The Secret Speech, Tom Rob Smith
The Secret Speech, Tom Rob Smith
1 Rating(s)
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
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The Secret Speech

Author: Tom Rob Smith

Narrator: Dennis Boutsikaris

Unabridged: 11 hr 13 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/19/2009


Synopsis

Tom Rob Smith-the author whose debut, Child 44, has been called "brilliant" (Chicago Tribune), "remarkable" (Newsweek) and "sensational" (Entertainment Weekly)-returns with an intense, suspenseful new novel: a story where the sins of the past threaten to destroy the present, where families must overcome unimaginable obstacles to save their loved ones, and where hope for a better tomorrow is found in the most unlikely of circumstances . . .
The Secret Speech

Soviet Union, 1956. Stalin is dead, and a violent regime is beginning to fracture-leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent. A secret speech composed by Stalin's successor Khrushchev is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant. Its promise: The Soviet Union will change.

Facing his own personal turmoil, former state security officer Leo Demidov is also struggling to change. The two young girls he and his wife Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his part in the death of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa, and their family are in grave danger from someone consumed by the dark legacy of Leo's past career. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.

From the streets of Moscow in the throes of political upheaval, to the Siberian gulags, and to the center of the Hungarian uprising in Budapest, The Secret Speech is a breathtaking, epic novel that confirms Tom Rob Smith as one of the most exciting new authors writing today.


About Tom Rob Smith

Tom Rob Smith is the author of the acclaimed Child 44 trilogy. Child 44 itself was a global publishing sensation, selling over two million copies. It was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Prize and won the CWA Steel Dagger Award. His most recent novel, The Farm, was a #1 international bestseller. Tom also writes for television and won a Writer’s Guild Award for best adapted series and an Emmy and Golden Globe for best limited series with American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. He is also the creator and executive producer of FX’s suspense thriller series Class of ’09.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Federico on September 10, 2023

Ghosts of Tyrannies Past. Several years after “Child 44”, Leo Demidov is the head of the newly created Homicide Department. Abandoning his old job at MGB, Leo is trying to leave his dark past behind as officer of the secret police to build a better future with Raisa and their two adopted daughters......more

Goodreads review by Supratim on August 21, 2016

The rating is actually 3.5 but I have no choice to round it off to 4 as 3 would have been a little less than what the book deserves. I consider myself lucky because this novel is available in my library along with the final book in the trilogy. The Secret Speech is the second book in the Leo Demidov......more

Goodreads review by Maria on July 26, 2018

4.5/ ¿Qué puedo decir? Cada lector tiene una afinidad diferente y, cuando encuentra la nota perfecta para su partitura, vibra. Pues bien, yo he encontrado mi melodía. Me encanta la pluma de este hombre y la pasmosa facilidad con que me envuelve en su mundo.......more

Goodreads review by Rodrigo on June 09, 2024

Me ha gustado, pero menos que el primero, la historia ha sufrido altibajos de ritmo y eso lo ha penado en la puntuación. Sigue siendo genial la ambientación y vemos al protagonista Leo, bastante cambiado respecto al 1º libro, si bien es cierto que el contexto político y social en Rusia está cambiando......more

Goodreads review by Willow on August 05, 2016

It’s shocking how many people will commit atrocities and cruelty provided the actions are respected, sanctioned by the governing forces, and the persecutors are well paid. History is splattered with incidents like this, and while I do believe a lot of this blind obedience or indifference comes from......more


Quotes

"This is a truly remarkable debut novel. CHILD 44 is a rare blend of great insight, excellent writing, and a refreshingly original story. Favorable comparisons to GORKYPARK are inevitable, but CHILD 44 is in a class of its own."—Nelson DeMille

"Smith's pacing is relentless; readers wanting to put the book down for a brief rest may find themselves persevering regardless. Expect the same kind of critical acclaim for this compelling tale that greeted the publication of Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park (1981) more than 25 years ago...a very, very good read. Don't miss it."—Starred BOOKLIST

"Stellar debut...completely original and absolutely satisfying."—Starred PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

This is an outstanding book, one of the best I have listened to this year! The author succeeds in recreating the living conditions in Stalinist Russia and weaving a terrifying novel of suspense, intrigue and horror. The resolution at the end of the book is beautifully set up by the various turns of fate that befall the protagonist. This book gave me chills, and it was nearly impossible to break away while listening....Dennis Boutsikaris' performance made me feel like I was living in Stalinist Russia, and I was totally swept away by his work on this audio prduction.—RoadTripAmerica

*Starred Review* Dennis Boutsikaris expertly conveys the fear and paranoia that permeates Smith's outstanding debut novel of murder in 1950s Stalinist Russia....Using Russian accents to their full advantage, Boutsikaris infuses his characters' dialogue with a deep sense of downtrodden melancholia.—Publishers Weekly

Looking for un-put-downable suspense, guaranteed to give you chills during the dog days of August? Then Child 44, Tom Rob Smith's dazzling debut novel, enhanced by Dennis Boutsikaris' race-paced, authentically accented performance, is it....As Leo hunts the killer, the MGB hunt Leo, investigator becomes fugitive and the pulse-pounding excitement ratchets up in this transporting thriller-diller.—Sukey Howard, BookPage

"Dennis Boutsikaris's Russian accents are superb. He brings even minor characters to life and portrays sex and age differences credibly."—AudioFile