The Diamond Eye

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet librarian who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.

In the snowbound city of Kiev, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son—but Hitler’s invasion of Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper—a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC—until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Kate Quinn (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Great listening experience

I really enjoyed this story. It is based on the life of a Russian female sniper during WW2 and I found it quite fascinating. I am sure that there is much fiction and poetic license here but it was engaging and interesting. Her relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt was also quite interesting. For anyone interested in historical fiction this is a must listen.. I have enjoyed all of Kate Quinns books to date and this did not disappoint.

True Story like none other

This story was captivating. The young woman sniper who rises to legendary status while also navigating personal ups and downs. After the epilogue the author gives her notes in what elements were true versus fictional and I was shocked at how much was true!! A great novel.

Amazing

Kate did not disappoint. I couldn't stop listening. So many twists and turns. It will keep you entranced. Now onto the "The Huntress". Saskia did an amazing job narrating.

Another gem from Kate Quinn

I could not stop listening to this one. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end. Fascinating story. 👏🏻

A amazing true story

Well written and well performed. I hope my first Kate Quinn won't be my last.

phenomenal

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Quinn, but it definitely won't be my last! Fantastic writing, great research, also, one of my favorite narrators, who was exceptional in this book! Highly recommend!

Russian Intrigue and Comaraderie

I found the storyline fascinating and was more intrigued to learn that it was based on a real person and her memoir.

Great, True Story

While it took me a bit to get into the book and the many instances of harsh, foul language were off putting, the book did grab a hold of me. It is a powerful story written very well.

Another winner!

I love Kate Quinn's meticulously researched history of WWII, and the strong and heroic women of that time that she writes stories about! I plan to read Lady Death's memoirs, as cited in the author's note as a reference. The most interesting characters and situations are set in her stories (whether fiction or not), and I love hearing her notes at the end about how she developed her story and which parts of it were historically accurate. This book, in particular, was one of my favorites, and I hated to reach the end of the story! Saskia Maarleveld is so talented with her many voices and accents...she has become my favorite narrator, and I love that she has contributed to my enjoyment of the Kate Quinn stories I have consumed so far! Yay, Kate!

Sleeper

I’m new to Kate Quinn so didn’t know what to expect. It was beautifully written, and I felt transported to the front lines of war. I fell in love (and hate) with the characters and now that I’m finished, I miss them.

I gravitate towards books with a strong woman protagonist and this didn’t disappoint. The author did a wonderful job keeping the integrity of the really story and artfully weaving in her own poetic license. Be sure to listen through the prologue to the authors explanation of what was fact and what was not. So very well done.