The Runner cover art

The Runner

The China Thrillers, Book 5

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The Runner

By: Peter May
Narrated by: Peter Forbes
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About this listen

The penultimate novel in the China series, from the Richard and Judy million-selling author of The Blackhouse.

The Sufferer

A prodigious Chinese swimmer kills himself on the eve of the Beijing Olympics. Days later, a champion weightlifter suffers a fatal heart attack prior to competition.

The Listener

Detective Li Yan senses a conspiracy surrounding the fatalities and finds a female athlete willing to talk. But she will trust only one person: Li's fiancée, Margaret Campbell.

The Runner

When Campbell's contact herself vanishes, the gun is fired on a race against time. And Li must now outrun, and outwit, an enemy bent on pushing him beyond endurance.

©2012 Peter May (P)2017 Quercus Editions Limited Crime Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction China Thriller Exciting Heartfelt Crime

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All stars
Most relevant
Peter May is such a talented writer who keeps the intrigue and fast going throughout the story.
Peter Forbes narrates in a manner that enhances the story never grating or "intrusive".

Another excellent listen

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Another wonderfully driving and heart-pounding China thriller by Peter May. Equally superb narration by Peter Forbes again whose voice sounds like it was created to read Peter May novels. l already have the sixth in the China series ready to go, "Chinese Whispers" which I'm certain will not disappoint. l fall more in love with the central characters as each story develops and the supporting characters add greatly to the complex relationship between Lee and Margaret while being clearly drawn and fully rounded characters in their own right. While The Runner is a nerve shredding thriller in a great series of thrillers l found that the additional humour in this book (often laugh out loud) simply added to every aspect of the novel. Margaret's mother was particularly funny in her interplay with the Chinese characters and culture: humour which gave light relief at just the right time to accentuate the fast building tension, twists and turns in the tale. If you've not read Peter May you will not be disappointed if you begin by reading his magnificent China thrillers.

Thrilling brilliance again.

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another good book from Peter May well written and well read.

hope there are more to read (listen to)

good listen

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Fabulous book. Narrator was excellent. story was excellent. Thes books just get better and better

Another brilliant book

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Peter May seems to be one of the few modern authors (a bit like Graham Greene) who can tell a story without the characters' personalities and foibles acting simply as padding. The tribulations of a couple of very mixed cultures and backgrounds is informative as well as contributing to the story. I have spent time in China (Beijing) so enjoyed visualing familiar places. Well researched. Although I have read most of the China series, I think that they still stand alone whereas other writers of thriller series tend to rely pretty much on people having read the earlier books. Either that or spending a few chapters to help new readers "catch up". In this respect, Peter May manages for each book to have a complete and independent storyline. Probably not quite in the Graham Greene league but a treat nevertheless and Peter Forbes does an excellent job with the narration.

Good story, excellent background, great narration

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