The Professionals

By: Owen Laukkanen

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Four friends, recent college graduates, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise - quick, efficient, low risk - works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man.

Now two groups they've very much wanted to avoid are after them - the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized-crime outfit looking for payback. As they all crisscross the country in deadly pursuit and a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: The true professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice...everything.

A finger-burning page-turner, filled with twists, surprises, and memorably complex characters, The Professionals marks the arrival of a remarkable new writer.

©2012 Owen Laukkanen (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Fasten your seat belts, Owen Laukkanen’s The Professionals is one heck of a wild ride. A first-class thriller by a terrific new voice.” (John Lescroart)

“Really terrific – characters that live and breathe, a just-right story, and chills aplenty. Highly recommended." (Lee Child)

“Smoothly written, with a slam-bang ending, The Professionals is a brutally beautiful piece of work. Owen Laukkanen takes us straight into the hearts of the bad guys, and what we find there is something very complicated and still very bad. The cops are just as complex as the villains, and Laukkanen nicely captures the personal and sexual tension between Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere as they track down the gang: this is a pairing that will wear well.” (John Sandford)

Movie of the Week Predictable but...

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes

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

No I haven't

Was The Professionals worth the listening time?

Yes but not a stay up all night listen.

Any additional comments?

From the beginning of this story you can easily guess how it will end. Usually that's enough to make me put a book down but this story was so engaging that it kept me involved to the end. Again the story is predictable but it is told in a way that makes you REEALLY hope for a twister at the end but *sigh* it's not to be.

Not one likable character but...

I knew from other reviews that this was a good book but the people weren't the kind of characters you were rooting for. It's true. There wasn't a single character I liked but I did like the book very much. The narrator was great.

Suprised how good this was

This book had me glued from the start to the ending. Personalizing the main characters with a bit of their non-professional home live was a nice touch.
A very good read.

Suspenseful

Simple plot line but I had to keep reading to the end. Enjoyable read, great performance.

A weak story without excitement

It was hard to get through. The characters jump from police to fbi to mobster to beach girl as though each section does not remember what happened not long before.
The protagonists somehow do extraordinary things without hints they had any skills and the finale is textbook what not to do when you are surrounded

Hidden Treasure

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A good read with some great unexpected twists and turns. The story started strong and stayed the course. Good narration.

What other book might you compare The Professionals to and why?

Not sure just yet.

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice of the characters are clear and concise in the reader's mind.

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

I could have for sure.

Excellent start to a new series

Owen Laukkanen’s has an excellent first installment in his new series. Kept me guessing how it would end.

Captivating Story

From start to finish I could hardly put it down. I felt a closeness to each of the main characters and the story was realistic. The narrator was fantastic! Recommend this one all the way around.

Excellent Cat-and-Mouse Chase

I downloaded the book to keep me busy on a long drive. I got to the hotel late, should have gone to bed immediately since I had to be up and alert early the next morning....but I could not stop listening till it ended. I thought the story was great -- if, of course, a tad unbelievable. Both the good guys and the bad guys are portrayed as flawed, but human. And the plot twists never stop coming. Amazing debut novel. Can't wait for Mr. Laukkanen's next.

The reader is, of course, great. I first listened to him in Beautiful Ruins, where he did an astounding job (he was actually one of the main reasons I downloaded this novel). He did not disappoint. What a beautiful voice! What an amazing range! Easily my new favorite Audible reader.

Thoughly Enjoyable Debut Novel

Any additional comments?

Engaging tale with well developed plot, characterisation and suspense elevation. The dialogue was snappy and credible. I considered the narration to be first rate.