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Title details for Liar's Candle by August Thomas - Available

Liar's Candle

A Novel

by August Thomas
Rebekkah Ross
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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In this brilliant debut thriller, reminiscent of the works of John le Carre and Olen Steinhauer and infused with the authenticity of the author's travels, a young American State Department intern based in Turkey becomes "the woman who knows too much" and is marked for death.
Penny Kessler, an intern at the US Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, wakes up in a hospital on the morning of July 5th to find herself at the center of an international crisis. The day before, the Embassy was the target of a devastating terrorist attack that killed hundreds of Penny's friends and colleagues. Not only has a photograph of Penny as she emerged from the rubble become the event's defining image, but for reasons she doesn't understand, her bosses believe she's a crucial witness.

Suddenly, everyone is intensely interested in what Penny knows. But what does she know? And whom can she trust? As she struggles to piece together her memories, she discovers that Zach Robson, the young diplomat she'd been falling for all summer, went missing during the attack. And one of the CIA's most powerful officials, Christina Ekdahl, wants people to believe Zach was a traitor.

What actually happened?

Penny barely has time to ask before she discovers that her own government wants her dead. Soon, with only a single ally—a rookie intelligence officer fresh out of the Navy—she is running a perilous gauntlet, ruthlessly pursued by Turkey's most powerful forces and by the CIA.

To survive, Penny must furiously improvise. Tradecraft takes a lifetime to master. She has less than thirty-six hours. And she's only twenty-one years old. This is her first real test—one she can't fail.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 17, 2018

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781508253570
      • File size: 288214 KB
      • Duration: 10:00:26

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 5, 2018
      Thomas’s competent first novel opens in Ankara, Turkey, where Penny Kessler, a 21-year-old American intern at the U.S. embassy, lies unconscious in a hospital room, the victim of a terrorist bomb at a Fourth of July picnic. An image of her in a blood-stained dress, draped in an American flag, has made her a media sensation. Frank Lerman, a senior State Department official, wants to question her about her activities and her relationship with Zachary Robson, another American, who mysteriously disappeared after the explosion. In an unlikely twist, Turkey’s prime minister insists on taking Penny, once she regains consciousness, out of the hospital to the presidential palace to continue her recovery. The plot devolves into a James Bond–style thriller, with Penny trying to connect with Robson as she becomes a pawn in a high-stakes, strategic game of diplomacy (and treachery). For a young summer intern, she proves surprisingly resourceful. The cinematic action sweeps the reader along, and a strong sense of place makes up for the sometimes leaden exposition. Agent: Piers Blofeld, Sheil Land Assoc. (U.K.).

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Rebekkah Ross delivers a satisfying narration of Thomas's debut novel. After a terrorist bomb attack, Penny Kessler, a 21-year-old intern at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey, wakes up in a hospital. Her friend, Zach, has disappeared, but before the State Department can question her about him, she is forcibly removed from the hospital by the Turkish government. While Ross has difficulty creating credible male voices, her characterizations are fine. However, the plot asks listeners to suspend disbelief a bit too often. Ross picks up the pace as Penny's exploits continue, including daring escapes in which Penny shows incredible ingenuity. Ross's confusion sounds genuine when Penny suddenly finds herself on everybody's hit list, even her own government's. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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