Midnight in Europe
Alan Furst, read by Daniel Gerroll. Simon & Schuster Audio, , unabridged, eight CDs, nine hrs., $29.99 ISBN 978-1-44236816-3
Furst’s latest historical espionage novel explores the ominous landscape of Europe in the late 1930s. Christián Ferrar, a young Spanish attorney working in Paris, undertakes a dangerous mission to purchase and smuggle arms for the desperate forces of the Spanish Republic, who are trying to hold off the advances of Gen. Francisco Franco. Furst’s material, steeped in the historical complexity of the period, may not be accessible for
casual listeners as they seek to distinguish among Ferrar’s band of outlaw
colleagues and his various romantic
conquests. Yet it remains undeniable
that Gerroll, the reader of previous productions of Furst’s titles, intimately knows the atmosphere and emotions
surrounding the author’s view of a continent on the verge of collapse. His portrayal of Marquesa Maria Cristina, a mysterious love interest of Ferrar at the center of a complex web of betrayal, is especially engrossing. The tension and sensuality are palpable, even when the events surrounding the story line are hard to follow. Fans already steeped in the genre will appreciate the experience. A Random House hardcover. (June)
Details
Reviewed on: 09/29/2014
Genre: Audio
Compact Disc - 978-1-4423-9180-2
Downloadable Audio - 978-1-4423-6817-0
Hardcover - 368 pages - 978-0-7505-4097-1
Hardcover - 407 pages - 978-1-4104-7007-2
Hardcover - 251 pages - 978-1-4000-6949-1
Paperback - 272 pages - 978-0-8129-8183-4
Paperback - 480 pages - 978-1-59413-825-6