Palace of Treason

A Novel

By: Jason Matthews

Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb

The pulse-pounding sequel to the best-selling, Edgar Award-winning Red Sparrow that The New York Times Book Review called "terrifically good": Star-crossed spies Dominika Egorova and CIA agent Nate Nash return in a cat-and-mouse race to the finish.

Captain Dominika Egorova of the Russian Intelligence Service (SVR) has returned from the West to Moscow and the Center, the headquarters of her service. She finds things worse than when she left. She despises the men she must serve, the oligarchs and crooks and thugs of Putin's Russia. What no one knows is that Dominika is working for the CIA as Washington's most sensitive penetration of SVR and the Kremlin.

As she expertly dodges exposure, Dominika deals with a murderously psychotic boss; survives an Iranian assassination attempt; escapes a counterintelligence ambush; rescues an arrested agent and exfiltrates him out of Russia; and has a chilling midnight conversation in her nightgown with President Putin in one of the tsar's palaces. Complicating the risks is the fact that Dominika is in love with her CIA handler, Nate Nash, and their lust is as dangerous to both of them as committing espionage in Moscow. And when a mole in the SVR finds Dominika's name on a restricted list of sources, it is a virtual death sentence. She must face off alone against her psycho boss, who's got an eight-inch knife up his sleeve.

Just as fast paced, heart pounding, and action packed as Red Sparrow, Jason Matthews' second novel proves he is "an insider's insider and a masterful storyteller" (Vince Flynn, number-one New York Times best-selling author).

©2015 Jason Matthews (P)2015 Simon & Schuster

Unexpected turns on the roller coaster

This is masterful story telling: multiple threads woven expertly together, and easy to follow; great characters, all well developed; new and exotic locations, with beauty in the detail; a fast pace with unexpected turns. Bravo! He hasn't let us down from the first book, but only gets better. I did get a little frustrated that an obvious path to unmask the mole was not even brought up, but the story was so good I had to ignore this as a minor flaw. The performance is flawless! Treat yourself and listen to this series.

Best spy series in years

I have been waiting for this follow up to the author's freshman release since I read his first novel. I was not disappointed. His books have been written with an authentication makes you feel as if you are know more about modern day diplomacy than is released in the news. Love it.

The author uses his 30 years of experience as a CIA agentto craft a great, well written series.

Oft times a sequel does not live up to the promise of the original. This is not the case with Palace of Treason! It actually surpasses and builds on Red Sparrow.
It is rare that a book combines a complex yet realistic plot with deep, vibrant, fully developed characters both male and female. On reading the story, this reader had almost physical reactions to the events be falling both major and minor characters.
The conversations between the spy and her fallen comrades, might seem strange and ghostly to some, but I think are truly in line with her Russian mysticism and portray internal discussions. Initially these are odd but as the story proceeds become totally natural.
As with Red Sparrow, each chapter ends with a recipe for some dish consumed with in that chapter. This is most unique and seems the perfect counterpoint.
Can't wait for Book 3!!!

Gaggle of Ghosts & Kaleidoscopic Hues of Character

PALACE OF TREASON follows the first in the series RED SPARROW, which was a realistic, fast paced thriller of U.S./Russia espionage, which was especially outstanding for a debut novel. While both intriguing and suspenseful, Palace of Treason is not nearly as taut and electrifying as Red Sparrow.

The talking ghosts of dead former associates (a gaggle of 3 now) who follow and talk to the U.S.'s female Russian counter-spy Dominika Egorova, are not nearly as tiresome as Matthews' utilization of Egorova's ability to see hues of colors glowing around a potential adversary's head as a sort of on-the-spot lie detector (e.g., "swirling, warm purple" [honesty], "pulsating blue" [intelligence] and so forth). The use of the latter, particularly as a literary shortcut, can be felicitous in 1, 2, maybe 3 key points in a novel. Using it every several pages though, vexes the reader and makes the writer appear either condescending or indolent. Incidentally, the growing gaggle of ghosts and chromatic characterizations seem to be drawing the series close to the border of magical realism.

Still, I have high hopes for #3 given the resonance of Red Sparrow.

This was a phenomenal sequel to Red Sparrow

I cannot remember enjoying a series of books more that Red Sparrow and Palace of Treason. The central characters, with whom the readers share a journey of intense intrigue and suspense, are captivating. The plot is entirely credible, yet laced with recent political history and modern day international affairs. I cannot wait for the next installment, which cannot arrive soon enough.
NB: The recipes are awesome and deserve their own book!

GREAT!!@

Best espionage thriller since the fall of the Soviet Union. Cold war never ended.

Great new author

Great second book! Hopefully there will be a third book. Great throughout, including the ending!

Excellent!!! Even better than the first.

Wow, that was really good. Jeremy Bobb is as good or perhaps even better than Scott Brick, and that is really saying something. The story kept me wanting more. I was actually sad that it ended. Jason Matthews is among the best writers of his genre.

Very good story..excellent writing...

A high quality, literary mystery. Very well written and a great plot. I have listened twice to the audio and I have read the print version. Highly recommended. It is a sequel to Red Sparrow, which you really should read first. Both are exceptional books...well written and highly engaging.

Excellent performance; good story for those unfamiliar with genre.

English, French, and Russian rendered flawlessly. Bobb's pacing, delivery, and characterizations are simply brilliant.

Unfortunately his performance is burdened by a mediocre and recycled tale of love struck secret agents pitted against Iranian scientists, sadistic Russian spymasters, and cameo appearance by Vladimir Putin. Our heroes failings are story book insignificant. Promising dialogue dissolves into characters monologuing each other. Intriguing super/psychic powers sustain interest at least equal to that of Good Housekeeping at a drill sergeants colloquium.

If your a fan of Furst, Le Carre, or even Stephenson or Baldacci, you'n find Palace of Treason somewhat wanting. If your looking for the pure escapism of your youth, listen on.