The Defector

A Novel

By: Chris Hadfield

Narrated by: Ray Porter

From a New York Times bestselling author, astronaut, and fighter pilot comes a "full-throttle, adrenaline-laced espionage page-turner" (Jack Carr, New York Times bestselling author) and Cold War thriller perfect for fans of Top Gun and The Hunt for Red October.

Israel, October 1973. As the Yom Kippur War flares into life, a state-of-the-art Soviet MiG fighter plane plummets to an unexpected landing. NASA Flight Controller and former US test pilot Kaz Zemeckis watches from the ground—unaware that its arrival will pull him into a high-stakes game of spies, lies, and secrets that hold the key to Cold War air and space supremacy.

For within that plane is a Soviet pilot pleading to defect, offering a prize beyond value: the workings of the Soviets' mythical "Foxbat" MiG-25, the fastest, highest-flying fighter plane in the world. But trusting him is risky, and Kaz must tread a careful line. As Kaz accompanies the defector into the United States, to the military’s most secret test site, he must hope that, with skill and cunning, the game plays out his way.

Rich with insider detail and political intrigue drawn from real events, The Defector is a propulsive thriller from a growing master of the genre, filled with the nerve-shredding rush of aerial combat as it could only be told by one of the world's best fighter pilots.

"Wondering what to do until Top Gun 3 arrives? Don't worry, Hadfield's got it covered.” —Rowland White

“Brimming with detail and realism and full of pulse-pounding action.” —Mark Greaney

"Hadfield’s writing is superb. Fans of The Apollo Murders will seek out this one, but newcomers will also thoroughly enjoy it.” —Booklist

Praise for The Apollo Murders

“A Cold War thriller packed with cosmic action.” —New York Times

“An exciting journey into an alternate past.” —Andy Weir, author of The Martian

“Propulsive . . . a space race thrill ride.” —Newsweek

“An intelligent and surprising nail-biter that Tom Clancy fans will relish.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

©2023 Chris Hadfield (P)2023 Mulholland Books

Critic reviews

“Continuous action, Mach-speed mayhem, sharp intrigue, and well rounded characters—what more could you want from a thriller? Oh, the author is a former astronaut who knows what he’s talking about and a lot of what’s in the story actually happened. Perfect."—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

Can’t wait for the next book!

Chris Hadfield did an amazing job of world building and weaving in historical facts with believable fiction.
I’m excited to see where this series goes in the future.

Per usual Ray Porter crushed it. He’s my favorite narrator up there with RC Bray.

great story and read

Even though the story is about flying and astronauts it's well grounded in reality making it a believable and engaging. I listened to almost all of it in one day on a long road trip and it really did help pass the miles. I look forward to Chris's next book :)

Satisfies the Aviation Nerd in me!

Hadfield does a masterful job of translating his past life into a thrilling, engaging, but factually accurate story!

This is a must-listen for anyone who is a fan of Dale Brown, Tom Clancy, or other realistic fiction authors.

Is there anything Chris Hadfield can’t do well?

I absolutely loved this book. I especially like that there’s a clear lead character, but Chris makes sure all perspectives have been seen throughout. I only wish that the cosmonaut storyline had progressed a bit more. Oh and the description of the dog Alma was basically like hearing my own dog being described and any storyline that involves animals suffering as a plot point loses some ground with me. I understand the reasoning it was used, but I still don’t have to like it. Still a fantastic alternate history story though!

Better than the first

I am not a big fan of The Apollo Murders, so wasn't sure about getting this book. But I had a spare credit and nothing else to try so I got it anyway. I like this book quite a bit! I've listened to it multiple times already and keep picking up on new details each time. A nicely woven story. Looking forward to more adventures with Kaz!