The Russian Pink

An Alex Turner Thriller

De: Matthew Hart

Narrado por: Thor Tom

An explosive debut featuring renowned diamond expert caught in a web of deception and malice while trying to uncover the secrets behind the most expensive diamond in the world.

When "The Russian Pink" - a stunningly large rose-hued diamond - makes a surprise appearance around the neck of Honey Li, the wife of surging presidential candidate Harry Nash, Alex Turner, an investigator for the Treasury Department’s diamond division and former CIA agent, finds himself spiraling down a seemingly endless rabbit hole. A diamond like that always carries secrets, but the web of mystery behind "The Pink" is more complex than Alex could ever image.

Starting with the trail of damage from botched sting operation, Alex wavers between legal and illegal tactics, friends, family, and foes to find out why a mysterious Russian double agent betrayed him and the diamond ended up on a potential path to the White House. For wherever the Russian Pink goes, secrecy, deception, and death surely follow.

With echoes of both John Le Carre and Jason Matthews, The Russian Pink is a stylish and fresh pause-resister that catapults the listener into the world of blood diamond trading, a world that Matthew Hart, the author of the critically acclaimed Diamond, navigates with authoritative authenticity and wit.

©2020 Matthew Hart (P)2021 Scribd Audio

Fast-paced thriller about diamonds and politics

If you are looking at this audiobook, you are probably interested in diamonds. The author is a nonfiction writer and has written about diamonds and precious metals in book form and for well-known magazines. He knows his subject and has friendships with diamond and market experts. Thus, the book's background information and details are accurate. This novel is a lot more, though.

It is a remarkable story, taking place all over the world at a rapid pace. The pace is so rapid that if you aren't careful, you'll miss the change of country or continent. The protagonist grew up around diamonds at their source, with a family member who is an expert carrying a checkered past (and maybe present). In fact pretty much all the characters who have a relationship to the diamond in question have questionable histories and motives. Early in the story you find out how the protagonist ended up going from diamond trader to his current job. Then things take off when he gets involved with the diamond that is almost a story character itself.

The narration was generally good, with a variety of voices, including men's and women's voices. My only mild criticism is that sometimes the voices did not change to reflect the character who was speaking. A voice that was connected to a character ended up speaking another character's lines in the scene. Overall, it was still a 4-star performance.

I am restless these days and find it challenging to select a book that is going to capture my attention. If you are a mystery or thriller fan and currently feeling picky, this is a great choice.