The Race to Save the Romanovs cover art

The Race to Save the Romanovs

The Truth Behind the Secret Plans to Rescue Russia's Imperial Family

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The Race to Save the Romanovs

By: Helen Rappaport
Narrated by: Damien Lynch
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About this listen

Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Race to Save the Romanovs by Helen Rapport, read by Damien Lynch.

The Race to Save the Romanovs
will completely change the way we see the Romanov story. Finally, here is the truth about the secret plans to rescue Russia’s last imperial family.


On 17 July 1918, the whole of the Russian Imperial Family was murdered. There were no miraculous escapes. The former Tsar Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their children – Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexey – were all tragically gunned down in a blaze of bullets.

On the 100-year-anniversary of these brutal murders, historian Helen Rappaport set out to uncover why the Romanovs’ European royal relatives and the Allied governments failed to save them. It was not, ever, a simple case of one British King’s loss of nerve. In this race against time, many other nations and individuals were facing political and personal challenges of the highest order.

In this incredible detective story, Rappaport draws on an unprecedented range of unseen sources, tracking down missing documents, destroyed papers and covert plots to liberate the family by land, sea and even sky. Through countless twists and turns, this revelatory work unpicks many false claims and conspiracies, revealing the fiercest loyalty, bitter rivalries and devastating betrayals as the Romanovs, imprisoned, awaited their fate.

A remarkable new work of history from Helen Rappaport, author of Ekaterinburg: The Last Days of the Romanovs.

20th Century Historical Modern Politicians Politics & Activism Russia Royalty Imperialism

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Critic reviews

I read The Race to Save the Romanovs in more or less in a single sitting. It’s absolutely marvellous – packed with details, beautifully paced and told me lots of things I didn’t know. (PETER FRANKOPAN)
What I always love about Helen Rappaport’s books is that they appeal to the heart as well as the head. She’s a writer of great compassion. (LUCY WORSLEY)
A groundbreaking book... [which] prove[s] that, even as the centenary of their deaths by firing squad at Ekaterinburg approaches... there remain fresh angles and, crucially, unused evidence pertaining to the Romanovs.
Highly entertaining... Rappaport introduces us to a colourful array of con men, charlatans and fantasists involved in ideas to free the Romanovs... She is a vivid storyteller (Victor Sebestyen)
Gripping... Rappaport has uncovered many missing pieces in the story, from the diplomatic wrangling over the tsar’s fate to a number of "hare-brained" rescue schemes hatched by monarchist sympathisers.
An intriguing work of investigative writing
An eye-opening, entertaining and energetically researched story
[Rappaport's] finely researched history is a devastating account of the missed and bungled opportunities to save the Romanovs.
A shocking story grippingly told.
An eye opening, entertaining and energetically researched story.
All stars
Most relevant
.... and not just to save the Romanovs! A thrilling story marred by a poor narrator - disjointed pauses, unnecessary foreign accents when naming locations and mispronounced names.

A Missed Opportunity

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This is a really interesting account of the last days of the Romanovs, which seems to have a lot of new research and gives a thorough overview of previous historiography and the new information and perspective Rappaport is bringing.

I think from now on though, I'll be sticking to physical history books, as judging from this they don't lend themselves to audiobooks very well, It's incredibly difficult to keep track of the hundreds of different figures who come into play throughout, particularly with a lot of unfamiliar Russian names, so I found myself lost fairly often and unable to just skip back a few pages to find something as I would normally. It can also be kind of hard to tell exactly what is a quote from another source and what isn't when you can't see it on a page.

As someone else has also mentioned, there are a lot of weird long pauses which is disruptive and annoying. I would imagine this isn't the fault of the narrator who presumably just recorded things in chunks, but some sloppy editing that really could have been picked up on and improved very easily.

Overall, if you're interested in the Romanovs/Russian Revolution go for it, just buy a physical copy!

Good book, bad as Audio

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It was interesting to hear all the details about the murder of the Russian royal family. In particular it shows the action of King George in a different light

But I didn’t enjoy the audio - some very strange long pauses and it really was a struggle at times

Buy the book not the audio!

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Puts the international politics, diplomacy and the families own position at the centre of the failure to get them out of Russia. Honest conclusion as well, no one country, government or individual is blamed for not taking action, on like some other silly romatisied theories!

very good, one of the better books

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