Complicit

A Novel

By: Winnie M Li

Narrated by: Katie Leung

“Like the best filmmakers, Li draws you to the edge of your seat and keeps you there.” —The New York Times Book Review

A CRIMEREADS BEST CRIME NOVEL

After a long-buried, harrowing incident, a woman whose promising film career was derailed contemplates revenge in this thriller about power, privilege, and justice “that is compelling, courageous, and brutal in the best possible way” (Liz Nugent, author of Little Cruelties).

A Hollywood has-been, Sarah Lai’s dreams of success behind the camera have turned to ashes. Now a lecturer at an obscure college, this former producer wants nothing more than to forget those youthful ambitions and push aside any feelings of regret…or guilt.

But when a journalist reaches out to her to discuss her own experience working with the celebrated film producer Hugo North, Sarah can no longer keep silent. This is her last chance to tell her side of the story and maybe even exact belated vengeance.

As Sarah recounts the industry’s dark and sordid secrets, however, she begins to realize that she has a few sins of her own to confess. Now she must confront her choices and ask herself, just who was complicit?

Bold and hypnotic, Complicit transports us “into the film industry’s dark and deep-seated culture of rampant sexism and unbridled male ego…and the terrible cost of staying silent. An utterly compelling read” (Liv Constantine, author of The Last Mrs. Parrish).

Critic reviews

"Scottish actress Katie Leung employs a flawless American accent in this biting thriller involving the film industry. Sarah Lai is teaching introductory screenwriting at a small college in New York City when a famous reporter starts to interview her about her past with a billionaire film producer. Leung gives Sarah a drained tone that comes to life with naïve enthusiasm as she recounts her difficult rise from assistant at an indie production company to acting producer on a hot L.A. film set. Cinematic character voices and accents for her tough New Yorker boss, Sylvia; auteur bro, Xander; and predatory financier, Hugo North, create a vivid cast for a story that shows how misogyny and ambition allow sexual predators to remain powerful behind the scenes."

Just Fine

The story was pretty good. I had to read it for a class. The narrator is VERY monotone, so performance was meh.

Wow

Well, I’m a male, not that that should matter much. But wow, for me it was a page turner. Interesting, compelling, well composed, eloquent, and so well done. And though I have not read the background on Li and how accurate she chose to tell the story, it seems it must be terribly close to what has happened in the last 10 years.
I have trouble imagining what anyone, any adult, would not find this book extremely entertaining.

Not good

The reader was flat and continually mispronounced words.
I couldn't listen beyound the first couple of chapters

waste of credit

Do not waste a credit on this book. If you feel the need to purchase get it in print(paperback). In the world of H.Weinsteins and B. Cosby I'm sure alot of folks were complicit. Nothing special here.

Audible Reader Takes Too Much License

It is very frustrating, listening to the story and recognizing page after page the reader is changing the authors words over and over again.
She routinely makes small, but annoying changes, for example résumé becomes CV. Many small changes like that.
Worse, she adds words and occasionally drops words. Sometimes she adds an entire sentence and is entirely comfortable completely reworking a sentence.
She changes names of things like a movie theater and people.
It’s distracting and disheartening to feel the reader believes she knows better how something should be written than the author.
And all, it made it hard to listen.