The Well-Mannered Assassin

I cannot understand how this has an overall score of 3.7 stars! or why it is priced at $53.87. This is the worst audobook I have ever heard. The story is tedious and slow moving, the "countess" pretentious and the name dropping is ridiculous and the reader is annoying and monotonous. Skip this one folks.

This has all the makings of an excellent yarn, but the prose is flabby and trite. By removing all the superfluous detail as well as the unnecessary adjectives and adverbs, the countess would actually heighten the suspense and enjoyment. The choice of reader was also unfortunate - her voice verges on unpleasant and her range of expression, as someone once said (probably Dorothy Parker) "runs the gamut from A to B."

While the reader's voice is gravelly, I couldn't stop listening. Knowing that this novel is based on fact continually drew me in to the thread of the action. I recommend this one.

I enjoyed listening to the narration, very relaxing. however, this particular book was more of a society name dropping excercise than previous books. It is harder to picture her in the action heroine role in this story. Still fun to listen too.

yes, hoping to hear more of the author's past writing quality and experiences.

At first, I was a little put off by the reader's voice. But, as I was drawn into the story, the reader's style added to the interest of the story. I found the story very interesting--especially because it is based on fact. I'm certain this is the way spying was done at the time of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down! by Anne (not Robert)

If the CIA's spy activities in regards to terrorists is at all reflected in this book (as the author--supposedly once a VERY highly placed spy--asserts) it is no wonder the CIA is so clueless. Setting that aside, this book is bad. The plot is boring. The writing is bad. I would have said "really, really, really bad", but that phrase sounds too much like one that might be found in this book. She does mange to make the rich jet set seem as morally corupt as one tends to suspect. Her good "friends" are Emelda Marcos and the facist Spanish Dictator Franco (who she retitles simply as the head of state). Everyone wears fur. Men still have "manservants" and women have maids. The description of hunting is particularly odious--where at one site each "gun" can bag 100 birds a day. (No, I'm not a PETA person, but this book would make good recruitment propaganda except that no one would read it . . .)

It is hard to evaluate the reader because no one could read this book out loud and make it sound good. Kudos to her for actually reading the entire thing. I cannot imagine very many people have finished the book.


Oh Yeah, this is supposed to be about Carlos the Jackal, and Aline, The Countess, etc. etc. claims to be an expert on terrorism. That is true. She is a terror to readers in this book.