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  • The Secret Speech

  • By: Tom Rob Smith
  • Narrated by: Colin Mace
  • Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (18 ratings)

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The Secret Speech

By: Tom Rob Smith
Narrated by: Colin Mace
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Publisher's Summary

Soviet Union, 1956: Stalin is dead. With his passing, a violent regime is beginning to fracture - leaving behind a society where the police are the criminals, and the criminals are innocent.

The catalyst comes when a secret manifesto composed by Stalin's successor, Khrushchev, is distributed to the entire nation. Its message: Stalin was a tyrant and a murderer. Its promise: The Soviet Union will transform. But there are forces at work that are unable to forgive or forget Stalin's tyranny so easily and demand revenge of the most appalling nature.

Meanwhile, former MGB officer Leo Demidov is facing his own turmoil. The two young girls he and his wife Raisa adopted have yet to forgive him for his involvement in the murder of their parents. They are not alone. Now that the truth is out, Leo, Raisa and their family are in grave danger from someone with a grudge against Leo. Someone transformed beyond recognition into the perfect model of vengeance.

©2009 Tom Rob Smith (P)2009 WF Howes Ltd

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Interesting history.

A great story but it needed a good edit. It made me realise how the Russians haven’t changed much which is probably because of their one man totalitarian government.

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Waaaaaay too long and lots of improbable plot lines

I enjoyed Child 44 a lot so was excited to read the next instalment. But the second half of the book dragged on interminably and tbh I stopped listening an hour or so before the end.
Added to long, complicated yet boring passages were the unbelievable plot lines that I feel really spoiled the book and made the protagonist less credible. I'm disappointed with this book - except for Colin Mace's performance which was excellent.

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