From the award-winning, bestselling author of Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility, “a gripping story, full of moral ambiguities, where deception and betrayal become the norm, and where the expression ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma’ is lifted to new heights” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Everyone Anton Waker grew up with is corrupt. His parents dealt in stolen goods, and he was a successful purveyor of forged documents until he abandoned it all in his early twenties, determined to live a normal life, complete with career, apartment, and a fiancée who knows nothing of his criminal beginnings. He’s on the verge of finally getting married when Aria—his cousin and former partner in crime—blackmails him into helping her with one last job. Anton considers the task a small price for future freedom. But as he sets off for an Italian honeymoon, it soon becomes clear that the ghosts of his past can't be left behind so easily, and that the task Aria requires will cost him more than he could ever imagine. Look for Emily St. John Mandel’s bestselling new novel, Sea of Tranquility!
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"I really like this author. She has a unique writing style with gorgeous descriptions & believeable characters & situations. The storyline is weird but told in a such a realistic way that its painful to keep reading sometimes. This is a mystery novel about a family that deals in stolen items, there's also false passport sales & human trafficing. Its a story about a marriage that shouldnt have happened, & a beautiful love affair, &, a beloved cat named Jim. I really liked this novel." — Sue (4 out of 5 stars)
"I really like this author. She has a unique writing style with gorgeous descriptions & believeable characters & situations. The storyline is weird but told in a such a realistic way that its painful to keep reading sometimes. This is a mystery novel about a family that deals in stolen items, there's also false passport sales & human trafficing. Its a story about a marriage that shouldnt have happened, & a beautiful love affair, &, a beloved cat named Jim. I really liked this novel."
“A gripping, thoughtful meditation on work, family, and the consequences of major life choices.”
" It's written well, but ultimately, the story had little affect on me. Good plot and compelling characters are my criteria for an enjoyable read. This one didn't measure up completely to both. "
" really, like a 3.5 -- more coming soon "
" Another good transatlantic plane read and a welcome distraction from my efforts to finish "The Social Animal." The mystery/crime drama plot is interesting, but not particularly surprising, and the characters generally end up depressed at their own or others' misdeeds. A few characters are introduced with potentially intriguing backstories that remain undeveloped, namely the singer of the title and the State Department investigative officer. "
" Reflective and clever - compelling characters that you sort of feel sorry for and sort of despise for the choices they make, which inevitably bring them down... Really good - as good as Last Night in Montreal, maybe better. "
" Subtle. Well-written. Not the mystery/thriller I was expecting...a quiet book about crime. "
" I just could *not* get into this and felt like all the characters were pretty flat. "
" Even though I tend to dislike unresolved endings, I really enjoyed this one. "
" As the boundaries of the world dissolve and start to blur, so too the clear judgement of right and wrong....Mandel's writing is as visual as a movie script with the layers of a well-constructed poem... The book is haunting me several days out... "
" I enjoyed this book, particularly the use of flashbacks to deepen our understanding of the characters' backstories. I kept feeling, however, that the tension could have been intensified, the characters' more deeply fleshed out, which would have made for a more thrilling ride. "
" This book can't figure out what it's trying to do. Is it a mystery? A mid-life-crisis book? At least, it was an interesting story. "
" I really really liked this book - interesteing plot, really well developed. I devoured it - under 24 hours and I was finished. Great read. Curious to read her other one... "
" The book was a bit slow at times, but I was intrigued with Anton's efforts to change his ways after growing up in a family of crooks. "
" Emily Mandel crafts a fine novel. The layered and suspenseful narrative unspools gracefully with each turn of the page. I was caught up in the story from the outset, wondering what fate would befall each of the players. "
" This book was superb, I really like this author (enjoyed her first book -Last Night in Montreal- as well). How to describe it... a suspenseful tale of a man trying to escape his fraudulent life on the island of Ischia, off Italy, and the consequences of what's left behind. "
" An oddball book, with an oddball title, about an oddball guy, Anton. Interesting story, told with interspersed flashbacks, ostensibly about a scofflaw's life, but really about the meaning of family. "
" Aside from that terrible title, this was a pleasant surprise - a crime novel almost elegiac in tone. It did not surprise me, it did not shock me, but it was full of small, true moments. I liked it. "
" Part mystery, part romance, part angsty reflections. Unusual and entertaining. More engaging than a beach read, but short of "heady." "
" Anton grew up in a criminal family and all he wants is a legitimate office job. But his cousin lures him to be part of one last job which causes him to leave his wife on his honeymoon to wait delivery on a Greek Isle. Entertaining easy read with darker themes of human trafficking. "
" Satisfying thriller, beautiful descriptive writing that absorbed me totally. So good I did not want to finish. "
" Would give a 6 if I could. Amazing. I think it runs a little short at the end, but - no, no. The ending is perfect. It's really perfect. Read it. "
" An interesting book. Captured my attention but I didn't *love* it. "
" First book I've read by this author. Really enjoyed it. "
" Anton Waker tries to break free from his family who lives a life of crime. He ends up in Italy with his former secretary, and expects never to see the rest of his family again. "
" Very enjoyable, many twists I did not expect. "
Emily St. John Mandel was born in British Columbia, Canada. Her novel Station Eleven was a finalist for the 2014 National Book Award and a New York Times bestseller. She is a staff writer for The Millions, and her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including The Best American Mystery Stories 2013and Venice Noir.
Morgan Hallett is a New York City-based actress, voice-over artist, and audiobook narrator. She has worked extensively throughout the country and on Broadway. She is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner and has lent her voice to dozens of television commercials, including Time Warner Cable, 7-Up, and Accuvue.
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