The Bad Angel Brothers

A Novel

By: Paul Theroux

Narrated by: Joe Knezevich

Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

From the legendary American master Paul Theroux comes a brilliant new novel of chilling psychological depth, the tale of a younger brother whose lifelong rivalry with his older brother—a powerful lawyer with a pattern of gleefully vicious betrayals—culminates in the ultimate plan: murder.

Cal has always lived in the shadow of his manipulative and domineering brother, Frank, who was doted upon by their mother and beloved by the girls in their small New England hometown—including Cal’s own girlfriends. In an attempt to escape Frank’s intrusive presence, Cal pursues a different kind of freedom in the world’s wild spaces, prospecting for gold and precious minerals everywhere from the heat of the desert at the Mexican border to the Alaskan chill, to central Africa, and Colombian mines where he will meet the love of his life, Vida. Soon he is dripping in wealth, his pockets full of gold nuggets and emeralds, but the money means far less to him than his independence. To Frank, however, “Cash is king.” As Cal’s success grows, so too does Frank’s power and his influence in Cal’s affairs, the devastating threat he creates at the center of his little brother’s life. And, ultimately, when Frank decides to commit the ultimate betrayal…Cal is left with only one, final solution.

Few writers have as keen an eye for human nature as the inimitable Paul Theroux, and this riveting tale of adventure, betrayal, and the true cost of family bonds is an unmissable new work from one of America’s most distinguished and beloved novelists.

©2022 Paul Theroux (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Always a great listen.

The normal great writing and excellent characters created by Mr Theroux is evident in this book. The final ending I thought was a bit quick. Excellent narration!!

😋

Delicious, fantastic, cruel, righteous, self justifying, making full use of the author's experiences tramping the earth!

Great story but not quite great literature.

As a big Paul Theroux fan with many of his same life and travel experiences, I always look forward to his every new publication. I really enjoyed this latest novel, but don’t consider it great literature on a par with Salma Rushdie’s, Philip Roth's orJulian Barnes’ best. I will still buy and read, or listen to everything Paul puts out … and I hope he remains productive.

Worst ever.

This is the worst book I have ever read, and I am an old lady. The reason I stuck with it is that it was a book club book. The writing was so heavy handed, and the repetitions drove me mad. I had to brace myself every time the story of the older brother almost drowning on Cape Cod came around again. Also, the incessant whining of Cal was exasperating. The one nod I will give to Paul Theroux is that, at the beginning, one is on the side of Cal, thinking he is an honest narrator. It is only as the book goes along one can see he is completely stuck in his toxic interpretation of events and everyone. I have never read any of the author’s travel books, but they must be more readable than this one.