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The Scarlet Papers

The Times Thriller of the Year 2023

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The Scarlet Papers

By: Matthew Richardson
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh, Lucy Scott
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

ONLY SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH. ONLY HE CAN TELL THE WORLD.

VIENNA, 1946
A brilliant German scientist spirited out of the ruins Nazi Europe in search of a new life

MOSCOW, 1964
A rising star of the British diplomatic service whose job is not what it seems

LONDON, THE PRESENT DAY
A once promising academic offered an opportunity to seal his place in history

Their stories, their lives, and the fate of the world, are bound by a single document:

THE SCARLET PAPERS

The devastating secrets contained within teased by a brief invitation:

Tomorrow 11AM. Take a cab and pay in cash. Tell no one.


'Smart, slick and totally gripping...The Scarlet Papers is always credible, always startling and almost painfully human. A total triumph.' TONY PARSONS

'Look out for The Scarlet Papers...An engrossing adventure' STEVE CAVANAGH

'A masterpiece' TIM GLISTER

'Grand in scope, and packed with fascinating insights' MICK HERRON


©2023 Matthew Richardson (P)2023 Penguin Audio

 Espionage Genre Fiction Historical International Mystery & Crime Mystery Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Fiction

Critic Reviews

Chosen by many readers as the best spy novel of this year
Superbly constructed and written with flair, it manages to debunk John le Carré's world and to reaffirm its mystique. It's highly unlikely that there will be a better espionage novel this year
Standout
A natural-born storyteller
A shot in the arm for thriller fans
Blissfully ingenious
A breathtaking thriller. A classic in the making (PETER JAMES)
This is the most impressive espionage debut since Mick Herron's Slow Horses. Filled with fast-moving action and a fine line in threat, it weaves a thrilling spell
Hugely impressive and compelling (WILLIAM BOYD)
Look out for The Scarlet Papers . . . Engrossing (STEVE CAVANAGH)
All stars
Most relevant
The narration was excellent. The ending was disappointing. I am not sure if this is first novel or not. If it was I think that a subsequent one would improve in terms of the story. I think that it was a tad bit long and the twists and turns were not real.

The story was good, but the ending was disappointing

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A superb storyline, with beautifully nuanced characters. Richardson is a serious talent, seemingly just getting started in his writing career, promising future works of equal, if not greater, potency.

Astonishingly good!

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An instant classic in the making. Weaves a web across generations and keeps you guessing until the last words. Close to a perfect story.

Brilliant

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5 stars across the board. Fat finger originally!
But I need 15 words so this useless sentence

Correction

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Great story telling and intriguing characters and twists and turns included throughout. Spy story at its best

Fantastic tale

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