The Charm School

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Something very strange -- and sinister -- is going on in the Russian woods at Borodino. In a place called Mrs. Ivanova's Charm School, young KGB agents are being taught by American POW's how to be model citizens of the USA. The Soviet goal -- to infiltrate the United States undetected.

When an unsuspecting American tourist stumbles upon this secret, he sets in motion a CIA investigation that will reveal horrifying police state savagery and superpower treachery.

©1999 Nelson DeMille (P)2009 Hachette

Critic reviews

"Riveting." ( Publishers Weekly)

Late cold war period espionage classic

The Charm School, published in 1988, is set entirely in Russia where a tourist from the US stumbles upon a secret spy school called The Charm School. It is a wonderful suspense thriller with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. Even at 25 hours in length it keeps the readers' attention. There are no narrators better than Scott Brick. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I love Nelson DeMille and Scott Brick

I highly recommend this dynamic duo! The book really comes alive and the story is very suspenseful

Great Depth

Would you listen to The Charm School again? Why?

yes

What did you like best about this story?

Depth and development of story

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes; very well

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

none come to mind

Any additional comments?

I liked the length of story -

Intriguing

Although this book was published in 1989, the plot is just as interesting as it was then.
Not crazy about the narration.

Another winner by DeMille

I love DeMille's books and this is another winner. The Charm School starts out a little slow but once it gets going, it cannot be put down. A great read that I would highly recommend.

Very Believable

Absolutly great novel that really makes you wonder "Is it True?" Very well written story.

Buried Treasure

This superb work of fiction captures the feel of the American Soviet rivalry prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall.. The plot varies from believable to fantastic, but it is always gripping. The Audible performance by Scott Brick is emotional and compelling. I am quite pleased that I “discovered” The Charm School and will look for more works by Nelson DeMille

A true spy page turner story

Loved the story, the narrator, the twists and turns. A window on the cold War and life in Russia.

Very interesting premise

This was a gripping story that captured us from the start. Another great performance by Scott Brick. It had all of the elements that we love in a Nelson DeMille story: strong characters with a wise-cracking leading male, a bit of romance, lots of action and a plot that could actually be plausible.

My favorite Nelson DeMille book so far

This book has it all. I’m in awe of his ability to tell a story that covers every aspect of human emotion, all the while keeping one guessing as to how he’s going “get him, or her, out of this one”. I often find Scott Brick, although an excellent narrator, overly dramatic and distracting - not so here. The drama works because the characters and story line are tremendously dramatic. It all works! I’ll be back for more!