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Los Alamos (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.01) - 835 listener ratings
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “The suspense novel for all others to beat . . . [a] must read.”—The Denver Post WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL It is the spring of 1945, and in a dusty, remote community, the world’s most brilliant minds have come together in secret. Their mission: to split an atom and end a war. But among those who have come to Robert Oppenheimer ’s “enchanted campus” of foreign-born scientists, baffled guards, and restless wives is a simple man in search of a killer. Michael Connolly has been sent to the middle of nowhere to investigate the murder of a security officer on the Manhattan Project. But amid the glimmering cocktail parties and the staggering genius, Connolly will find more than he bargained for. Sleeping in a dead man’s bed and making love to another man’s wife, Connolly has entered the moral no-man’s-land of Los Alamos. For in this place of brilliance and discovery, hope and horror, Connolly is plunged into a shadowy war with a killer—as the world is about to be changed forever. Praise for Los Alamos “A magnificent work of fiction . . . a love story inside a murder mystery inside perhaps the most significant story of the twentieth century: the making of the atomic bomb.”—The Boston Globe “Compelling . . . [Joseph Kanon] pulls the reader into a historical drama of excitement and high moral seriousness.” —The New York Times “Thrilling . . . Kanon writes with the sure hand of a veteran and does a marvelous job.”—The Washington Post Book World
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"A well-paced novel featuring a murder mysteryon the secret base which produced the Atomic Bomb in 1945. It includes real life figures such as Oppenheimer as key players in the mystery. Excellent characters and well-written with great historical detail. Some plot elements in the mystery were a little clunky and implausible, but it was overall a great read, mostly for the great characters, setting and dialogue."
— Mark (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Winner of the 1997 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel
Los Alamos Listener Reviews
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" Kind of a dry book. "
— Mainrun, 2/14/2014 -
" Couldn't get into it. Maybe another time. "
— Vicky, 2/6/2014 -
" Despite the scientific history in the background of this murder novel, the Manhattan Project, it drags and I didn't identify in any way with any character. "
— Wesley, 2/6/2014 -
" This is a solid read, a murder/spy mystery set at Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the atom bomb was developed during World War 2. Fairly well written, with a decent story line, I really kept reading so that I could learn a little about the people who worked on that momentous project. "
— Brandie, 2/6/2014 -
" A good read! A nice little murder/spy story with some historical background thrown in. Takes place at Los Alamos (natch) in the days leading up to the first A-bomb test. Had to check Kanon out, as he's compared to Graham Greene and Le Carre on his Wikipedia page. I'm not so sure about that comparison, but I will be reading his next novel, The Prodigal Spy, soon. "
— John, 1/21/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this historical mystery set within the compound of Los Alamos in the spring of 1945. A man is found beaten to death. It looks like an ordinary passion-driven murder, but is it? "
— Rae, 1/20/2014 -
" A literate and literary thriller writer. "
— Timothy, 12/25/2013 -
" Fascinating setting (Manhattan-era Los Alamos, New Mexico), run-of-the-mill murder mystery plot. "
— Brandon, 12/22/2013 -
" Enjoyable read. Kanon does a good job of setting the historical pieces in place, and the story is good, too. It occasionally felt a bit disjointed, but was worth it in the end. "
— Bill, 12/3/2013 -
" I thought this was his best book. Also enjoyed: The Good German; Alibi; The Prodigal Spy. "
— Sue, 7/7/2013 -
" An interesting look into what life must have been like living is Los Alamos during the development of the atomic bomb. Unfortunately I thought the main character was an a--hole and there was too much 'love story' that took focus away from the main story. "
— Lou, 1/18/2013 -
" Joseph Kanon won ad Edgar in 1998 for this book. The book takes place in 1945 with the atom bomb program. Very absorbing. "
— Jeffrey, 12/7/2012 -
" Did not finish, stopped about at about 3/4 of the book. Wanted to like it to but neither plot or main characters were sufficiently compelling. "
— Robert, 11/23/2012 -
" Thought this would be a murder mystery set in 1945 in Los Alamos. It was, but there was a complicated love story that took up half the novel. Plus the investigator barely investigated. Giev it a miss. "
— Steve, 1/27/2012 -
" Never really read this completely. We discussed it in our bookclub but no one liked it. "
— Monica, 11/20/2011 -
" Very interesting fictional account of some very real events at Los Alamos "
— Dodi, 9/2/2011 -
" Fantastic. A love story/murder mystery/spy story set at the birth of the Atomic age. Oppenheimer and crew make appearances (as major characters) and the just-starting Cold War paranoia creates a nice amount of tension. A great first novel. "
— Luke, 7/7/2011 -
" really not getting into it yet. It seems to be dragging along so far. "
— Eric, 5/18/2011 -
" I started it, but didn't finish. I didn't appreciate the morals of the man coming to solve a murder and consumed with seducing a married woman.<br/>I don't need this kind of junk. "
— Pete, 10/4/2010 -
" An intriguing story built around a mysterious locale in World War II. Great suspense with a love story on the side. "
— Diane, 10/1/2010 -
" With the exception of a stupidly gratuitous sex scene, this book about the Manhattan Project (development of the atom bomb)kept me turning the pages as fast I could read. "
— Karen, 8/8/2010 -
" A 1945 murder mystery that takes place within the Manhattan Project complex. <br/> "
— Chuck, 5/27/2010 -
" Never really read this completely. We discussed it in our bookclub but no one liked it. "
— Monica, 1/26/2010 -
" Since, I'm such a fan of all things related to the Manhattan Project, I am heavily biased, but I still think this first novel by Joseph Kanon remains his best. "
— Rex, 1/12/2010 -
" A great period piece w/ a mystery to add to the excitement. "
— Erin, 11/19/2009 -
" This was actually a reread from years before but I did not remember it all that well. Good plot and characters. "
— Kelly, 9/2/2009
About Joseph Kanon
Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of many novels, including The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
About Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann (1943–2014) was one of America’s top audiobook narrators. He won multiple Audie Awards and twenty-two Earphones Awards, and his narration of the King James version of the Bible remains a benchmark in the industry.