A Single Spy

By: William Christie

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

"A single spy - in the right place and at the right moment - may change the course of history."

Aleksi Ivanovich Smirnov, an orphan and a thief, has been living by his wits and surviving below the ever-watchful eye of the Soviet system until his luck finally runs out. In 1936, at the age of 16, Aleksi is caught by the NKVD and transported to Moscow. There, in the notorious headquarters of the secret police, he is given a choice: be trained and inserted as a spy into Nazi Germany under the identity of his best friend, the long-lost nephew of a high-ranking Nazi official, or disappear forever in the basement of the Lubyanka. For Aleksi it's no choice at all.

Over the course of the next seven years, Aleksi has to live his role, that of the devoted nephew of a high Nazi official, and ultimately works for the legendary German spymaster Wilhelm Canaris as an intelligence agent in the Abwehr. All the while acting as a double agent - reporting back to the NKVD and avoiding detection by the Gestapo. Trapped between the implacable forces of two of the most notorious dictatorships in history and truly loyal to no one but himself, Aleksi's goal remains the same - survival.

In 1943 Aleksi is chosen by the Gestapo to spearhead one of the most desperate operations of the war - to infiltrate the site of the upcoming Tehran conference between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin and set them up to be assassinated. For Aleksi it's the moment of truth; for the rest of the world, the future is at stake.

©2017 William Christie (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Great story but...

If you narrate a multilingual story you need to be able to sound convincing and besides English none of the languages were... great story though

Best spy novel since the early LeCarre books!

I rarely bother to write reviews, but this book deserves kudos since it is the most intelligent spy novel I've read since the early LeCarre books. Terrific plot and wonderful lead character. I hope to see a great deal more of author William Christie and the fascinating spy, Aleksi Ivanovich Smirnov. Narration was also excellent.

Good, and somewhat different than expected

This book was very interesting, with fascinating details, a very capable lead character, and with many thrilling escapes. There are a couple of unnecessarily very graphic sexual episodes that seemed out of place, but the rest worked well. The last section is not as well scripted, and with an abrupt ending, but there is now a follow-on book (The Double Agent). Narration is quite good, but without the foreign accent attempts some might expect.

I only wish that there was a second book

If you enjoy history,military and about war’s and spies this is the book for you. I have read this 3 times the audiobook is the best. It’s just like watching a movie but only listening. If you have ever read, watched movies or anything about war’ and spies if you listen to this in a audiobook you can picture everything, it puts you right there. Like I said, I only wish that there was a second book that takes off where it ends

Great

Complex Characters Interesting twists and turns
Good readers
Keeps you guessing as to what next

Wandered Away from Reality Then Just Stopped

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

No, it started out fine, but then the lead character turned into a super hero and it left reality behind.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have made his skills more realistic and actually given it a proper ending - it just stopped. I thought something was wrong with my iPod, but no, that was the end.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No, because if it ended the way the book did, I would feel cheated.

Excellent, Fast-Paced and I wish there was more

I am so pleased to have found this book. I knew mothing of the author but will now seek out his work. There is only one other short novel on audible. This book, A Single Spy, has a well-developed and conplex protagonist and a tight, fast-paced story. I read the post comparing this to LeCarre’s older work and I read the review attacking that review. I feel its safe to say that this book is much closer to the depth of LeCarre than to other current espionage/hero novelists. No, this is not LeCarre but its very good and if only we can get a series going from Christie, I would be pleased as a tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.

I cannot recommend this book more highly.

A SPY WAS BORN

very well done. Historically accurate. intrigue from Russia,Iran. From Germany to England. quite well done.

Great

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

Apart from some gratuitous sex scenes, great book. If you like spy books, this is for you!

Good for a starting writer. Very weak end.

Character descriptions are quite interesting. The plot is unconvincing and insufficient for any reader with some knowledge about German and Soviet societies at the time of the war. Description of Azeri tribesmen is superficial.