The Secret Speech

By: Tom Rob Smith

Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris

Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

It is 1956. Three years ago, Leo Demidov moved on from his career as a member of the state security force. As an MGB officer, Leo had been responsible for untold numbers of arrests and interrogations. But as a reward for his heroic service in stopping a killer who had terrorized citizens throughout the country, Leo was granted the authority to establish and run a homicide department in Moscow.

Now, he strives to see justice done on behalf of murder victims in the Soviet capital, while at the same time working to build a life with his wife Raisa and their adopted daughters, Zoya and Elena.

Leo's past, however, can not be left behind so easily, and the legacy of his former career - the friends and families of those he had arrested as a state security officer - continues to hound him. Now, a new string of murders in the capital threaten to bring Leo's past crashing into the present, shattering the fragile foundations of his new life in Moscow, and putting his daughter Zoya's life at risk.

Faced with a threat to his family, Leo is launched on a desperate, personal mission that will take him to the harsh Siberian Gulags, to the depths of the hidden criminal underworld, and into the heart of Budapest and the Hungarian uprising.

©2009 Grand Central Publishing (P)2009 Hachette

A underwhelming sequel

I don't know what to say here. After Child 44, a book I thoroughly enjoyed, The Secret Speech was, in my opinion, a good bit disappointing. I particularly disliked how they handled the deaths of established characters. I can't say much more than that without spoiling some major plot points. I was hoping, following the first book's murder mystery sort of atmosphere that with the introduction of a homicide division, this too would be similar, but that is dropped within the first couple chapters, which blows because the moments when the protagonist was doing detective stuff were among my highlights of the book.

If I'd known where this would go, I'd have left it unread, happy to live in bliss ignorance.

Still pretty good though.

Disappointing Followup

I was not as enamored with this effort by Tom Rob Smith as I was with his Child 44. No matter what trauma beset Leo, he had an amazing resilience. The motivations of several characters in the book were not believable. I got the feeling that the story could have ended at any time and there would have not been much less resolution as there was when the book actually did end. If you haven't listened to anything by Smith and want to give one of his books a try, go with Child 44. And then try another author.

If you enjoyed Child 44 don't think twice and buy

As many declared that this story is not as brilliant as Child 44, but it is a very good one.

75% of the novel will keep you in the edge with heart beating events, but at the end of the book the pace become slower and it become more like an insight about history (so if you like reading history this is an extra bonus for you).

The narrator is very good. No major complaints, I just couldn't get in the mood with him 100%, but I blame myself here, it seems I am not so fond of the Russian accent. Listen to the sample.

I highly recommend this book and I enjoyed it... don't waste it.

Smile :)

The Story

This did not meet my expectations. It's not a great story. The author was not able to grab the reader as well as other works

Beautifully written

This is simply the best book I have ever read/ listened to. I can’t wait to read the next one. This is my favorite series and plan on listening to it over and over. The characters are complex yet relatable in some since. There are twists and turns you couldn’t see coming for a mile away. I was gently shocked at every new development. Tom Rob Smith is an excellent writer and Dennis Boutsikaris narrates the book in a way that makes the characters come alive. I love this book series.

Too much filler

Child 44 blew me away. Story. Narration. Everything was perfect. I enjoyed about half of Secret Speech and had to push myself through the last half. I think this would have worked well as a much shorter book, but after a huge climax in the story the story then goes on for quite a while and I found it difficult to continue caring. The first half of the book is very well done and very powerful. I'm disappointed and wonder if the publisher didn't tell him he had to extend it by another 300 pages or something. He lost me after the bridge. But I will try Agent 6 and just kind of pretend this book never happened. He's a good writer and the narrator is great.

Writer and Narrator unforgettable.

You really have to start listening.
The Audiobook has a Cold-War era pathos that draws one in.

NIcely tied into real events

The author did his research and tied this work of fiction relatively well into historically significant events, like Kruschev's "Secret Speech" of 1956 and into the Hungarian Revolution of the same year. I didn't know about these historical events until I listened to the book, and did a bit of research afterwards. I feel both entertained and feel like I learned something - I am left impressed with this piece of historical fiction.

Love this author

Wonderful to return to the characters and the world created in Smith's first novel, Child 44, which really rocked me. Not quite as strong as the first work, but still a terrific read. Hope he continues to develop this into a full character series - I'd jump on the next one, if there is one.

Worthy follow up to Child 44

While not without faults, "The Secret Speech" overall is gripping, moving, and educational and I recommend it enthusiastically to those who liked "Child 44."

Unlike the previous book it is not a mystery but an epic adventure that finds protagonist Leo Demidov on a seemingly hopeless quest that brings to mind the Myth of Sisyphus, the labors of Hercules, and Dante's Inferno. Dennis Boutsikaris again provides great narration, just as he did for "Child 44." If I were level criticism at it, I would say that "The Secret Speech" reached a point that seemed like a natural ending and then went on for several more chapters of what might have formed the basis of a whole separate book.