastrophe.

©2012 Charles Cumming (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

More, please!!

Excellent! Intricate, coherent plot, superb narration. I am looking forward to more of Thomas Kell and Amelia Levene.

The art of spycraft

Nothing I have read previously describes the cunning process of specific acts of spycraft better than this book. I plan to read anyting Charles Comings writes or Jot Davies performs. These are realistic modern-day stories on the level of Salinger's exploits, only a little more believable.

Great British spy novel

I love British spy stories and this one is spot on. Well developed characters, suspenseful, tense action. This is a great story of redemption and spy craft. On to the next one!

Fantastic!

Would you listen to A Foreign Country again? Why?

I did, in fact, listen to it again, immediately after the first listen. I didn't want to miss a bit of the detail.

What did you like best about this story?

The prose, the detail, and the characters all worked so well together to keep me plugged in long after my walk was finished.

What does Jot Davies bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His narration was excellent. He was seamless, switching between characters and genders. I didn't notice narration quirks, which is a sign of a good narrator.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

U.K.'s top-secret holder has secrets of her own. And her past could bring down her country.

Any additional comments?

I'd highly recommend this story. First-rate!

Great spy novel

well written and we'll narrated. I look forward to more Thomas Kell in this series!

A gripping story with an awesome climax

This was a really excellent listen. The story was gripping, brought to life by truly exceptional narration.

Bravo!!

Cumming is the heir apparent to Le Carre

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This was recommended to me by my son who knows I am a Le Carre fan and I was not disappointed. I would have no hesitation recommending this book to a fan of intelligent, well written spy thrillers such as those written by John Le Carre or Len Deighton.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Terrific plot. Realistic with enough twists to keep you guessing, and occasional explosive action.

What about Jot Davies’s performance did you like?

His narration was excellent and his accents spot on without being distracting.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to listening to more of Cummings books.

After a good start, story drifts

What did you like best about A Foreign Country? What did you like least?

After an interesting beginning, the story loses some steam and the plot gets a little far fetched. The reason for the French secret service being the bad guy is given a weak explanation. Over all, this proved to be just an ordinary audiobook.

Jack in Marin

Would you be willing to try another book from Charles Cumming? Why or why not?

Yes! I have listened to several other Cumming books. I enjoy the stories involving the WWI nurse.

What does Jot Davies bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The reader did a good job and made it easier to finish the story. Had I read the book, I might have given it up.

Could you see A Foreign Country being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It is not a blockbuster story. I doubt it is unique and/or compelling enough for a movie or TV show.

Any additional comments?

I enjoy my Audible membership. On the rare occasions that I have had problem your customer service staff resolved them promptly.

A bit artificial

Fairly good storyline but I found it to be somewhat artificial and perhaps to predictable. I believe there might be room for more character development though and will try the following book too.

Kept waiting for it to get interesting

It felt like a summary, not a complete book. Narrator did not hold my attention.