“Agent Running in the Field”
John le Carre, master of espionage and gifted voice actor, gives an outstanding performance narrating his 25th novel, a spy thriller set in England’s summer of 2018. As Brexit and a visit from the U.S. president create havoc, spy handler Nat has been relegated to heading British intelligence service’s substation for has-beens and screw-ups called “Haven.” Nat, a champion badminton player, is challenged to a match by a Brexit-hating, Trump-loathing man named Ed, another of le Carre’s passionately idealistic innocents. One thing leads to another, and the rest of le Carre’s distinctive ingredients come sifting in: queasy loyalties and disillusion, enemy agents’ unholy infatuation with one another, and cynical, high-level scapegoating. Cryptic, exciting, and witty in its portrayal of mannerisms, the novel is further enhanced by its author’s delivery. His rich, woodwind baritone mutates effortlessly into arrogant old-boy bray, industrial Midlands clunk and the brittle tones of “one of those upper-class girls who grew up with ponies.” The plot does execute improbable maneuvers, but that is more than compensated by the perfect unity between story and narrator. (Penguin Audio, Unabridged, 9 1/2 hours)
“The Big Book of the Dead”
Marion Winik’s reminiscences of dead family members, friends and occasional others is as much a memoir as it is a salute to those who have lived. There is sadness here but also humor and wit and an overall feeling of engagement with life. Set in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, New Orleans and finally Baltimore, the 125 pieces evoke changes in social milieu and way of life, from Bohemianism and drug use to motherhood, widowhood and purpose. Winik narrates the book herself in a bold, pleasantly low-pitched voice, her delivery exceptionally expressive of the emotions her fine, concise writing conjures. Each character is captured in an eloquent vignette, at times high spirited or melancholy and moving. Among her subjects are her mother, the golf champ; her first husband, who lost his battle with AIDS; her stillborn baby; a philandering hookup; Rocco, a cat; Leslie, a personable goldfish; and the man whose life taught her that it’s “necessary and gorgeous to be who you are”– which could be the central message of these marvelous portraits. (Tantor, Unabridged, 5 hours)
“The Man That Got Away”
This is Lynne Truss’ second novel starring Constable Twitten. It is summer 1957 in the English town of Brighton and young Twitten has become a devotee of Nancy Mitford’s “Noblesse Oblige,” in which the elements of “U” (upper-class) and “Non-U” locutions were set before a class-obsessed English public. Twitten insists that the book could be a valuable forensic tool in identifying criminals — and so it turns out to be. But that vindication comes long after the madcap plot has wended its way through the town’s seedier attractions and bumped up against a ragtag selection of miscreants. Matt Green narrates this caper with a fine selection of voices and infectious enthusiasm for its about-turns. He sounds as baffled as we are by where this is all heading — and as pleased, too, when we find that a group of supposed musicians are, unknown to each other, operatives from police forces. (Lamplight Audiobooks, Unabridged, 7 1/2 hours)
