Hold Fast

A Novel

By: J. H. Gelernter

Narrated by: John Lee

A desperate sea battle; a fortune risked on the turn of a card; a duel at dawn with the loser...Patrick O'Brian meets James Bond.

It's 1803. The Napoleonic Wars are raging, Britain is on her heels, and His Majesty's Secret Service has just lost its best agent, Thomas Grey. Deeply depressed by his wife's untimely death, Grey resigns from the service and accepts an offer to join a lumber firm in Boston. But when a sea battle with a privateer forces the ship carrying him west to make port in neutral Portugal, Grey is approached with a counteroffer: Become a wealthy man by selling out Britain's spy network to France. The French take Grey for a disgruntled ex-naval officer, blithely unaware that Grey had lost his wife to an unlucky shot from a French cannon.

Now, after many years serving King and Country, Grey seizes the opportunity to fight a covert war of his own. He travels to Paris, and - playing the part of the invaluable turncoat the French believe him to be - proceeds to infiltrate the highest levels of Napoleon's government. If he can outwit his handlers, outmatch his French counterparts, and outrun Napoleon's secret police, Grey may just avenge his wife's death and turn the tide of war in England's favor. Bursting with action and intrigue, Hold Fast sends listeners headlong into an unrelenting spy thriller.

©2021 J. H. Gelernter (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Great story, lots of twists and turns

Just felt like it could have been longer and maybe less skipping through life details but overall fantastic

A grand book.

It’s full of intrigue and adventure. Some people seem to have a difficulty with Mr. Lee’s performance. I skied the speed down a couple of notches and found it quite suitable. It seems less jerky.

Can't believe this was the author's first book

I would have guessed this was a pen name for Dewey Lambdin. John Lee read most of his books and I thought the writing style was similar. It was excellent and different. Like Jason Borne meets Allen Lewrie meets Sharpe.

If I could knock the story at all, I would just say that people don't die so easily as this book would suggest. Hardly a big deal.

very enjoyable and different

I like the whole story and the narrator was wonderful! He had an exciting voice and did well with different voices.

Perfect!

What a great read! I can’t wait for the next one. If he could figure out how to work Maturin into this story It would complete me. Good job Mr. Gelernter!

John Lee’s narration is excellent as-well. Very happy. I will keep this one close by for another listen and check back often for the next installment. This better be the beginning!