The Escape Artist

By: Brad Meltzer

Narrated by: Scott Brick, January LaVoy

Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Meltzer is a master and this is his best. Not since The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo have you seen a character like this. Get ready to meet Nola. If you've never tried Meltzer, this is the one." (Harlan Coben) 

Who is Nola Brown?

Nola is a mystery. 

Nola is trouble. 

And Nola is supposed to be dead. 

Her body was found on a plane that mysteriously fell from the sky as it left a secret military base in the Alaskan wilderness. Her commanding officer verifies she's dead. The US government confirms it. But Jim "Zig" Zigarowski has just found out the truth: Nola is still alive. And on the run. 

Zig works at Dover Air Force Base, helping put to rest the bodies of those who die on top-secret missions. Nola was a childhood friend of Zig's daughter and someone who once saved his daughter's life. So when Zig realizes Nola is still alive, he's determined to find her. Yet as Zig digs into Nola's past, he learns that trouble follows Nola everywhere she goes. 

Nola is the US Army's artist-in-residence - a painter and trained soldier who rushes into battle, making art from war's aftermath and sharing observations about today's wars that would otherwise go overlooked. On her last mission, Nola saw something nobody was supposed to see, earning her an enemy unlike any other, one who will do whatever it takes to keep Nola quiet. 

Together, Nola and Zig will either reveal a sleight of hand being played at the highest levels of power or die trying to uncover the US Army's most mysterious secret - a centuries-old conspiracy that traces back through history to the greatest escape artist of all: Harry Houdini. 

©2018 Brad Meltzer (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"The Escape Artist has a magic trick up its sleeve. Part Lisbeth Salander, part Homeland's Carrie Mathison. One of the most memorable characters I've read in years. Look out - Nola's coming. This is Meltzer in peak form." (Lisa Scottoline)

"The Escape Artist is a slingshot of a novel. Brad Meltzer expertly pulls it back and lets it go, propelling the unlikeliest of heroes forward in a high stakes, high tension thriller that never lets you catch your breath. My advice: Buckle up!" (Michael Connelly)

"This novel is like a launched torpedo slashing through 400 pages of deep water before reaching impact. Enjoy one of the best thriller rides ever." (David Baldacci)

Depressing and repetitive

Struggled to finish it. Nola was an unlikeable heroine. Repeating same things over and over again. by the end you didn't care if all the main characters got killed.

a poor effort from a usually fantastic writer.

I have read almost everything that Mr Meltzer has written and loved most of it. This book was not up to his usual standard with a truly terrible protagonist.

Not His Best

Story was okay but hero was a little to whiney for my taste. Scott Brick did his best with the narration but the hero was written in a weak way. January was very good at her part of the narration. Having said that I still think it was worth my time and have no regrets about buying and listening to the book. I just think Brad has written much better.

Not Good Meltzer

Would you try another book from Brad Meltzer and/or Scott Brick and January LaVoy ?

Yes. I have read many.

Has The Escape Artist turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. This was just a clunker from Meltzer. You don't hit homeruns everytime. Sometimes you strike out.

What aspect of Scott Brick and January LaVoy ’s performance would you have changed?

None

Any additional comments?

This book had no continuity. Jump back years, then today , then jump again. Characters just lacked realism and any interest. I would kill the Zig series after one poor book.

Nothing intriguing

Nola is boring. She’s does nothing during the present time of the book to prove she’s a great heroine.

Zigg is worse. There’s no reason he should take such a vested interest in Nola — he’s a 50-something year old randomly obsessed with a 20-something year old female because she once knew his deceased daughter. Hers annoying.

Didn’t enjoy the (lack of) character development and the plot was terrible, as was the “reveal” at the end.

One of Brad Meltzer's better books...

This book was a little different. I thoroughly enjoyed Meltzer's newest. I go back and forth with his books, I either really like or don't. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground.
Anyway,the two protagonists made for an interesting duo. Between Zig (the military mortician) and Nola (a military artist) the hunt for the person responsible for a plane carrying 7 people out of Alaska gets very hairy. Someone is trying to kill them to keep them from finding out the truth.
Lots of historic trivia including bits of Houdini, his followers and predecessor
Scott Brick and January LaVoy make a very good narrating duo.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Huge disappointment

I usually love Mr. Meltzer's books but this one missed the mark. I wanted to listen because of the author and, also, I work in Dover, DE. There was no local color and I just couldn't get interested in any of the characters. I think I was supposed to care about Nola but she made herself so unlikable, I just couldn't.

Shameful

Sad to say but I will never be able to recapture the hoursI spent listening to this book. Lacking suspense and a meaningful plot, the characters are cartoonish and never connect with each othet or the reader. I want my time and my money back.

Not Good

worst brad Meltzer book ever. I looked forward to getting this audio book and my disappointment was equal to my anticipation.

Interesting and disappointing!

The publisher's summary sets up The Escape Artist well, so I will not add background. I had to repeatedly check to make certain I was listening to the correct book because particularly with Scott Brick doing most of the narration and with the subject matter the book sounds like a Steve Berry novel without Cotton Malone. The Escape Artist in Book 1 in the military mortician Zig Zigarowski series, but Nola Brown is by far the more interesting character. The novel is okay, but I expected much better. It is certainly the first novel I have read that has a military mortician as the protagonist.