This content material accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. Once you purchase via these hyperlinks, we could earn an affiliate fee.
Writing a Spy Novel in an Age of Geopolitical Chaos
Michael Idov’s espionage novel, The Collaborators, was revealed in November 2024, and he has ideas and emotions about writing spy fiction within the present state of the world: “Americans are openly living in a 1970s paranoid conspiracy thriller, where corruption goes all the way to the top—except that half of the US population seems to see this as a good thing, or at least a temporary cleansing necessity. You try writing grounded spy fiction in a reality where ‘the president is in on it’ is not even a twist.”
The 2025 Audie Award® Finalists Have Been Introduced
Observe: you could have to toggle to pick out the audiobook choice
There are 28 classes—together with one for thriller and one for thrillers—that can award one finalist in every group on the award present on March 4th. A few of my absolute favourite audiobook listens outdoors of the thriller/thriller style are on the checklist: There’s All the time This Yr, James, Lights Out, I Was a Teenage Slasher, and Margo’s Obtained Cash Troubles.
And naturally, what you’re most likely most occupied with, the thriller finalists: Hear for the Lie by Amy Tintera, narrated by Will Damron and January LaVoy; Tough Pages by Lev AC Rosen, narrated by Vikas Adam; The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley, narrated by Joe Eyre, Sarah Slimani, Roly Botha, Laurence Dobiesz, and Tuppence Middleton; Nonetheless See You In all places by Lisa Gardner, narrated by Hillary Huber; This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter, narrated by Kathleen Early.
And the thriller finalists: The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, narrated by Mizuo Peck, Tessa Albertson, Nicole Lewis, Rebecca Lowman, Pleasure Osmanski, Angel Pean, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Erin Ruth Walker, and CJ Wilson; First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld; The Forest of Misplaced Souls by Dean Koontz, narrated by January LaVoy; The Little Drummer Woman by John le Carré, narrated by Adjoa Andoh; Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz, narrated by Scott Brick.
I observed some fascinating issues: off the highest of my head, two had been ebook membership picks (Hear For the Lie was a GMA March 2024 choose, and First Lie Wins was a Reese January 2024 choose). Reese’s having a choose within the finalists spherical ought to have her celebrating, provided that she’s not too long ago leaned exhausting into audiobook promotions (she has a partnership with Apple Books for Audiobooks).
My opinion: I’ve solely learn three of those—The Return of Ellie Black, First Lie Wins, and Hear for the Lie—and suppose all of them are value a learn/hear. And whereas I’ve but to get to Tough Pages, I am keen on Lev A.C. Rosen as an writer based mostly on all the things I’ve learn of his (Jack of Hearts (and Different Elements) and Camp).