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Child 44

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Child 44

By: Tom Rob Smith
Narrated by: Jamie Parker
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OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD
AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER IN OVER 30 LANGUAGES
A THRILLER UNLIKE ANY YOU HAVE EVER READ

MOSCOW, 1953.
Under Stalin’s terrifying regime, families live in fear. When the all-powerful State claims there is no such thing as crime, who dares disagree?

An ambitious secret police officer, Leo Demidov believes he’s helping to build the perfect society. But when he uncovers evidence of a killer at large – a threat the state won’t admit exists – Demidov must risk everything, including the lives of those he loves, in order to expose the truth.
But what if the danger isn’t from the killer he is trying to catch, but from the country he is fighting to protect?

Nominated for seventeen international awards and inspired by a real-life investigation, CHILD 44 is a relentless story of love, hope and bravery in a totalitarian world. From the screenwriter of the acclaimed television series, THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY. Historical International Mystery & Crime Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Russia Exciting Stalin
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Authors want to capture their audience in their first lines, first chapter, and Tom Rob Smith certainly does that. The story opens in 1933. Two starving young children hunt, ensnare an emancipated cat for food, but they were not alone hunting for meat, the older brother is taken, such is the existence of families during the Ukraine famine.
Fast forward twenty years and a series of horrific child murders are taking place but as 'there is no crime' in this totalitarian society, there is no official investigation.
This is a bleak but compelling, all too believable portrayal of life under Starlin's grim regime where 'for the greater good' people live in fear of the state, where no-one is above suspicion, where presumption of guilt not innocence is the norm.

More compelling, thought provoking than enjoyable

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Brilliantly read. A really shocking book in it’s telling of Stalinist Russia but with a great story interwoven with it. Highly recommended.

A riveting listen

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Zelden heb ik een verhaal zo hard willen afzetten en tegelijk voortluisteren. Ongelooflijk wreed, beklemmend en triestig maar meeslepend en je wordt beloond voor je volhouden. Als een pijnlijk korstje dat je toch afkrabt. De voice actor is trouwens fenomenaal.

gruwelijk goed geschreven

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I love the detail in which the author introduced me to a culture of spies and fear

the book supplants you into Soviet culture of fear and control

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Really good story, great narration and on to the next one! Really enjoyed this one.

Excellent!

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