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The Insider cover art

The Insider

By: Matthew Richardson
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

A thrilling novel of espionage and murder in the dark heart of Westminster, from the UK's most exciting new spy writer.

A Russian defector is found brutally murdered in a London hotel.

Only four people knew he had turned - the four most important and powerful figures in Whitehall.

There's only one conclusion - a mole has infiltrated the highest levels of the nation's security.

Operating in secret from within Westminster's darkest corners, former spy Solomon Vine must uncover the traitor.

Because Britain's future hangs in the balance.

And with it the fate of the whole world....

©2021 Matthew Richardson (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Proof that the spy genre is flourishing in the 21st century.... [Richardson's] plotting has an old-school, Swiss-clock precision." (Guardian)

"Compelling, intense and sharply authentic." (James Swallow, best-selling author of Nomad)

"A splendid tale of espionage starring an old-fashioned MI6 hero...exciting spy literature." (Times)

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What listeners say about The Insider

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Topical and gripping .

Firstly to say, Sean Barrett is a master narrator. I seem to be following him around Aubile more than the authors. He makes the books come to life.
However this story is good in itself, gripping to the last . Birth of a new Spy character .

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable, and beautifully read.

New author to me, but Sean Barrett’s reading gave me confidence to try it and it carried me through a long drive to Scotland and back from Gloucestershire.

Kept me guessing!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting and pertinent to our times

Great story, right length, relatable main character. I've been listening to this while the terrible war in Ukraine is going on: read this and you'll find an "interesting" twist at the end. Perhaps I'm getting old but I found the volume of the recording lower than usual.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very George Smilie

Really enjoyed this book.
But I couldn’t help but feel I was listening to a John Le Carre novel, and that’s not a bad thing.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Romped through this in a one day binge

Very fun, tense and brutal classic Spy Tale. Sean Barrett once again proving he has no equal.

I guessed the ending but that was because there were was beginning to be a dearth of characters left but did not see the twist.

Excellent. Barrett does female power tones excellently ever since Slough House, Diana.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

If you like tales dealing in the shadowy world of spooks and moles where the lead character is constantly looking over his shoulder, then this book is for you.. Unfortunately I do not. I nearly gave up when I reached chapter 40 and it was only the narration by Sean Barrett that made me continue.. But then I could listen to Sean if he was reading a bus timetable.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Class…!

An excellent spy story, top quality writing beautifully read, looking forward to more from this author

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully constructed!

Can’t wait for more from this author.
Only slight criticism is that although reading is first class it suggests an older protagonist.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

All spy books should be narrated by Sean Barratt

There’s always room in the world for another world-weary spy and this is a very satisfying London thriller. I’ve not read the previous book, which may explain Solomon’s backstory, however this can definitely be enjoyed as a stand-alone book.
Very much in the vein of Charles Cumming’s Box 88 and Mick Herron’s Slough House series, especially the latter with gravely narration by Sean Barratt.
My only complaint was that, at 7 hours, it was a little short and another couple of hours would have given space to flesh out some of the details. But thoroughly enjoyable.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping Spy Story

Voice very appropriate for the story. Needed a little more variation in pitch and tone. Story full of twists and turns. Really enjoyed it.

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1 person found this helpful