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The Scarlet Papers cover art

The Scarlet Papers

By: Matthew Richardson
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh, Lucy Scott
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Only she knows the truth. Only he can tell the world.

Vienna, 1946

A brilliant German scientist spirited out of the ruins Nazi Europe in search of a new life.

Moscow, 1964

A rising star of the British diplomatic service whose job is not what it seems.

London, the present day.

A once promising academic offered an opportunity to seal his place in history.

Their stories, their lives, and the fate of the world, are bound by a single document:

The Scarlet Papers

The devastating secrets contained within teased by a brief invitation:

Tomorrow 11AM. Take a cab and pay in cash. Tell no one.

©2023 Matthew Richardson (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Smart, slick and totally gripping... The Scarlet Papers is always credible, always startling and almost painfully human. A total triumph." (Tony Parsons)

"Look out for The Scarlet Papers... An engrossing adventure." (Steve Cavanagh)

"Grand in scope, and packed with fascinating insights." (Mick Herron)

What listeners say about The Scarlet Papers

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not just MI5 getting tricked

I did very much enjoy this book and there’s some nice moments reflecting on a writer whose characters mock thrillers but the main character is a frustrated man and sometimes comes across as whiny and entitled while by the end there are so many red herrings that the final reveal left me a bit flat. Still , good fun.

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

Brilliant, carefully crafted, multi-layered story

I loved how the story unfolded, piece by piece and person by person. It is beautifully written and narrated, and there are so many different layers to unpack and relish. If you love a great spy story, this is a fabulous listen.

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

A gripping tale

Intrigue, suspense, kept me guessing until the very end. The characters were fascinating. Will be reading more by this author.

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

Great story!

Intricately woven story which kept me gripped. Great narration . Could listen to it agin easily.

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

not much of a thriller

have listened to a lot of thrillers lately, this was not one of the best

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A thoroughly engrossing listen

Novel of the year so far for me.Great plot,believable characters and detailed knowledge of the secret world of espionage add up to a first class thriller.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent read

The book reads like a true spy thriller. Sedimentary layers of truth are slowly revealed over 80 years of Cold War history from 1946 to the present day. A real page turner.

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

Intriguing spy story

Enjoyed the web woven by the author, though it became difficult to follow. There’s one mistake at the end where a post code is added to an address. Post codes were not used when this letter was (allegedly) written!

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

Superb Spy Thriller

Everything that I would want in a spy thriller is here. Layers of secrets that keep being revealed, a complex plot but one that can be followed on audio, never quite knowing where your allegiance should lie. A hugely enjoyable listen and exceptionally well narrated.

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

Brilliant book

If you only listen to 1 book his year , Let it be this one .

A fantastic entertaining thriller in the style of John Le Carre
Only better .

It grabbed me from the very beginning and twisted and turned right till the end .

Matthew Richardson is definitely on my must read list .

I can’t recommend this store enough .

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