The Professionals

By: Owen Laukkanen

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Four friends, recent college graduates, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise - quick, efficient, low risk - works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man.

Now two groups they've very much wanted to avoid are after them - the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized-crime outfit looking for payback. As they all crisscross the country in deadly pursuit and a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: The true professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice...everything.

A finger-burning page-turner, filled with twists, surprises, and memorably complex characters, The Professionals marks the arrival of a remarkable new writer.

©2012 Owen Laukkanen (P)2012 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“Fasten your seat belts, Owen Laukkanen’s The Professionals is one heck of a wild ride. A first-class thriller by a terrific new voice.” (John Lescroart)

“Really terrific – characters that live and breathe, a just-right story, and chills aplenty. Highly recommended." (Lee Child)

“Smoothly written, with a slam-bang ending, The Professionals is a brutally beautiful piece of work. Owen Laukkanen takes us straight into the hearts of the bad guys, and what we find there is something very complicated and still very bad. The cops are just as complex as the villains, and Laukkanen nicely captures the personal and sexual tension between Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere as they track down the gang: this is a pairing that will wear well.” (John Sandford)

A thrilling new voice in thrillers

For a first novel, this is some book. I found myself saying "Wow" about five times when I finished it. Both the author and the narrator are excellent. The plot involves four liberal arts grads who can't find jobs and decide, on a lark, to kidnap people for ransom. Gutsy plot choice, and there are some implausibilities in it, but both of these guys are so talented that you forgive the left turns. The crew has some early success, but they are tracked down by an FBI-Minnesota State police team, Windermere and Stephens. These two people are beautifully drawn, as is the sexual tension between them. The chase accelerates to the point at which the trap closes on the kids, and the writing gets even better, if that is possible. Mr. Laukkanen knows how to ramp up the pace, and Mr. Balerini gets every note right. The kidnappers travel around the Eastern U.S. in order to evade capture, but the noose keeps tightening, and violence escalates. The end of the book is so exciting that, even though you may be able to guess it, you are still held entranced. A standoff in a cruddy motel room, with hundreds of cops, media everywhere, a hostage, and finally the last man standing. He keeps you guessing until the very last moment, with the final scene on a jet plane. Read this quickly, and let's all hope this author is writing his next book right now.

I loved, loved, loved this book!

This is the type of book that I loved, but I hated. It kept me so enthralled that I was anxious to find out what happened and how it would end and hated it because it had to end!There were times when I loved the "bad guys" and then there were times when I hated the "bad guys"! There were times when I rooted for the other side and then there were times when I wanted them to lose! I really enjoyed this book; I liked the narrator, the story line, the entire book! It was truly an enjoyable book to listen to. I hope the author and narrator have more Audible books!

Professional Class Narration

The narrator reallly does make the story here. Edoardo Ballerini takes what in print might read as a somewhat entertaining crime thriller adventure and turns it into a down right suspense radio serial story about a group of desperate people with a grim view of the future taking matters into their own hands. Which isn't to at all downplay Laukkanen's skill as a story teller: the author does a very great job of showing how things like ego, things like pride, things like entitlement can drive otherwise innocent people toward a life of crime. Or were they really that innocent to begin with?

Grapes you straight away for a fast paced ride.

Any additional comments?

Great story and the author makes you care for the characters. I wanted them to get away with it. The detectives felt new and fresh.

The Un-Professionals

This book was compelling from the start. It was an original premise; young adults with no job prospects turn to kidnapping.

I thought the title "The Professionals" was interesting and ironic--though I don't know if the author meant it to be. It seems that every character in the book, though a professional in her/his "field," got into trouble by acting un-professionally.

Action and Brains

Any additional comments?

This is my second book by Owen Laukkanen. I'm hooked; I will definitely come back for more. This one was the first in the series. Great character development, good mix of action and brains.

What A Thrill Ride!

Can't recommend this highly enough for crime/caper fans.

when the combination of a noir-ish, white knuckle thriller meets the perfect reader...you get The Professionals.

Well Written and Suspenseful

You can tell by the description of the book what the major story line is. But the dialog and writing is so good and you get a good understanding of each character. This writing goes deeper into characters in 11 hours than a lot of 20 hours novels I've listened to.

I loved this one and as soon as I finish writing this, I'm going to use a credit on "Criminal Enterprise" so I can continue to follow Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere.

Made a long trip enjoyable

What did you love best about The Professionals?

I liked the fact,that I liked the criminals and kept hoping things would turn out for them.
But it turned out like it should have turned out.

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

We have not listened to any of his books before and I have already looked him up and will down load more of his books.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes we wanted to listen to it after we got to the motel but had to wait until the next morning, Made our trip so much more enjoyable. I really enjoyed the narrator. He was up there with one of my favorites Dick Hill.

great idea that should have gone funny

i'm much like others here, great premise, start and pace... then it takes itself seriously and fails to deliver.

i love ballerini's performance, he's actually why i found the story in the first place.