Misdirection

Lucas Norton

By: Martin Link

Narrated by: Chris MacDonnell

Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's Summary

Misdirection is the first novel in a series of international crime thrillers by Martin Link. High-tech and action packed, this may seem like the stuff of science fiction; however, the series features amazing new technology that actually exist in the world today.

When we first encounter the series' narrator, Lucas Norton, he's riding his bicycle through a sleeting rain, heading to his office in the British Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) complex in Cheltenham, England.

Meet the new James Bond. He has all the high-tech toys Britain's MI5 security service has developed at his disposal, but he's just a regular guy dealing with a promotion and marital problems, in addition to one hell of a caper.

Lucas's first assignment at MI5 is to chase down a lead that consists of an e-mail containing four high-level keywords, a barely-intelligible phone call made from the same smartphone from which the e-mail was sent, and a cryptic numerical text.

From this limited amount of information, the team quickly surmises that, rather than an act of terror, as was first feared, this is a high-target heist, organized by a very sophisticated operation, and it is already in motion. The question is, where?

With each clever twist and turn of the story line, you will be trying to solve the case before Lucas and some of the world's best security experts do, as they chase down a daring plot to make off with $48 million-right under their noses. Despite all their technology and brainpower, MI5 is always one step behind the perpetrators.

©2011 to 2014 Martin Link (P)2014 Martin Link

good old fashioned international spy thriller

I would never have chosen this audiobook myself. Why? Because there are so many title in my to be listened to pile already, where I think I know they will be good. Not saying there is anything wrong with Misdirection before I even start, just saying what I said. And this is why I love what I do. I get to be exposed to hundreds of audiobooks, some I have been eying for a while, some that are new to me. I keeps everything so fresh for me.

All that being said, I really enjoyed Misdirection. While there was nothing that really jumped out at me as completely original or breathtaking. This was a story that was full of twists and turns and just when you think you figured out who done it, the plot thickens.

Modern detective from the point of view of the "secret service" of the United Kingdom, aka MI5. In a competition with the FBI to solve this case. As the culprits span the ocean. Everything that is told, even though it may seem insignificant, plays a role later on. I love it when an author makes me think a bit, especially when I find myself saying "Oh yea" when I remember.

Decent characters that were interesting enough to keep me engaged. Most of the international spy thrillers that I have listened to rely upon super specialized gadgets, like James Bond would use. However the Martin Link manages to keep all the techno-babble to smart phones and iPads. Which keeps the investigation accessible and/or realistic.

If you enjoy good old fashioned international spy thrillers, you will enjoy Misdirection. I have a feeling that the author has a lot in store for our investigators.

Many times I have listened to a narration in the English accent, where I could barely understand what was being said. Not the case here at all. While it did take me longer than most to catch on to the different terms it was all clear and concise. Chris MacDonnell was even successful at creating the different voices that the various characters demanded.

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

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Good Crime Story with a Tech Touch

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

Sure. It's a quick listen/read of a good story with easy-to-like characters and interesting twists of misdirection just when the good guys seem about to catch the bad guys.

Would you recommend Misdirection to your friends? Why or why not?

Same question asked twice?!?!!? Audible, you need to have someone proof the review templates.

Was Misdirection worth the listening time?

Yes, the mystery/suspense was created well.

Any additional comments?

This was a one-day listen and a very interesting one, at that. I volunteered to listen to this audiobook through a Goodreads offer by the author. While I am not particularly drawn to mysteries or international crime stories, I am interested in trying out authors new to me and stepping out of my usual genre box. This worked quite nicely.

This is not only the first of a series, but also the author's debut novel. In this book, we meet MI5 Agent Lucas Norton on his first assignment. He and his team must follow up on an email that has caught the attention of both British and American Intelligence. From one clue leading to another question to another clue leading to more questions, the British team, lead by Norton, and an American team seem to be "misdirected" time and again from catching the high-tech bank robbers close to getting away with their theft of $48M from a US bank.

There is interesting technology used in the story which is apparently not stuff of science fiction, and some good old fashioned detecting, too.

This crime story could possibly be too low-tech for true techies, but to the average reader, this might just fit the bill.

This less than 200 page story was narrated by Chris MacDonnell and runs just under 6 hours. Mr. MacDonnell does a fine job with all the voices, male and female, and does a fine job with pacing, emotion and suspense in action.

Good Thriller with Great Narration

What I liked most about this story was the narration. Chris MacDonnell delivers a flawless performance voicing this audiobook. He has great tone and maintains a steady flow throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed the quality of his narrating skills while noting that he himself could quite possibly be the next James Bond.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the story itself. I think it had some great moments but nothing that really stood out to me in originality. I didn't take away much from it but was left feeling that there should have been more. The heist could have been any heist. I just felt lost during parts of the story when it seemed to make little sense at times. It was good and had a decent dialogue and did a fine job in showing off Chris MacDonald's capabilities.

Overall I feel that this was a story that was saved by a good voice actor. Chris MacDonnell was exceptional.

Audiobook provided foc in exchange for an unbiased review.

The heist is on and you are in for a ride ...

Would you listen to Misdirection again? Why?

I would listen again to see if I could pick up any clues that I missed the first time in the story.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the fact that the mystery was solid. I didn't see any obvious holes in the story. I really enjoyed the interaction between MI-5 and the FBI.

What does Chris MacDonnell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mr. MacDonnell has a great voice for this genre. He was able to keep me engaged in the story. You could feel the action and suspense as the story was being read. I would love to listen to more books narrated by Mr. MacDonnell.

Any additional comments?

Misdirection is just that. A story of misdirection and robbery. Lucas's first case now that he is with MI-5 is about a armor car heist. All through out the story you think he is on the right track only to be 'misdirected'. The mystery is solid and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys police thrillers. I hope that this is the beginning a series and I can't wait to see what happens to Lucas next!

Stick with it, it's worth it

What did you love best about Misdirection?

I loved the laid back Britishness of it all, the world could be falling down around us, but the Spooks are as cool as cucumbers
I also enjoyed the wonderful descriptions, of weather, buildings, people, sounds, the skilled writing and narration enables the listener to picture everything so clearly

Who was your favorite character and why?

One of the first characters we were introduced to, Coops. Oh, and Lucas of course, in his Marks & Spencer suits(I remember M&S with great fondness, thanks for the memory) and his bicycle.

Have you listened to any of Chris MacDonnell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't so can't compare, I liked his narration very much and now I know his name it will catch my eye when looking for audiobooks. It's important to recognise the good narrators and to note their names.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really, but Britain is where I was born and grew up, parts of this story did make me feel nostalgic and a little homesick

Any additional comments?

A thoroughly enjoyable listen

Fun start to the series

I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In the description of the book, it states, "Meet the new James Bond." James Bond, the extremely suave, debonaire ladies man who never melts under pressure, drinks his martinis shaken and not stirred, has an abundance of gadgets at his disposal, meets and beds women with sexually provacative names and saves the world without blinking an eye? This is definitely not our lead character Lucas Norton. Nor is Lucas a man in the mold of an action hero like Jack Reacher [who has superhuman strength, kills people without giving it a second thought, has a firm right/wrong policy with no real gray area, is the only one who can solve the problem at hand and is a coffee lover.]

Like Jack Reacher, Lucas drinks too much coffee and like Bond, he is English but that is where all similarities end. Lucas is a man, who rides a bicycle for transport, who worries about his work/personal life balance, who has problems in his marriage, who procrastinates on getting his "honey do" list done, and who on cold days when walking his dogs calls the dogs' poop bags handwarmers. All of this makes this character endearing, likeable and completely relatable.

The mystery or adventure in this book is more cerebral than action orientated but was still very enjoyable. While it seemed some of the answers came a little too easily to Lucas and his team, there were several good twists and it was certainly interesting to learn about some of the high tech tools available to the government.

Overall, this was a well paced and interesting debut. The narrator is great. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Loved it

This was a fast paced crime mystery that did not disappoint. I loved the story and couldn’t wait to see how it all worked out in the end.

How Much Coffee Can Be Consumed in One Book?

Quite predictable main characters always outwitted by the criminals, even though a close reader will see the “trick” before the protagonists do. The main characters, once more perplexed, gulp down a few more gallons of coffee. Promotions for Misdirection called it a techno-thriller. There were not many thrills, nor was there much explanation of the technology involved. I will say the title was well chosen.
The performer does many voices quite well with one glaring exception: although his British women are done well, the American women all have slight British accents. This is not true of the American men. He also lapses into rote speech with more than normal pauses between words (distracting).
Maybe this book was intended to be “cute” and mildly comic. If so, it missed the mark with me.
If I encounter a book form Audible that is particularly horrid, I will send it back for a refund. I was tempted a few times to do the same with Misdirection, but did not as it was not a disaster and I got it on sale.

Story kept me on the edge of my seat

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The story was intriguing, BUT I had to buy the ebook to catch up on details because the narrator was hard to understand. I would have given the story a higher rating, but I wasn't too happy with the preponderance of first-person narration. It became very confusing, especially as an American listening to a british accent.

Would you be willing to try another book from Martin Link? Why or why not?

I would--I really enjoyed the story.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I thought the brogue was thick and he spoke a little fast.

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

Yea, I think this story would make a great movie !

entertaining

liked alot! it kept me intrigued. I didn't want to get out of my car and stop listening. I ended up sitting in my driveway to finish.

A new name in spy thriller

Would you consider the audio edition of Misdirection to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version but the narrator did a very good job. So yes probably.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Coops and Susie were both great female brains who gave the men a run for their money.

What does Chris MacDonnell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

He handled accents pretty well and kept up with the pace.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No. I don't think it's that kind of book really but I appreciated some of the sarcasm.

Any additional comments?

I found this improved as I got into the story after a bit of a slow start in terms of connecting with Lucas, the lead POV. The twists and turns were highly addictive and I was eager to see how it ended. An entertaining read for any James Bond fan!

Misdirection

If you could sum up Misdirection in three words, what would they be?

fast,exciting ,thrillride

What does Chris MacDonnell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I thought he did a very good job with differentiating the characters.His voices were good.I enjoyed it a lot.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Fasten your seatbelt!

Any additional comments?

I LOVED this book!I read it all in basically 1 sitting.I enjoyed the narrator tremendously.He did a great job with the voices.The storyline was good,well written and easy to follow.It was a fast paced read.I'd love to hear more by these 2.

Double shot latte

A caffeine fuelled high tech crime thriller with more twists than a bowl of spaghetti. I look forward to Link's next publication.