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Learn moreMaster of espionage fiction and National Book Award winner William F. Buckley Jr. brings us another in his bestselling series starring the intrepid CIA agent Blackford Oakes.
When a shadowy Russian mole threatens to undermine the free world's defenses by infiltrating President Eisenhower's National Security Counsel, CIA super-secret agent Blackford Oakes is called in to unmask the imposter. Then, Oakes turns the tables on the Communists by piloting a U-2 spy plane on a Gary Powers–style one-way mission behind the Iron Curtain. Sentenced to death and trapped in the depths of the Lubyanka prison, Oakes may have turned his last trick. Or has he?
William F. Buckley Jr. (1925–2008) was the founder of National Review and the host of one of television’s longest-running public affairs programs, Firing Line. The author of more than fifteen novels, many of them New York Times bestsellers, he won the National Book Award for Stained Glass, the second in the series featuring Blackford Oakes.
Geoffrey Blaisdell is a professional actor who has appeared on and off Broadway, in Broadway national tours, and in regional theater.
Reviews
“Mixes politics, humor, suspense, and ingenious espionage capers in an enjoyable blend.”
“Moves along at the exhilarating pace of a Porsche on the Autobahn.”
“Delightful reading for the spy thriller fan...absolutely must reading.”
“Cuts closer to the bone than Le Carré has ever cut.”
“It’s 1960, and American agent Blackford Oakes faces a Moscow court, charged with flying a spy plane in Soviet air space. Geoffrey Blaisdell narrates the convoluted story of how Oakes has ended up on trial with an erudite voice that echoes Buckley’s own. As Blaisdell emphasizes the wry humor in Oakes’ account, listeners may forget that Buckley himself isn’t actually narrating. Blaisdell also delights in the portrayals of the real-life figures, especially the tense, needling relationship between President Eisenhower and Soviet Premier Nikita Kruschchev. Blaisdell’s strong reading emphasizes nostalgia and character more than the thrills of a spy mission…an entertaining take on Buckley’s novel.”
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