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The Actor by Chris MacDonald
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The Actor

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Narrator Chris MacDonald

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Length 9 hours 33 minutes
Language English
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Brought to you by Penguin.

TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS, HE MUST SACRIFICE EVERYTHING...

A story of glamour, secrets and obsession...


At long last, Adam Sealey has an Oscar within reach. Working with his controversial former mentor, Jonathan, he's given the performance of a lifetime, and he almost believes it might be worth the cost.

Because Adam subscribes to "the method". It's the secret that the world's greatest actors swear by - digging into their darkest, most personal traumas to bring a role to life.

And Adam's greatest trauma is worse than most. Losing his mother when he was just a boy. A forced choice between the success he craved and the girl he loved. And that night back in drama school, the night of Adam's darkest secret, when everyone knows about the dead body, but nobody suspects the truth.

And then he gets a message: someone knows. And if they tell, everything Adam's worked for will come crashing down.

"This compelling psychological thriller set in the acting world is both uncompromising and unsettling, with deeply layered characters and a narrative voice that grabs you from the opening line and wonโ€™t let you go. Fascinating." Alex Michaelides, no.1 international bestselling author of The Silent Patient

ยฉ2024 Chris MacDonald (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Chris MacDonald is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor, who attended a top UK Drama School whose alumnae include Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender. His debut play Eye of a Needle played at the Southwark Playhouse and as an actor he's worked for the BBC, the RSC and Amazon Studios among others. His screenwriting includes social horror This Merrie Land for Agile and his band Playground Champions have soundtracked the ITV show Buffering.

Chris MacDonald is a novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor, who attended a top UK Drama School whose alumnae include Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender. His debut play Eye of a Needle played at the Southwark Playhouse and as an actor he's worked for the BBC, the RSC and Amazon Studios among others. His screenwriting includes social horror This Merrie Land for Agile and his band Playground Champions have soundtracked the ITV show Buffering.

Illustration of person sitting

Shop small, give big!

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Phone showing make the switch message

Limited-time offer

Get two free audiobooks!

Nowโ€™s a great time to shop indie. When you start a new one credit per month membership supporting local bookstores with promo code SWITCH, weโ€™ll give you two bonus audiobook credits at sign-up.

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Reviews

An intense, absorbing read about the danger of sacrificing everything for your art, with echoes - in its fascinating depiction of the relationship between student and mentor - of The Secret History and Black Swan. Twisty, compulsive fun If you are interested in the world of acting, this is one for you. If you like to be kept at the edge of your seat, this one is for you. If you like classy, unique thrillers with richly-drawn characters at their heart, then, you've guessed it - this one is for you. I loved it! I was obsessed. Laughing one moment, absolutely speechless the next, I was completely swept away in Adamโ€™s story. This book lives up to expectations โ€“ and then exceeds them Brilliantly evoked, totally compelling. A first-class thriller A masterful thriller that keeps you guessing until the final twist. Exploring a group of drama students in thrall to a toxic tutor and methodology, it has echoes of The Secret History. MacDonald skilfully treads the line between taut, suspenseful thriller and a layered exploration of method acting, with a very moving ending This compelling psychological thriller set in the acting world is both uncompromising and unsettling, with deeply layered characters and a narrative voice that grabs you from the opening line and wonโ€™t let you go. Fascinating. Enthralling and unsettling, The Actor will get you wondering how far one would go for recognition and acceptance An unsettling, all-encompassing read that explores obsession and ambition. So sharp, so visceral, I just couldn't look away. The Actor is both a compulsive thriller and a fascinating insight into the world of method acting. Chris MacDonald's writing captures it all, and beautifully: from the glamour of Hollywood to the grunge of 90s Camden. It's also very, very moving, packed with characters both lovable and entirely detestable. I adored it. Brilliant, dark, immersive, and ultimately hugely satisfying What an incredibly tense, immersive debut. I was completely absorbed by this window into the world of method acting and the dark, twisted consequences of such intense commitment. A bravura performance from MacDonald - I didnโ€™t want it to end. Ego and ambition, guilt and redemption collide in this masterfully plotted and beautifully written psychological thriller. I couldnโ€™t tear my eyes from the page. A darkly dazzling and glamorously wicked thriller. Take a bow, Chris MacDonald. A blistering story of obsession and where it can lead; a crackling whiplash of a book A barnstorming performance Brilliantly twisting (and twisted) tale of method acting, madness and Hollywood glamour. I loved it. Expand reviews
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