The Informationist

A Thriller

By: Taylor Stevens

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Vanessa “Michael” Munroe deals in information - expensive information - working for corporations, heads of state, private clients, and anyone else who can pay for her unique brand of expertise. Born to missionary parents in lawless central Africa, Munroe took up with an infamous gunrunner and his mercenary crew when she was just fourteen. As his protégé, she earned the respect of the jungle's most dangerous men, cultivating her own reputation for years until something sent her running. After almost a decade building a new life and lucrative career from her home base in Dallas, she's never looked back.

Until now.

A Texas oil billionaire has hired her to find his daughter who vanished in Africa four years ago. It’s not her usual line of work, but she can’t resist the challenge. Pulled deep into the mystery of the missing girl, Munroe finds herself back in the lands of her childhood, betrayed, cut off from civilization, and left for dead. If she has any hope of escaping the jungle and the demons that drive her, she must come face-to-face with the past that she’s tried for so long to forget.

Gripping, ingenious, and impeccably paced, The Informationist marks the arrival or a thrilling new talent.

©2011 Taylor Stevens (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Stevens’s blazingly brilliant debut introduces a great new action heroine, Vanessa Michael Munroe, who doesn’t have to kick over a hornet’s nest to get attention, though her feral, take-no-prisoners attitude reflects the fire of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander….Thriller fans will eagerly await the sequel to this high-octane page-turner.” ( Publishers Weekly)

It Takes Time

This book takes some time to get in to. It has a lot of backstory and character development to create before much of the plot takes place. The plot was a little hard for me to follow because it takes place in Africa and that is not a setting I have much knowledge of. The red herrings in the book were well played, but I suspected who was behind the problem early on. I enjoyed the book, but had a few problems with the reader. I mean really, a professional who doesn't know how to pronounce "superfluous." Also, her Texas accent was awful. I would read another book by this author, especially if Monroe is the main character.

A rough and tumble thriller in Equatorial Guinea

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

I only listened to the audio version.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

About what I expected. Enough of a twist to be worth it.

Which character – as performed by Hillary Huber – was your favorite?

Vanessa Michael Munroe.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Maybe.

Any additional comments?

I purchased the audio version of this suspense thriller after seeing it on the Audible.com tournament of books. The protagonist is Vanessa Michael Munroe, usually referred to as Michael in the story. Her troubled past is revealed as the tale weaves through murderous intrigue in Equatorial Guinea (for the most part). She has some serious mad assassin skills, though she is paid the big bucks for learning secrets and making connections like a secret agent version of Sherlock Holmes. However, the actual story delivers much about her fighting skills, troubled past, and relationships, with a good amount of spy craft and investigative deductions thrown in. There are plenty of gunrunners, mercenaries, corrupt governments and big business out to get Michael. She kicks butt and takes names.

good read

good story. keep writing. I prefer less cussing and sleeping around but overlook that for a good story.

Keeps you guessing as you immerse into the wilds..

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Set in remote parts of Africa it takes you into the cultures of the countries where the action takes place.
Even though this was the second time I listened to this book, it kept me guessing who the bad guy was going to turn out to be.
The story is original, captivating and exciting, and the characters are well drawn. I could see this being a great movie!

Gripping... The African version of the dragon tattoo series

I had heard that there were comparisons between the brutality of lisbeth salander and the heroine of this book but I actually think that Vanessa Michael Monroe is far more dangerous, controlled, sane.

James Patterson plus 1

Great book from start to finish. After listening to most of James Patterson's books, I found The Informationist by Taylor Stevens a great read and in my opinion, better than Patterson. I can't wait for the next book!

Loved it!

The story line is exciting and the African setting is fascinating, but what makes this book particularly appealing is the original, intriguing, and kickass heroine.

Really? Winner of the annual Tournament ?

I bought this book because it beat out many of my favorites to win the annual audiobook tournament, so I expected to enjoy it. I am always willing to suspend my disbelief for a good yarn, but this author simply asks too much. Vanessa Michael Monroe's character is never fully developed, and despite her stellar talents and complicated past, she is simply not very likeable. What drives her? A female Jack Reacher she is not. Reacher is motivated by a deep internal ethic. Monroe seems mostly motivated by money and individual power and achievement.

This book could have been a very different listen with a different reader. Listen carefully to the words and imagine them as written. The reader's flat, ironic, breathy voice is, to me, an unwelcome presence in the book. I can see that Hilary Huber has a long list of audio performances. I will avoid all of them.

I understand that we all have different tastes in books, and I applaud our diversity as a group of listeners. Perhaps I should have read more of the reviews before I impulsively spent a credit. I'll be more careful in the future.

Interesting, very good!

I didn't know if I was going to like this book, it's a bit different but I really enjoyed it. I gave it 4 stars and would recommend to my friends! LOTS of action, very fast paced and believe me, if you think you know the ending, you don't! :)

A Great Story

This is heart pounding non stop action. Well written with an excellent reader. Hillary Huber can make you live the story.