The Collaborators, Michael Idov
The Collaborators, Michael Idov
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

The Collaborators

Author: Michael Idov

Narrator: Santino Fontana

Unabridged: 8 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/19/2024


Synopsis

Named a Best Book of the Year by Vogue

Slow Horses meets Red Sparrow in this “sharp, freshly conceived, [and] thoroughly entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) spy thriller featuring a brilliant young intelligence officer and a troubled heiress who stumble into a global conspiracy that pits present-day Russia against the CIA.

Combining realistic thrills with sophisticated spycraft and witty dialogue, The Collaborators delivers a gut-punch answer to the biggest geopolitical question of our time: how, exactly, did post-Soviet Russia turn down the wrong path?

Crisscrossing the globe on the way to this shocking revelation are disaffected millennial CIA officer Ari Falk, thrown into a moral and professional crisis by the death of his best asset; and brash, troubled LA heiress Maya Chou, spiraling after the disappearance of her Russian American billionaire father. The duo’s adventures take us to both classic and surprising locales—from Berlin, to Latvia, Belarus, and an abandoned technopark outside Moscow.

Dynamic, fast-paced, and filled with captivating details that provide a window into a secretive world, The Collaborators is a first-rate thriller “with a propulsive plot and fantastic twists” (Chris Pavone, author of The Expats) that pays homage to both meanings of “intelligence.”

About Michael Idov

Michael Idov is a novelist, director, and screenwriter. A Latvian-born American raised in Riga under Soviet occupation, he moved to New York after graduating from the University of Michigan. Michael’s writing career began at New York magazine, where his features won three National Magazine Awards, and he has served as the editor-in-chief of GQ Russia. He is also the author of The CollaboratorsGround Up, and Dressed Up for a Riot. Michael has worked on numerous film and TV projects, including LondongradDeutschland 83Leto, and The Humorist. He and his wife and screenwriting partner, Lily, divide their time between Los Angeles, Berlin, and Portugal.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jamele (BookswithJams) on November 26, 2024

Thank you to Scribner, Dart Frogg Communications and Simon Audio for the copies to review. Oh my, this spy thriller started off fast and never stopped until the end. I listened to this one via audio and loved it so much, I was engrossed in the story, loved the banter and dad jokes worked in as relief......more

Goodreads review by Liz on September 13, 2024

The Collaborators is a twisty and exciting international espionage novel. Like most spy novels, this is a high-stakes and high-intensity story spanning multiple countries and perspectives. Part of what makes spy stories so much fun is that in terms of plausibility, almost anything goes -- readers are......more

Goodreads review by Lou on December 02, 2024

November 25, 2024 Book Review The Collaborators Michael Idov reviewed by Lou Jacobs readersremains.com | Goodreads Michael Idol, noted novelist, director, and screenwriter, delivers a debut gem of a spy thriller steeped in realistic, relevant international plots with fresh and vibrant millennial charact......more

Goodreads review by Brad on November 13, 2024

The Collaborators is a contemporary spy-thriller from Michael Idov. โ€œAri Falk is a CIA officer who has jus lost his best asset. While investigating he stumbles into missing money and the sudden killings of witnesses. He is thrown together with Maya Chou, a sometimes actress and daughter of a deceased......more

Goodreads review by Andrea | andrea.c.lowry.reads on December 12, 2024

The Collaborators is an espionage thriller that crosses the globe and takes the reader on one heck of a rollercoaster ride. ๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—บ๐—ผ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜†? With exciting action scenes and a couple of surprises, the story kept me captivated from beginning to end. The riveting plot moves at a siz......more


Quotes

"Narrator Santino Fontana perfectly affects various accents as cynical millennial CIA officer Ari Falk works undercover to help Russian opposition journalists develop stories that damage the Kremlin. As Falk tumbles into an international spy plot involving the disappearance of his best asset, a Russian American billionaire, he is joined by the bold and problematic Maya Chou. Fontana’s calm and collected delivery accentuates the twisty plot and action sequences. Idov’s fresh, intelligent, and intriguing young characters deliver thrills and chills as Falk unravels complex shenanigans. Fontana deliciously delivers witty dialogue and detailed depictions of colorful destinations like Berlin, Tangier, Latvia, Belarus, and Moscow. Fans of gritty novels asking big questions will love this."