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Old Boys cover art

Old Boys

By: Charles McCarry
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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Summary

Charles McCarry is considered by many to be the master of world-class spy fiction, garnering praise from peers and critics alike for his riveting novels. Christopher Buckley wrote that McCarry “is not only one of the best writers in America but one of the most important. He dazzles, from epigraph to epilogue,” and the Los Angeles Times hailed his work as “first rate, in the tradition of the best espionage fiction, John Buchan to Eric Ambler and John le Carré.”

In this magnificent novel, Charles McCarry returns to the world of his legendary character Paul Christopher—the savvy intelligence agent as skilled at choosing a fine wine as he is at tradecraft, at once sophisticated and dangerous, and no stranger to the world of dirty tricks.

Now Paul Christopher has mysteriously disappeared. Months pass and a memorial service is held for him in Washington. But a group of his retired colleagues - the “Old Boys” from the Outfit - refuse to believe Christopher is dead. Led by Christopher’s cousin Horace, the Old Boys embark on a thrilling worldwide search for the master spy and an ancient scroll that may reveal an unspeakably dangerous truth.

Charles McCarry is the author of 10 critically acclaimed novels and nine nonfiction books. He is a former editor at large of National Geographic and has contributed dozens of articles, short stories, and poems to leading national magazines. His op-ed pieces and other essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. For 10 years he served under deep cover as a CIA operations officer.

©2004 Charles McCarry (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

Old Boys is like the best parts of ten John le Carré novels all put together.” ( Time)
Old Boys is, at heart, a lament for a dying generation of American spies, an elegy for the human twilight, Cocoon with a cloak and dagger.” ( Washington Post)
“McCarry's latest is an old-fashioned, rollicking adventure that beats Ludlum and Cussler at their own game…Tremendous fun.” ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Old Boys

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly daft!

An unlikely combination of James Bond (without the humour), The Da Vinci Code and The A Team (if the A Team were octogenarians). One of the daftest plots that I've read in a long time. So many elements that I could point out but, without wanting to spoil the fun, I'll just highlight one - locating stolen Russian nuclear warheads, using a coat hanger. By the time you get to the desert, it feels like he is just making it up as he types, without any sensible idea of how he is going to get to the thoroughly predictable end.

I've given it 2 stars rather than 1 because a) I got it for free and b) I found it quite fun to listen to - made me laugh out loud on a number of occasions!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Old boys is for boys

I’d read that this was terrific, with comparisons to Mick Herron’s Slough House series. It isn’t; it is a boy’s’ own adventure, without any wit. If you like car chases & shoot outs, it will appeal. I don’t like action-packed fiction, so the Amphora Scroll was the one faintly intriguing element as far as I was concerned- & even it was not really that interesting. But the book may appeal more to men than women.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Slick and well researched

Loved the convolutions the writer weaved into this narrative. Kept my interest all the way through. Not read this author before but will add him to my list. As for the narrator just top marks;Superb voice and a real pleasure to listen to.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wit and panache…

A complex espionage thriller featuring a bunch of battle weary retirees. Well written and well told.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

Very well written and well performed. A good, engaging and engrossing story. Good central character.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

The first free book that I have got all the way through and it was brilliant really good story I have discovered a new author. The narrator is spot on too highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Understated heroism and tension

A brilliant, and to my minds imagination, more realistic anti-terrorism thriller.

I'd love more if the central character.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

really good story... enjoyable - good narrator!

characters likeable and realistic... kept me listening as tales unwound ... author culturally knowledgeable and realistic in plot set up ... will definitely read more from this author.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

I will now go onto listening to other books by this author. Also love he voice of the reader. I highly recommended it.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Included with Audible for a reason

That old saying about a free lunch, I may have chosen badly, but this like all the Included I have listened to, is pretty drab. It meanders very slowly through a plot that I gave up on after a few hours. I would normally listen to a book like this in 3 days, this one took two weeks and I had to force myself to finish it.

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