The Holy Thief cover art

The Holy Thief

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Unlimited access to our all-you-can-listen catalogue of 15K+ audiobooks and podcasts
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

The Holy Thief

By: William Ryan, W.C. Ryan
Narrated by: Seán Barrett
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £15.99

Buy Now for £15.99

About this listen

Moscow, 1936. In a deconsecrated church, a young woman is found dead, her mutilated body displayed on the altar for all to see. Captain Alexei Dimitrevich Korolev is asked to investigate. But when he discovers that the victim is an American citizen, the NKVD - the most feared organisation in Russia - becomes involved.

Soon, Korolev’s every step is under close scrutiny and one false move will mean exile to the frozen camps of the far north. Committed to uncovering the truth, Korolov enters the realm of the Thieves, who run Moscow’s underworld. And as more bodies are discovered and the pressure from above builds, Korolev will find not only his moral and political ideals threatened, but also his life....

©2010 William Ryan (P)2012 Isis Audio Historical Mystery Russia Fiction Suspense
All stars
Most relevant
I was looking for books narrated by Sean Barrett when I came across this one and I'm so glad I did. It's well-written, lots of interesting, historical context and a great plot, full of twists and turns and lots of fascinating characters. Any fan of Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther novels will enjoy this. I shall be looking for more of William Ryan's books.

Excellent!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
One of the most engaging, well-told stories I’ve heard. Great plot and characters and Sean Barrett’s narration is, as always, compelling and masterful. I can’t wait to listen to more in this series, Citizen.

Outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I now search for books narrated by Sean Barrett. First encountered him reading Mick Herons ‘Slough House’ series of novels. ( Now an Apple TV series ‘Slow Horses’ ) Well worth a watch by the way. Sean uses such nuanced variations in tone and timbre of his voice to bring definition to the characters of every story. His bio says he is a ‘voice actor’ and he’s a brilliant one ! William Ryan’s thriller set in the post Russian revolution, between the wars period, is well crafted and well researched.

Brilliant narration ! Gripping story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent story, writing and narration. Despite the increasingly repressive times and the mutual mistrust that it causes, a dedicated detective must still solve crimes - particularly murder. Korolev is a compelling character and the excellent writing makes you feel like you’re sharing his life and times in 1930s Moscow. Highly recommended.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Sean Barrett is, as always masterful!! Excellent story, well written and a great thriller. Highly recommend

Brilliant book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews