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The Third Bullet Audiobook
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(3.02) - 575 listener ratings
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It’s not even a clue. It’s a whisper, a trace, a ghost echo, drifting down through the decades via chance connections so fragile that they would disintegrate in the puff of a breath. But it’s enough to get legendary former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger interested in the events of November 22, 1963, and the third bullet that so decisively ended the life of John F. Kennedy and set the stage for one of the most enduring controversies of our time.
Swagger begins his slow night stalk through a much-traveled landscape. But he’s asking questions that few have asked before: Why did the third bullet explode? Why did Lee Harvey Oswald, about to become the most hunted man on earth, risk it all by returning to his rooming house to secure a pistol he easily could have brought with him? How could a conspiracy that went unpenetrated for fifty years have been thrown together in the two and a half days between the announcement of the president’s route and the assassination itself?
As Bob investigates, another voice enters the narrative: knowing, ironic, almost familiar, that of a gifted, Yale-educated veteran of the CIA Plans Division. Hugh Meachum has secrets and the means and the will to keep them buried. When weighed against his own legacy, Swagger’s life is an insignificant expense — but to blunt the threat, he’ll first have to ambush the sniper.
As each man hunts the other across today’s globe and through the thickets of history, The Third Bullet builds to an explosive climax that will finally prove what Bob Lee Swagger has always known: it’s never too late for justice.
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"I actually was about to Zzzz through this book, a lot of details about guns and calibers with Swagger. Then the book goes into first person with the conspirator's memoir. I liked the memoir better than the Swagger story so I perked up. I didn't like the ending too much. I don't know how you would end a story like this, but it the Swagger story was confusing at times. The book makes you think and I learn a bunch of new stuff."
— Amy (4 out of 5 stars)
The Third Bullet Listener Reviews
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" Hunter's protagonist, Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger, invesigates an alternative theory of the Kennedy assassination; lots of detail about guns and ammo. "
— Agatha, 2/16/2014 -
" I loved that Stephen Hunter killed himself off in the beginning of the book. The story was very believable. "
— Nephi, 2/2/2014 -
" Great alternative story to the JFK killing. Just enough Bob The Nailer to make it fun. Enjoy Hunter a lot. "
— David, 1/25/2014 -
" I loved this book. While its a work of fiction, it's plot is creative enough to give pause to the countless conspiracy theories and just for a second make you think "what if..." This certainly won't be the last Bob Lee Swagger novel I read. "
— Justin, 1/23/2014 -
" This was just unreadable. It read like one of the free Kindle books you can get. A wandering plot that I just never got into. Read half of it and it took me 2 weeks to get that far. Loved the Stephen King book on the same subject---hated this. "
— John, 1/19/2014 -
" I have loved almost all of Stephen Hunders books. This book was probably the worst book of all his books. Too much repetition and detail. A slow read. "
— Walt, 1/19/2014 -
" Stephen Hunter's books are truly outstanding. This one "solves" the JFK assassination, using Bob Swagger. This was excellent but not superior. Hunter shifts perspective halfway through,and about half the remaining story is from the perspective of the "villain," which is not as riveting. "
— Al, 1/9/2014 -
" too long winded for my tastes = but a sensible "what if" for sure. "
— Indrid, 1/4/2014 -
" Interesting concept, but slow pace until the last 100 pages. Overall, I enjoyed it but it but it was not my favorite Swagger book. "
— Brian, 1/4/2014 -
" Good fun... "
— Thomas, 12/25/2013 -
" Not as much action as some of the previous ones, but I liked the procedural nature of it. Also a plausible fiction for how the JFK assassination could have happened. "
— Bryce, 12/13/2013 -
" I need to separate the fact that this is a work of fiction from Hunter's skill at writing an enjoyable thriller. The willing suspension of disbelief needs to operate here (much like it does to accept the finding of the Warren Commission). "
— Denis, 11/13/2013 -
" I really liked this Swagger novel. The way Mr.Hunter wrote this book was interesting and really along the lines of a Swagger book. Which is what made it so good. No conspiracy theory which I liked. A very good book. "
— P.e.lolo, 10/25/2013 -
" This is an exciting story about what "really happened" in the JFK assassination. Bob Lee Swagger is getting older and slower, but he can still figure things out and kick butt. "
— Lorie, 10/3/2013 -
" Hunter's still got that ol' Swagger! Plus a surprise at the end! "
— Joe, 9/30/2013 -
" Another excellent Swagger story, just a tad slow getting started. Of course it ended before I wanted it to. "
— Buster, 7/13/2013 -
" Rehash of an old story. Original Swagger stories are much more interesting. "
— Maggie, 7/2/2013 -
" With the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination coming up there will be a lot of new books coming out. I expect this to be the best of those. Stephen Hunter can write with the best around and decides to do so in a thriller format. Excellent read, well worth the money. "
— Brandon, 6/30/2013 -
" Interesting twist on Kennedy assassination. Is it live? Or is it Memorex? "
— Brian, 6/30/2013 -
" Stephen Hunter has a theory about the Kennedy assassination. He brings his iconic Bob Lee Swagger into it so fans will be forced to read what should be a blogspot entry or three. "
— Jonathan, 6/22/2013 -
" If you are a Stephen Hunter fan and particularly a Bob Lee Swagger fan, you will love this book. Great job mixing historical fact and exciting fiction. Is this what happened in November 1963 - maybe??? "
— David, 6/5/2013 -
" By far, in this reader's opinion, the most useless in this otherwise remarkable series. A real snoozefest from page one. "
— Rick, 6/4/2013 -
" I thought this book was okay. It felt like the how plot was contigent on the Kennedy Assasination - which made it a little unoriginal. "
— Jill, 6/2/2013 -
" LONG BOOK!!! "
— John, 5/20/2013 -
" Really fun read. It's usually a good time hanging out with Bob Lee Swagger, and this ride was better than most. "
— Jay, 3/9/2013 -
" If you love to read about Kennedy assassination conspiracies and ballistics, this book is for you. If not, you will find several sections of this book pretty dull. NOT Hunter's best in my book! "
— Judy, 2/27/2013
About Stephen Hunter
Stephen Hunter is the author of several bestselling novels, including Time to Hunt, Black Light, Point of Impact, and the New York Times bestsellers Havana, Pale Horse Coming, and Hot Springs. He has also published two collections of film criticism and other nonfiction works. He was a film critic at the Washington Post, where he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for criticsm, as well as the 1998 American Society of Newspaper Editors Award for Distinguished Writing in Criticism.
About Buck Schirner
Buck Schirner’s professional career has primarily been on stage as a character actor. He is currently active in the theater scene in Philadelphia. Buck also appears in the independent film In the Woods.