The Gun Seller

By: Hugh Laurie

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Cold-blooded murder just isn't Thomas Lang's cup of tea. Offered a bundle to assassinate an American industrialist, he opts to warn the intended victim instead - a good deed that soon takes a bad turn. Quicker than he can down a shot of his favorite whiskey, Lang is bashing heads with a Buddha statue, matching wits with evil billionaires, and putting his life (among other things) in the hands of a bevy of femme fatales.

Up against rogue CIA agents, wannabe terrorists, and an arms dealer looking to make a high-tech killing, Lang's out to save the leggy lady he has come to love...and prevent an international bloodbath to boot.

©1996 Hugh Laurie. Recorded by arrangement with Harold Ober Associates. (P)2012 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Fast, topical, wry, suspenseful, hilarious, witty, surprising, ridiculous and pretty wonderful. And you don't need a permit to buy it." ( The Washington Post Book World)

"A first-rate thriller...an awesome entertainment machine." ( Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"[A] ripping spoof of the spy genre." ( Vanity Fair)

surprisingly good

Didn't expect this at all to be any good, especially from a gentleman whose primary occupation is an actor. Fantastic narration as well!

fun noir-ish thriller

i loved the voice of the noir-ish smart aleck early on and laughed at the quips. the story starts good and fast and continues on in the same manner. a lot of fun that gets a little serious as it goes on, with some great "moral" issues to think over and there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. great thriller that could only have been better if Laurie had read it himself. very talented man, nice writing as well, i recommend it.

Very Nearly Sublime

If you could sum up The Gun Seller in three words, what would they be?

Savvy, Entertaining, Fun

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It did. I was not sure where Laurie was going with it much of the time because I like to be surprised and I try not to think ahead or figure out the plot. I was certainly surprised in the most pleasant way.

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

This was my first time listening to Simon Prebble perform and I found him almost perfectly delightful, save for my occasional confusion with accents.

If you could take any character from The Gun Seller out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I would take Sarah Wolf out to pick her brain, understand her motivations and drives, her upbringing and how she envisioned her future.

Any additional comments?

A very easy way to pass time and thoroughly enjoyable.

I wish Hugh Larie would write more books.

loved it.Not a comady but very funny all the same.I wish Hugh Larie would write more books.

very entertaining

Any additional comments?

Laurie knows how to write. He provides a good story along with entertaining description and dialog.

Spies, Guns and Cars

It's part Bond and part Hugh Laurie meant to make you laugh. Great spy book for adults.

I hope he writes more.

Good entertainment. An interesting story with intrigue and surprising twists. Characters are enjoyable and engaging. I bought this out of curiosity and found myself rapidly drawn into what is a really good story. As always, Simon Prebble is among the best of narrators.

Needed a Hugh Laurie-like voice

Would you consider the audio edition of The Gun Seller to be better than the print version?

Most definitely NOT!

I ordered this book as an import from the UK before it was even available in the US because I enjoy the wit of Hugh Laurie. When I read it, I heard his self-effacing, Bertie Wooster-esque voice as the main character. I realize it was too much to hope for to have him as the narrator, but Simon Prebble was all wrong for this part. Prebble, who is one of my all time favorite narrators, is just too formal, sounded too old and too educated for this character. It didn't ruin the book, but it was definitely a different take on the character than I heard when I read the book for myself.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Well, not exactly... It was just so absurd (intentionally so) that "edge of the seat" suspense was not really realistic, but I was always curious about what was going to happen to the protagonist next.

What three words best describe Simon Prebble’s performance?

Stiff... All Wrong

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud several times.

Any additional comments?

Buy the print version and imagine Hugh Laurie reading it. But if you're not a reader, this is certainly better than not enjoying this book at all.

He's a better actor than author.

Laurie is a much better actor than author- I'd prefer if he would read books- he has a great voice!

great book!!! Didn't realize that "house" wrote it

Would you listen to The Gun Seller again? Why?

Very entertaining. I've never read a spy book like this. It very British and parodies the James Bond era type of characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Gun Seller?

The beginning of the book hooks you in. He describes how one would break an arm....

Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

The Thomas Lange character was very good.

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

When Joseph asks him if he was a good man.

Any additional comments?

This was thoroughly an enjoyable read.