The Double Game

By: Dan Fesperman

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

A few years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, spook-turned-novelist Edwin Lemaster revealed to up-and-coming journalist Bill Cage that he’d once considered spying for the enemy. For Cage, a Foreign Service brat who grew up in the very cities where Lemaster’s books were set, the news story created a brief but embarrassing sensation and heralded the beginning of the end of his career in journalism.

More than two decades later, Cage, now a lonely, disillusioned PR man, receives an anonymous note hinting that he should have dug deeper into Lemaster’s pronouncement. Spiked with cryptic references to some of Cage’s favorite spy novels, the note is the first of many literary bread crumbs that lead him back to Vienna, Prague, and Budapest, each instruction drawing him closer to the complex truth, each giving rise to more questions: Why is beautiful Litzi Strauss back in his life after 30 years? How much of his father’s job involved the CIA? As the events of Lemaster’s past eerily - and dangerously - begin intersecting with those of Cage’s own, a “long stalemate of secrecy” may finally be coming to an end.

A story about spies and their secrets, fathers and sons, lovers and fate, duplicity and loyalty, The Double Game ingeniously taps the espionage classics of the Cold War to build a spellbinding maze of intrigue. It is Dan Fesperman’s most audacious, suspenseful, and satisfying novel yet.

©2012 Dan Fesperman (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Meandering and plodding spy story

Not up to the usual expectations of this author. It is too long and could have been told in three quarters of the length.

very clever and original spy thriller

Where does The Double Game rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

i can't give this book a specific ranking among all of the books i've listened to, but i truly enjoyed listening to The Double Game, and i bet you will as well!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Double Game?

well, if i told you, i'd have to kill you...

What about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?

he did a great job as a narrator. when the novel called for a more up tempo narration, you're drawn into the vortex, and at other times when things needed to be slowed down, his voicing did justice. perfectly cast.

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

not one specific moment i can recall (i am on my 4th audiobook since this one) but as you've probably read already, the author uses other books as a kind of map of clues, and these have sparked my interest and i want to start listening to them as well...

Good story

Overall good story but the constant references to espionage novels take me out of the moment. The story was too long and the side characters and plot twists grew tiresome. First half of the story was interesting but the ending was drawn out for no good reason

Not the best Fesperman

Dan Fesperman is one of my favorite writers in this genre, but this is not one of his best books. Takes way too long to get going and even when it picks up some steam, doesn’t really go anywhere very satisfying. Try a different one of his otherwise excellent works.

An excellent book for spy aficionados

If you have read dozens of authors, who wrote spy books, this book references them. It’s written almost as a puzzle.

Excellant on so many levels!

Not just a credit to the genre it transcends it. Not just a spy novel but a cautionary tale about a man who knew it all and the price paid. The tale of the agent whose quest for ultimate knowledge caused him to play both sides to the point he played neither side but his own. Also rekindled my love of earlier spy novels Le Carre, Greene, Conrad and authors I was not familiar with who made contributions worthy of note. I will re-listen but first I will need to brush up on my cold war history. I love Dan Fesperman and this is his most richly textured volume. it appeals to both cold warrior and armchair dilettante. Narrative is adequate, but would love to hear it read by someone on the narrative A team, maybe even one of truly gifted female narrators with the wonder of boys being boys. AAA+

A bit disappointed...

After reading (listening to) Fesperman's book Safe Houses, I had great expectations about another of his works.The Double Game leaves a lot to be desired.
I enjoyed the many references to all the spy novels since the end of the 19th century, but the plot line was a muddled and without a good sense of direction.
I recommend that anyone listen to Safe Houses first and be careful which Fesperman book you choose next. I won't quit him but will be careful.