The Inner Circle

By: Brad Meltzer

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

There are stories no one knows. Hidden stories. I love those stories. And since I work in the National Archives, I find those stories for a living. Beecher White, a young archivist, spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. He has always been the keeper of other people's stories, never a part of the story himself...Until now.

When Clementine Kaye, Beecher's first childhood crush, shows up at the National Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the president of the United States privately reviews classified documents. After they accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact - a 200-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington, hidden underneath a desk chair, Beecher and Clementine find themselves suddenly entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder.

Soon a man is dead, and Beecher is on the run as he races to learn the truth behind this mysterious national treasure. His search will lead him to discover a coded and ingenious puzzle that conceals a disturbing secret from the founding of our nation. It is a secret, Beecher soon discovers, that some believe is worth killing for.

Gripping, fast-paced, and filled with the fascinating historical detail for which he is famous, The Inner Circle is a thrilling novel that once again proves Brad Meltzer as a brilliant author writing at the height of his craft.

©2011 Brad Meltzer (P)2011 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Meltzer has earned the right to belly up to the bar with John Grisham, Scott Turow, and David Baldacci." (People)

Good story

I have to admit that I'm a stickler for pronunciation...I had my "nerve set on edge" by the nariator's mispronounciation of some of the words in the story. That said, it's a good listen.

The Inner Circle

A very interesting book with a great character portrayal by Scott Brick. It only got more interesting the deeper I went. Who thought an intrigue book about the National Archives could be so much fun!!!

Not one of Meltzer's most polished works...

Would you listen to The Inner Circle again? Why?

No, I had a hard enough time getting through it the first time.

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

For a book that I had devoted almost 15 hours to, I didn't have much of a reaction at the end. I was thankful that it was over and I could move on to another audiobook. Over the course of the book, I hadn't really formed any sort of attachment to any of the characters, so I didn't really care either way.

Which scene was your favorite?

There isn't a particular scene that jumps out to me.

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

Nope. Like I said, I really had to force myself to finish this one.

Any additional comments?

Narrator was good, Meltzer is usually great. Not sure why this book was so "off" for me.

awesome

loved it!!! can't wait to start the next one!!! suspenseful, mystery and history... can't ask for more

Love political thriller

Fascinating, entertaining and exciting. If you are interested in anything political or that takes place in Washington DC you would enjoy this book.

Captivating, trilling and mysterious.

I really enjoyed this book, found myself continuing to listen even after I reached my destination.

Enjoyable listen

Several twist and turns makes the story interesting but nothing so dramatic that if your mind wanders a little you’d be lost.

When It's Good It's Good....

There is a lot of good, crisp writing that will entertain. AND THEN there are the holes in the story. Just a few at first - no more than most thriller/mysteries.

But as the story progresses, the more the plot holes show up. Finally, as the story reaches its climax, at the time one's disbelief should be totally suspended, all I could do is shake my head and think, "WTF?".

Great Plot and Characters!

This fast paced thriller has twists and turns with a few surprises in between. I loved the narration!

Highly recommended!

I'll be purchasing the next in the series. The story was great and I really liked the performance. You won't be sorry.