Once a Thief

By: Christopher Reich

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Facing enemies at every turn, private spy Simon Riske dashes across Europe to find the truth behind a mysterious investor in this high-stakes international espionage series: "comparison to the Bond novels is apt in many ways." (Booklist)

Simon Riske sits in sun-dappled Napa Valley, toasting the record hundred-million-dollar sale of a rare 1963 Ferrari which he restored himself. The buyer, a sophisticated French woman, Sylvie Bettencourt, has purchased the car for an unnamed client whose anonymity she will guard at all costs. Riske enjoys her company and the flowing champagne until Sylvie’s formidable Russian bodyguard storms in, claiming the vehicle is a fake. Riske is given an ultimatum. Prove the car is the real thing…or else.

Meanwhile, in Lugano, Switzerland, Carl Bildt, banker to the rich and nefarious, is killed by a powerful car bomb, moments before he can deliver evidence to the authorities and disappear into witness protection. His beautiful and headstrong daughter, Anna, rushes to Switzerland to investigate her father’s violent death.

As Simon Riske strives to prove the Ferraris’ authenticity and look deeper into Sylvie’s past–and the identity of her client—he crosses paths with Anna Bildt and discovers they have an enemy in common. From the bustling streets of London to a secret outpost high in the French Alps, from the freeports of Corsica to the glittering beaches of the Costa Smeralda, the Emerald Coast, of Sardinia, Riske and Anna find themselves players in a deadly game, where billions of dollars change hands and knowledge is paid for with your life.

Told with Reich’s signature stylish prose, clever plotting, and pulse-pounding action sequences, Once a Thief, is sure to appeal to longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike. Riske may be a bit older, showing a little wear and tear, but his desire to get the job done at any cost is stronger than ever.

©2022 Christopher Reich (P)2022 Mulholland Books

Outstanding

I have enjoyed all of the installments of this series. This was the best installment to date. The authors really had me wondering what was going on with the main character. Plenty of twists and turns to hold your interest and great narration keeps the story moving. If you like the Riske series, you will like this book. Well done!

Outstanding!

I don't want to give away anything but if you don't read this book You're cheating yourself out of an excellent listen. The narrator was superb mastering all the languages, but the content and one of my favorite authors of all time, Christopher Reich just killed it with this one!
Thank You, you made my hikes, and my
bike rides fly by.

Best one yet!

Great story and performance. Great series. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Love this series

Thought for awhile that Simon was going somewhere I didn't want him and the series to go. What an ending!!

Nice continuation of the Simon Riske story.

Lots of callbacks to the previous books. But still A fresh interesting story.

Riske's ability to circumvent or be down right above laws and government regulations. Seemly at will sometimes. Yet other times he is bound by them and nothing more than A private citizen. If Riske can pull impunity of of his derriere with little effort or explanation?

Maybe it's just me. Fine novel worth reading/listening, after previous three of course.

Best of the series

Exciting and intelligent. Love the series. Reader is great. Gave it 4 stars because it was a little too predictable but all of the series is a bit.

Loved it!!

The story line was complex and the ending marvelous! The reader is fantastic! Thoroughly enjoyable all around! Thank you!

Another great

Another great novel by Christopher Reich. The Simon Risk series in particular has been A+ and hopefully there is more. I really liked the storyline and the pace was just right. If there was one part to improve, then more character development, but that’s like a teacher just looking for an excuse to use their red pen. I liked how the ending came together. Reich has become one of my (if not thee) favorite authors.

Another great Riske adventure

Twists, turns, revenge, cars, international intrigue and adventure…what more could you want in a book?

You got me, Mr. Reich, you got me!

A great book takes you for a ride. Great characters make you feel strongly, even if the feeling is annoyance. Here, Simon Riske gets too comfortable with his post-street-rat days and finds himself scrambling to make up for bad decisions. Is Simon past his prime? Or can he dig down to his roots,
lean into his foundation of skills, and turn the tables back around?

I was rage listening at points to the stupid decisions he kept making. Leaving the bad guy alive?
Of course that’s a bad idea. Working with the Russians? Another bad idea … says every thriller ever.
And yet that payoff at the end! The prior book lost itself in the twists and turns, but this one comes together fantastically.

There are still some minor annoyances. The series could benefit from more robust use of the regulars like Lucy. I think Simon needs more likability, maybe a fun hobby, foible, or funny-man to go with his straight man personality. The plots all rely too heavily on the information-McGuffin (always a microchip, USB file, or black book). There needs to be more action or humor to balance out the slow burn intrigue. However, the core thriller was strong enough to change my mind about stopping the series.
I’ll give the next one a go, if and when it comes out.