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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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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Mesmerising

Multiple stories, woven together at the end. Great characters, superb narration by both narrators, fascinating story. Fantastic!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb! Please write more!!!!

A plot worthy of Le Carre. Simply the best thing I’ve listed to in a very long time. Cant wait for this author’s next creation.

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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
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Involving

Novel choice of female spy who outwits the security agencies over her lifetime through tradecraft.

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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 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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Great story!

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

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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
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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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