The Secret Speech
Product Description It is 1956. Three years ago, Leo Demidov moved on from his career as a member of the state security force. As an MGB officer, Leo had been responsible for untold numbers of arrests and interrogations. But as a reward for his heroic service in stopping a killer who had terrorized citizens throughout the country, Leo was granted the authority to establish and run a homicide department in Moscow. Now, he strives to see justice done on behalf of murder victims in the Soviet capital, while at the same time working to build a life with his wife Raisa and their adopted daughters, Zoya and Elena.Leo's past, however, can not be left behind so easily, and the legacy of his former career--the friends and families of those he had arrested as a state security officer--continues to hound him. Now, a new string of murders in the capital threaten to bring Leo's past crashing into the present, shattering the fragile foundations of his new life in Moscow, and putting his daughter Zoya's life at risk.Faced with a threat to his family, Leo is launched on a desperate, personal mission that will take him to the harsh Siberian Gulags, to the depths of the hidden criminal underworld, and into the heart of Budapest and the Hungarian uprising. (2009) From Publishers Weekly Set in 1956, bestseller Smith's edgy second thriller to feature Leo Demidov (after Child 44 ) depicts the paranoia and instability of the Soviet Union after the newly installed Khrushchev regime leaks a secret speech laying out Stalin's brutal abuses. Now working as a homicide detective, Leo has long since repudiated his days as an MGB officer, but his former colleagues, fearful of reprisals from their victims, have begun taking their own lives. Leo himself becomes the target of Fraera, the wife of a priest he imprisoned. Now the leader of a violent criminal gang, Fraera kidnaps Leo's daughter, Zoya, and threatens to kill Zoya if Leo doesn't liberate her husband from his gulag prison. Shifting from Moscow to Siberia and to a Hungary convulsed by revolution, this fast-paced novel is packed with too many incidents for Smith to dwell on any in great depth. Though its drama often lacks emotional resonance, this story paints a memorable portrait of post-Stalinist Russia at its dawn. (May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the mass_market edition. From Bookmarks Magazine Compared to the critical acclaim showered on its predecessor, Child 44 , The Secret Speech drew mixed reviews from critics. While the Minneapolis Star Tribune alone proclaimed Smith's sophomore effort equal to his debut, other critics still considered it entertaining and thought-provoking in its questioning of the nature of exoneration and redemption. The power of Smith's writing lies in his ability to ground sensational plot developments in rich historical and cultural detail, gleaned from extensive research. His gift for immersing readers deep within Cold War-era Moscow and Siberia propels the plot as much as his chase scenes and action sequences. Though it may not possess the psychological tension or strong, convincing characters of Child 44 , Speech is still an "insanely exciting story" ( Independent ). --This text refers to the mass_market edition. Review "This is a truly remarkable debut novel. CHILD 44 is a rare blend of great insight, excellent writing, and a refreshingly original story. Favorable comparisons to GORKY PARK are inevitable, but CHILD 44 is in a class of its own." ( Nelson DeMille )"Smith's pacing is relentless; readers wanting to put the book down for a brief rest may find themselves persevering regardless. Expect the same kind of critical acclaim for this compelling tale that greeted the publication of Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park (1981) more than 25 years ago...a very, very good read. Don't miss it." ( Starred BOOKLIST )"Stellar debut...completely original and absolutely satisfying." ( Starred PUBLISHERS WEEKLY )This is an outstanding book, one of the best I have listened to this year! The author succeeds in recreating the living conditions in Stalinist Russia and weaving a terrifying novel of suspense, intrigue and horror. The resolution at the end of the book is beautifully set up by the various turns of fate that befall the protagonist. This book gave me chills, and it was nearly impossible to break away while listening....Dennis Boutsikaris' performance made me feel like I was living in Stalinist Russia, and I was totally swept away by his work on this audio prduction. ( RoadTripAmerica ) *Starred Review* Dennis Boutsikaris expertly conveys the fear and paranoia that permeates Smith's outstanding debut novel of murder in 1950s Stalinist Russia....Using Russian accents to their full advantage, Boutsikaris infuses his characters' dialogue with a deep sense of downtrodden melancholia. ( Publishers Weekly )Looking for un-put-downable suspense, guaranteed to give you chills during the dog days of August? Then Child 44, Tom Rob Smith's dazzling debut novel, enhanced by Dennis Boutsikaris' race-paced, authentically accented performance, is it....As Leo hunts the killer, the MGB hunt Leo, investigator becomes fugitive and the pulse-pounding excitement ratchets up in this transporting thriller-diller. ( BookPage Sukey Howard )"Dennis Boutsikaris's Russian accents are superb. He brings even minor characters to life..." ( AudioFile ) --This text refers to the mass_market edition. From AudioFile Smith's first novel, CHILD 44 (2008), was long-listed for the Booker Prize. This second novel in his planned trilogy continues the chilling drama of life in the Soviet Union just after Khrushchev's purge of Stalin in 1956. Protagonist Leo Demidov is an ex-security officer during a time when it is dangerous to have been one of Stalin's minions. Now working as a homicide detective, Demidov is being threatened by the wife of a Russian Orthodox priest, whom he was responsible for imprisoning in the old days. Now the priest's wife has every intention of killing Demidov's daughter if he does not get her husband released from the gulag. Dennis Boutsikaris's Russian accents are superb. He brings even minor characters to life and portrays sex and age differences credibly. M.C. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the mass_market edition. From Booklist *Starred Review* Smith’s stunning debut, Child 44 (2008), was long-listed for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. Now he’s back, and so is his long-suffering, soulful, courageous hero, Leo Demidov. It’s 1956, and Leo, heartsick over his dutiful work as an MGB (State Security) agent, which requires him to send innocent people to the gulag, wants only to love and support his wife, Raisa, and their two adopted daughters, Zoya and Elena. But Nikita Khrushchev’s speech to the twentieth Communist Party Congress, criticizing Stalin’s brutality and mandating reform, frees many former prisoners and starts a wave of brutal reprisals against Soviet bureaucrats. Leo and his family are prime targets of a driven, devious, and dangerous female gang leader, whose goal in life is to make Leo suffer more than she did. Her machinations lead Leo through the freezing sewers of Moscow to the gulag and on to Budapest, just as Soviet tanks are leveling it. As in Child 44, Smith’s plotting is elaborate, and his pacing is relentless. His characters are wonderfully drawn, and the near-nonstop action is utterly gripping. Again, as in the earlier book, however, the author’s greatest success is in personalizing the stunning tragedy and brutality of life for many millions of Russians. The Secret Speech is a harrowing novel, but everyone who loved Child 44 will leap to read it. --Thomas Gaughan --This text refers to the mass_market edition. About the Author Tom Rob Smith graduated from Cambridge in 2001 and lives in London. --This text refers to the mass_market edition. See more
Tom Rob Smith   Format: Audio CD
{"Language": "English", "Package Dimensions": "5.59 x 4.88 x 0.94 inches; 6.98 Ounces", "Date First Available": "April 29, 2012", "Country of Origin": "United Kingdom"}