The Kortelisy Escape, Leonard Rosen
The Kortelisy Escape, Leonard Rosen
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The Kortelisy Escape

Author: Leonard Rosen

Narrator: Richard Ferrone, Erin Spencer

Unabridged: 8 hr 49 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/30/2018

Synopsis

Caught in a Three Strikes law that sends him to prison for life, Nate Larson negotiates with prosecutors for an early release in exchange for testifying against his brother in an upcoming trial. As part of the deal, he demands custody of his fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Grace, who’s survived a string of disastrous foster homes.Nate studied close-up magic during his time in prison. He’s good, and despite her wariness Grace joins him for a touring magic show of New England. Nate’s actual plan: to spend a few pleasant months with his granddaughter then run alone to Canada in hopes of undermining the case against his brother, who’s been falsely accused of trafficking. Pressure comes from that direction, too, from the actual traffickers who have hijacked the family’s legitimate, though secretive, connections to Eastern Europe and the Ukrainian village of Kortelisy.Facing certain violence unless he runs, distraught at the prospect of wounding Grace unless he stays, Nate must thread a dangerous needle. And Grace, learning to perform some magic herself, must grow up in a hurry if she’s to save the only person she has ever trusted.

About Leonard Rosen

Leonard Rosen is the author of the highly acclaimed literary thriller All Cry Chaos, which won the 2012 Macavity Award for Best First Novel and ForeWord’s Editor’s Choice Prize in 2011. It was also a finalist for an Edgar Award, Chautauqua Prize, and Anthony Award. Rosen has written bestselling textbooks on writing, taught writing at Harvard and at Bentley University, and contributed radio commentaries to WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.

About Richard Ferrone

Read by Richard Ferrone, Stephen Bel Davies, Prentice Onayemi, Scott Aiello, Michael David Axtell, Jessica B. Harris, and Amanda Leigh Cobb

Reviews

Goodreads review by Hallie on January 28, 2019

I really enjoyed this book. It's got a prickly teenage girl (Grace) who's been in and out of foster homes, united with her grandfather when he gets out of prison... he's a magician (think: a Russian Houdini) with a criminal past who's trying to save his brother. He teaches Grace to be his assistant.......more

Goodreads review by Sheila on September 20, 2018

The magician teaches his apprentice to tell stories, because it’s story that diverts the listener from watching the hands; story gives the magic shape, and story offers escape. Just for a moment, a small child laughs, and it doesn’t matter that the coin was a trick; what matters is the spark of joy......more

Goodreads review by Sue Em on February 11, 2019

Perhaps he was released from prison to testify against his brother, but a magician knows how to distract and confound his audience. Taking his granddaughter on a magic tour, he engineered this opportunity to rescue her from foster care. But is there any way he can help her without hurting his brothe......more

Goodreads review by Lucía on August 03, 2024

Muy lindo, esto perfectamente podría adaptarse a película......more

Goodreads review by Susan on December 30, 2018

This is the story of a Ukranian immigrant, Nate, recently released from prison, and his estranged granddaughter, Grace, whose been shuffled through DCF for a decade. Nate is awaiting his brother's trial where he's set to testify and Grace is waiting for Nate to let her down, like all her other foste......more

Quotes

“A master storyteller weaves a tale of love, pain, and sleight of hand…The plotting is clever and the details are touching…[A] richly enjoyable novel.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] quirkily endearing gem of a crime novel…Distinctive characters, a tightly woven plot, and polished prose make this a winner.” Publishers Weekly

“A tender tale of loyalty, gratitude, and the healing power of magical wonder; Rosen’s gifted storytelling will appeal to readers beyond genre boundaries.” Booklist

“Narrators Erin Spencer and Richard Ferrone alternate the narration of this heartfelt thriller. Spencer voices Grace, a 14-year-old victim of the foster care system, and Ferrone portrays Nate, her grandfather…Spencer does a convincing job of expressing Grace’s anger and confusion as she comes of age, while Ferrone’s gruff, masculine tone provides the ideal counterbalance. Smartly written, this audiobook manages to take a stand on human trafficking and three-strikes laws while giving lessons in magic and Ukrainian history.” AudioFile

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