The Deceivers

By: Alex Berenson

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Russians don't just want to influence American elections - they want it all. Former CIA agent John Wells confronts a plot of astonishing audacity as New York Times best-selling author Alex Berenson goes beyond today's headlines to tomorrow's all-too-real threats. 

It was supposed to be a terrorist sting. The guns were supposed to be disabled. Then why was there so much blood? 

The target was the American Airlines Center, the home of the Dallas Mavericks. The FBI had told Ahmed Shakir that his drug bust would go away if he helped them, and they'd supply all the weaponry, carefully removing the firing pins before the main event. It never occurred to Sami to doubt them, until it was too late. 

When John Wells is called to Washington, he's sure it's to investigate the carnage in Dallas, but it isn't. The former CIA director, now president, Vinnie Duto has plenty of people working in Texas. He wants Wells to go to Colombia. An old asset there has information to share - and it will lead Wells to the deadliest mission of his life, an extraordinary confluence of sleeper cells, sniper teams, false flag operations, double agents high in the US government - and a Russian plot to take over the government itself. If it succeeds, what happened in Texas will be only a prelude. 

©2018 Alex Berenson (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Topical political/espionage thriller!

Book 12 in Alex Berenson's John Wells series has him near the top of espionage thriller authors. The story is ripped from the headlines as Russia attempts to damage the US and its government. John Wells is one of the really interesting espionage protagonist in modern novels. Wells' background including being a CIA operative and a convert to Islam is unique among other leading espionage thriller protagonists such as Mitch Rapp, Court Gentry, Dewey Andras, Pike Logan, Jericho Quinn, Victor the Assassin, John Rain, Jonathan Quinn, etc. I'm not ready to place author Alex Berenson at the very top of his craft beside Mark Greaneyand Ben Coes (I do not mention the deceased Mitch Rapp who is the best ever), but Berenson is very close to being in their class. George Guidall does a fantastic job of narration.

I recommend without reservation The Deceivers to everyone who enjoys suspense thrillers. All 12 of Alex Berenson's John Wells are in my Audible library. All are standalone and all are worthwhile.

18 of 19 people found this review helpful

Solid, but a little too on the nose for my taste

Story felt a little too law & order: "ripped from the headlines!"

Entertaining as usual, regardless of the plot points that felt a little obvious and choices that seemed a little too easy.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Best Yet!

I've read all of Alex Berenson's books. Most are very good, a couple weren't and I'm happy to say this one was GREAT! As usual, George Guidall narrated perfectly. The plot moved along nicely - word to the wise, don't plan on doing anything except listening for the final two hours.
Definitely waiting for the author's next John Wells adventure!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great Characters and Performance

Berenson’s core characters, Johnny Wells, Ellis Shafer, and President Vinnie Duto continue their dysfunctional love hate relationship chasing down a Russian false flag operation - a timely subject matter. Adding in a couple of new players on the good guy side, Berenson has a strong cast for his next novel.

I hope the next novel is not too far off because there are some loose ends.

George Guidall’s performance was excellent!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Love John and George together!

The only bad thing about this latest book is that it will be awhile before we get another book from this wonderful author. Could you write one every month? I know better, but a girl can hope.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fantastic series, fantastic book!

I love this series, I've given every single book a five star review. I like that John is always fixing everybody else's mistakes, but never fixes his own. What I still don't understand, is why you rather have Venny Duto as president

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This series continues to impress

Imagine a foreign power (Russia) trying to orchestrate a Presidential election in the US. Hard to grasp ... or not. A different take on current events but it's not too difficult to imagine.

Quite a ride in this book. Again, John - and his new friend, Winston (glad he's back), answer President Vinnie's call to investigate a strange terrorist attack in Dallas that is more than it seems. I didn't like the fact that John wasn't as prominent in this book as he should be. There are a lot of moving parts. Ellis in the field! Good stuff!

I loved the final line. And George Guidall's narration, of course. I hate having to wait a year to find out what happens next.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

I just wish he’d write these faster.

Alex Berenson read by George Guidall what else do you need to know.

This is the smartest, savviest espionage thrillers around.

He’s America’s Le Carré. John Wells our Smiley.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Berenson the best in the game as of Feb 17

While other thriller writers have had subpar books in late 2017-early 2018 Alex Berenson was smiling. He’s wrote a fantastic book winking at current events, easily worth your credits and he even got Guidall to read it, something the latest Mitch Rapp (Flynn) ghost writer cannot claim.

7 of 11 people found this review helpful

Attacks on the homeland

The Deceivers, Alex Berenson's latest John Wells installment begins with what appears to be an undercover sting operation that ends up as a major terrorist attack in the US. John Wells is tasked by the president to follow-up a possible lead in South American, that in typical Wells fashion, unravels a deeper and more sinister plot than mere terrorism. Independently, his aging friend pursues a discarded FBI interviewee when something doesn't seem right and stumbles into Wells from a completely different direction. Wells completes his mission in his own way and with the classic Wells' style.

John is becoming more introspective in his later years and the body count that racks up around him is beginning to weigh on his conscience. At the same time, his aging partner still at the CIA refuses to call it quits, but still can out-think everyone else at Langley. Berenson has crafted a complex, but quite plausible black op scenario which is actually designed to shape a global alliance that the US seems reluctant to enter into. The story ends with a setup for the next installment.

The narration is superb; George Guidall's gravely voice is perfect for the older, more experienced and jaded spies. Pacing is well aligned with the plot and there are plenty of non-Wells interludes that gives the listener a sense of underlying complexity of the operation before Wells can figure it out.