Need to Know

A Novel

By: Karen Cleveland

Narrated by: Mia Barron

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller 

Finalist for the ITW Thriller Award 

Perfect husband. Perfect father. Perfect liar? 

“Terrific.” (John Grisham)

“Superb.” (Lee Child)

“Breathtaking, heart-pounding.” (Louise Penny)

“A fast-paced, relentlessly gripping read.” (Chris Pavone Vivian Miller) 

High-powered CIA analyst, happily married to a man she adores, mother of four beautiful children. Until the moment she makes a shocking discovery that makes her question everything she believes.   

She thought she knew her husband inside and out. But now she wonders if it was all a lie. How far will she go to learn the truth?  And does she really...need to know? 

Film rights sold to Universal Pictures for Charlize Theron • Rights sold in more than 20 markets 

“Shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest new thrillers.” (Entertainment Weekly)

“So timely.... Think of the perfect mix of Homeland and The Americans.... Need to Know needs to be read by all who relish spy novels. As entertaining as it is informative and as irresistible as it is impossible to put down.” (Providence Journal)

“Pulse-pounding.” (O: The Oprah Magazine)

“Accomplished...a nonstop thriller tapping into a hot mix of contemporary digital counterintelligence, old-school spying and ageless family drama.” (Shelf Awareness)

“An early contender for next year’s Gone Girl.” (GQ, UK)    

“The Russia page-turner that should be on everyone’s list.” (New York Post)

©2018 Karen Cleveland (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Prediction: If you read chapter one, you’ll read chapter two. If you read chapter two, you’ll miss dinner, stay up far too late, and feel tired at work tomorrow. This is that kind of book. Superb." (Lee Child)

"Need to Know carves out a uniquely compelling space among thrillers: high-stakes international intrigue combined with high-drama domestic suspense. These richly overlapping layers of tension create a fast-paced, relentlessly gripping read." (Chris Pavone, New York Times best-selling author of The Expats)

Mr. and Mrs. Smith -- Not

Arrrggh...Can we talk? We've come so far lately. And then, along comes supposedly intelligent Vivian Miller, *dedicated CIA counterintelligence analyst,* Mother of the Year, and possibly the worst thing to ever happen concerning our female representatives in the Intelligence Community. Authors love to give us beautiful, supposedly smart women that make incredibly dumb decisions, I get it--movie producers are probably thumbing through their index cards of beautiful sexy leading ladies as I write this. I know most of you will like this one; I liked it -- a little bit. But, every now and then I have to kick myself while reading, and Need to Know gave me that opportunity, to exercise my acrobatic moves while reading.

I'm not going to nitpick and lambast, and don't mean to dissuade anyone interested in this book because I was mindlessly entertained, while I pulled my hair out. I did stick it out through to the finish, which I don't do if I am offended or absolutely hate a book. However, I won't be picking up the obvious sequel (and Jason Matthews need not worry about any competition). Let me stress, it moved along well, kept me wondering, and would probably be a decent TV movie. Though most of the dialogue is Vivian's emotional distress, the crux of the story comes down to what we would do for our children -- or what impossible extremes we would face to keep our vision of a loving happy family together, especially when that ideology conflicts with the ideology of our profession.

The problem is the implausibilities far far outweigh the plausibilities, and you end up wondering how anyone that missed so many red flags at home got passed the first job interview with the CIA. It's difficult to explain my ire without giving away the major spoiler. Let's just say that if the Russian Provocateur had been a snake, Vivian would have died from venom and the Miller children would be without a mother.

The plot is flimsy, the details very vague and improbable, and the bulk of the book undermines Vivian's validity (as well as the security of our nation). If you are looking for a good spy thriller, a smart novel of espionage on the homefront, pass. If you want a book about a troubled marriage, sit down with Vivian, and a box of Kleenex.

Complete waste of time

I could barely wait to finish this book before writing a review. My head hurts from rolling my eyes so much. It’s early in the year but this one is setting the bar high for worst book of the year. It was beyond patronizing and predictable with a main character so unbelievable as a competent CIA analyst as to rate being a fantasy book. Can I be more clear that I absolutely hated this book! If you like romance suspense such as a Lifetime or Hallmark movie type you might get through this book with a little less hate than I did but you’ll still feel like this author had no concept of how the CIA or FBI or for that matter any government agency works. The female lead character was possibly the dumbest character I’ve read to date to even have a job much less one as an
analyst. Complete waste of time.

Not a spy novel

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Women who are struggling trying to have it all. This book is a long rumination on the conflict that many women face between having a career and being a mother. The espionage part of the story is preposterous and frankly just background - it could have been anything that caused the conflict.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Going back to Greg Hurwitz since his next installment in the Orphan X series just came out.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

It wasn't the narrator's fault. She was very good and I liked when the sound of the Midwest came out in her voice. But she is taking the fall for me hating the main character - because she embodied it really well!

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Need to Know?

Every time the main character whines about being confused about what is happening and what she should do. Nothing confusing about this. Your husband is a Russian spy, you are a CIA agent. Duh. Plus there are about 5 endings. Pick one.

Any additional comments?

If our CIA analysts are really this naïve we are in seriously big trouble.

Great Read!!

Karen Cleveland has written a mystery novel that keeps you guessing through out the book.
I hope she follows up this book with a next one.
Her readers will want to know more about her main character, Vivian Miller. Plus, we would love to see what happens to Omar.
Congratulations on her choice of narrator, Mia Barron. Perfect voice for this novel!

I never write reviews...until now.

This book was fantastic! You get sucked in by the end of the first chapter and it's a roller coaster ride from there. This is the first time I've ever listened to a book this length in one sitting and I've listened to over 500 Audible books. It will grab you! I love the periodic flashbacks that give insight into the current situation. Karen Cleveland will be very successful....I can't wait to see what she does next!

Boring

Had potential at first but then moved excruciatingly slow and unfortunately had an irritating narrator.

Taut from beginning to end

The tension never lets up in this thriller. I would have liked it more if the heroine had been more of a heroine and less of a victim. The narrator was very good.

Phenomenal!

Absolutely phenomenal.....The story, narration, everything is outstanding!
Please bring #2 soon! Get it now

Outstanding Conundrum

Great characters, clever betrayals, a whale of a spy story. Absolutely believable. Terrific suspense.

Narration is pitch perfect!

Quick and engaging plot

I really enjoyed the what-if plot.
I would be hard pressed to believe that's how things would have turned out in the end. I was glad for the last little doubt inserted into the story.