Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Constant Gardener  By  cover art

The Constant Gardener

By: John le Carré
Narrated by: John le Carré
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.46

Buy for $13.46

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Frightening, heartbreaking, and exquisitely calibrated, The Constant Gardener opens with the gruesome murder of the young and beautiful Tessa Quayle near northern Kenya's Lake Turkana - the birthplace of mankind. Her putative African lover and traveling companion, a doctor with one of the aid agencies, has vanished from the scene of the crime. Tessa's much older husband, Justin, a career diplomat at the British High Commission in Nairobi, sets out on a personal odyssey in pursuit of the killers.

Tragedy elevates Justin Quayle, amateur gardener and ineffectual bureaucrat, seemingly oblivious to his wife's cause, when he wakes to his own resources and the extraordinary courage of the woman he barely had time to love.

©2001 David Cornewell, All Rights Reserved (P)2001 Hodder Headline Audiobooks, All Rights Reserved

Critic reviews

"Elegant style, rich characterization, and Graham Greenish exploration of moral ambiguity. [John le Carré's] sonorous voice and nuanced delivery perfectly complement his authorial personality." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Constant Gardener

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    12
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    21
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    18
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

The Constant Gardener

I found this book hard to follow on audio. I don't know if it seemed random since it was an abridged version, or not, but I constantly felt like I was missing something.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story, well read

John LeCarre writes great characters and it is a real treat to hear him give distinct voices to each of them. This story grabs you right from the start and doesn't let up until it ends. Highly recommended!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Ever the master,

Mr le Carre continues to be the high watermark of espionage/spy drama. His narration adds a depth and texture to his characters that only the author could.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

good topical modern day fiction

LeCarre gets every voice right when he reads his book. A political/activist/travelog thriller.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good but not great Le Carre

A good yarn - comparable to The Russia House. Le Carre paints an intriguing picture of Africa and of the abuse of the third world by the west and by the big pharmacutical companies. I found the ending a tad disappointing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

This book dragged on too much for me. I was also disappointed with LeCarre's narration. He seemed to revel in his own words versus tell a good story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!