The Collaborators: An exhilarating debut spy thriller, packed with explosive action and up-to-the-minute tradecraft
Michael Idov
Jan 2025 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Santino Fontana
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8 hr 38 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook
A brilliant young intelligence officer and a troubled heiress stumble into a global conspiracy that pits present-day Russia against the CIA in this electrifying, globetrotting spy thriller.
Combining realistic thrills with sophisticated spycraft and witty dialogue, The Collaborators delivers a gut-punch answer to the biggest geopolitical question of our time. How exactly did post-Soviet Russia turn down the wrong path?
Criss-crossing the globe on the way to this shocking revelation are disaffected millennial CIA officer Ari Falk, thrown into a moral and professional crisis by the death of his best asset, and brash, troubled LA heiress Maya Chou, spiralling after the disappearance of her Russian American billionaire father. The duo’s adventures take us to both classic and surprising locales – from Berlin and Tangier to Latvia, Belarus and a semi-abandoned technopark outside Moscow.
Dynamic, fast-paced and filled with captivating details that provide a window into a secretive world, The Collaborators is a first-rate thriller that pays homage to both meanings of ‘intelligence’.
‘A terrific espionage thriller with a propulsive plot and fantastic twists, but what really sets this book apart is the writing, sparkling on every page’ Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author of The Expats and Two Nights in Lisbon
‘Crackles with energy as it veers between international caper and more classic espionage thriller, laced with the promise of romance. Idov . . . brings a pleasing cinematic sweep, insider knowledge of Russia and sharp dialogue to this enjoyable tale as it roams around the world’ Financial Times
‘Gathers stories from the headlines – novichok, Ponzi schemes, Wagner Group mercenaries – and blends them into a hipster spy smoothie’ The Times, Book of the Month
‘A skilful story about manipulative spymasters in Russia and the United States. . . . Switching perspectives and continents and written with vivid intelligence, this is a great example of the international spy novel’ Literary Review
‘Idov breathes fresh air into [the genre] . . . A sparkling new voice in spy thrillers’ CrimeTime
Combining realistic thrills with sophisticated spycraft and witty dialogue, The Collaborators delivers a gut-punch answer to the biggest geopolitical question of our time. How exactly did post-Soviet Russia turn down the wrong path?
Criss-crossing the globe on the way to this shocking revelation are disaffected millennial CIA officer Ari Falk, thrown into a moral and professional crisis by the death of his best asset, and brash, troubled LA heiress Maya Chou, spiralling after the disappearance of her Russian American billionaire father. The duo’s adventures take us to both classic and surprising locales – from Berlin and Tangier to Latvia, Belarus and a semi-abandoned technopark outside Moscow.
Dynamic, fast-paced and filled with captivating details that provide a window into a secretive world, The Collaborators is a first-rate thriller that pays homage to both meanings of ‘intelligence’.
‘A terrific espionage thriller with a propulsive plot and fantastic twists, but what really sets this book apart is the writing, sparkling on every page’ Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author of The Expats and Two Nights in Lisbon
‘Crackles with energy as it veers between international caper and more classic espionage thriller, laced with the promise of romance. Idov . . . brings a pleasing cinematic sweep, insider knowledge of Russia and sharp dialogue to this enjoyable tale as it roams around the world’ Financial Times
‘Gathers stories from the headlines – novichok, Ponzi schemes, Wagner Group mercenaries – and blends them into a hipster spy smoothie’ The Times, Book of the Month
‘A skilful story about manipulative spymasters in Russia and the United States. . . . Switching perspectives and continents and written with vivid intelligence, this is a great example of the international spy novel’ Literary Review
‘Idov breathes fresh air into [the genre] . . . A sparkling new voice in spy thrillers’ CrimeTime
About the author
Michael Idov is a novelist, director, and screenwriter. A Latvian-born American raised in Riga under Soviet occupation, he moved to New York after graduating from the University of Michigan. Michael’s writing career began at New York magazine, where his features won three National Magazine Awards, and he has served as the editor-in-chief of GQ Russia. He is also the author of The Collaborators, Ground Up, and Dressed Up for a Riot. Michael has worked on numerous film and TV projects, including Londongrad, Deutschland 83, Leto, and The Humorist. He and his wife and screenwriting partner, Lily, divide their time between Los Angeles, Berlin, and Portugal.
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