A Quiet Vendetta

By: R. J. Ellory

Narrated by: Donald Corren

Length: 20 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Written by award-winning thriller heavyweight R. J. Ellory, this ambitious crime novel takes the author’s skill for suspense to a spellbinding level.

When Catherine Ducane disappears in the heart of New Orleans, the cops react fast - after all, she is the governor’s daughter. But the case gets very strange, very quickly. Her bodyguard turns up horribly mutilated in the trunk of a beautiful vintage car, and when the kidnapper calls, he doesn’t want money; he wants time alone with a certain government functionary.

Dragged down to the deep South from the New York district attorney’s office, Ray Hartmann puzzles over why he has been summoned and why the mysterious kidnapper, an elderly Cuban named Ernesto Perez, wants to tell him his life story. But by the time the pieces fall into place, it’s already too late.

A Quiet Vendetta is both the epic story of one man’s life in the Italian Mafia - a story ranging from Cuba to Chicago - and a thrilling tale of rage, love, and loss. With tension to match the best of Cussler, Patterson, and his own best-selling work, A Quiet Vendetta confirms R. J. Ellory’s place at the forefront of the genre.

R. J. Ellory, orphaned at the age of seven and sent to prison for poaching when he was seventeen, immersed himself in literature and set about learning the craft of writing fiction. He now divides his time between writing and volunteer programs in drug rehabilitation and youth literacy. He is married with one son.

©2012 R. J. Ellory (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc

Critic reviews

“An engrossing tale about organized crime from the perspective of a kidnapper whose agenda will keep you guessing until the end.” ( Entertainment Weekly, “Must List”)

“As in the very best of thrillers, A Quiet Vendetta has the ring of truth and real research behind it all. With exquisite pace and perfect timing, R. J. Ellory has given us a piercing assessment of the nature of love, loyalty, and obsessive revenge, not to mention a deep understanding of la cosa nostra.” ( Guardian, London)

“R. J. Ellory proves himself a leader among the royalty of crime writers with this five-decade-long saga of Mafia history forming the framework for an exciting, well-constructed tale that ultimately becomes one of two men attempting to redeem themselves for their many individual sins against humanity.” ( New York Journal of Books)

Exceptional in all aspects.

Story is well crafted and layered. Suspenseful and thought provoking all throughout. Donald Corren was magnificent with the vast range of dialects and language skills. From start to end it was riveting!