An Officer and a Spy

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An Officer and a Spy

By: Robert Harris

Narrated by: David Rintoul

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About this listen

IN THE HUNT FOR A SPY, HE EXPOSED A CONSPIRACY

'Seriously riveting . . . a testament to Robert Harris's storytelling power' The Times

'Taut and exciting' Guardian

Paris, 1895: an army officer, Georges Picquart, watches a convicted spy, Alfred Dreyfus, being publicly humiliated in front of a baying crowd.

Dreyfus is exiled for life to Devil's Island; Picquart is promoted to run the intelligence until that tracked him down.

But when Picquart discovers that secrets are still being handed over to the Germans, he is forced to confront the dangerous truth that Dreyfus may be innocent.

Soon Picquart is being drawn into a labyrinth of deceit and corruption that threatens not just his honour but his life . . .

'Menace and suspense twist tight in a narrative of tremendous tension' Sunday Times

Espionage

Historical

Spies & Politics

Thriller & Suspense

Fiction

Exciting

Scary

Suspense

Mystery

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Critic reviews

The fact that this novel is seriously riveting is a testament to Robert Harris's storytelling power; he conjures knuckle-blanching suspense from a very well-known piece of history. (BOOKS OF THE YEAR)

Harris’ retelling of the Dreyfus case is as taut and exciting as anything by Forsyth or Follet. (BOOKS OF THE YEAR)

Menace and suspense twist tight in a narrative of tremendous tension. (BOOKS OF THE YEAR)

Superb . . . Harris demonstrates his unique ability to recreate historical events and turn them into spellbinding thriller . . . Written with scalpel-like precision and the elegance we expect of Harris, there is a passion here that justifies calling it a masterpiece. (BOOKS OF THE YEAR)

A brilliant retelling of a scandal that became one of the most famous miscarriages of justice . . . the most gripping book I've read this year. (BOOKS OF THE YEAR)

A gripping tale, its shocking power heightened by Harris’s narrative skills.

A master storyteller at the top of his game

A compelling tale of power, cover-ups and idealism.

Many readers prize him as our supreme exponent of the “literary” thriller. His novels are not difficult – they are whizzing page-turners… They also combine masterly suspense and mystery with historical insight and political shrewdness. His latest novel is no exception: it is a cracking read from start to finish… It offers a bravura display of Harris’s fictional skills. The first is sureness of historical touch. In both general and specific terms the period comes alive… There is no need to wait for the film: it can scarcely be more exciting than the book.

Harris is committed to the belief that you can get at a truth as a novelist that you can’t as an historian… and he does give us the look, sensations, sounds and smells as no historian could… it is informative, accomplished and highly enjoyable

Most relevant

If you could sum up An Officer and a Spy in three words, what would they be?

Unbelievable but true

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favourite?

Picquart

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I had the time, yes

Any additional comments?

I'm sure the bare facts of the true story could be quite hard reading, but Harris has really brought the fascinating story of Dreyfuss and Picquart to life in this intriguing novel. The most unbelievable elements are ctually the facts about how the most senior officers in the French Army along with senior members of the government conspired to hide the truth - as unearthed by Picquart. Thoroughly recommended.