Even the winners and the good people with the best of intentions wind up with blood on their hands.
Mike Ryan
The Silencer
Format:
Audiobook
Note: The books have been bundled into box sets. I listened to this as part of Volume 1.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
CIA Black Ops agent John Smith is on his latest assignment in London. Little does he know–it’ll also be his last. Barely surviving an attack on his life, Smith lays low for six months until he returns to the United States. His flight is strangely diverted to Philadelphia where he meets a mysterious man who already knows about his past and recruits him for a job.
Needing a new identity, Smith becomes Michael Recker. He tries to prevent bad things happening to innocent people while also interacting with several crime factions who are battling for control over the city. All the while, Recker begins to plan his revenge on Agent 17, who is responsible for a heinous act that Recker will never forget.
Point of view:
3rd person. Various perspectives.
Rellim’s Thoughts:
This is my first book by Mike Ryan. It’s an interesting mashup of The Equalizer & John Kelly from Without Remorse (the book, not the movie).
It took me a little bit to get into the story – but once I did it was an easy listen. While Recker doesn’t have opportunities to show off his super spook CIA skills, he does use info provided by Jones (another mysterious past) to step in and prevent or stop crimes.
It’s several smaller stories that weave together and while there’s no cliffhanger because individual “cases” are handled, Recker is still looking for answers to avenge a loved one.
This feels more like a serial/episodic than traditional novels and I like that format given Jones & Recker’s missions.
Narration:
Brian Hutchison was also new to me. I enjoyed his narration. He was a great choice for mostly male characters. There were some parts where the recording was echoing/tinny, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying it. I’m looking forward to continuing the series with Hutchison at the helm.
About the author:
Mike is a USA Today Bestselling Author. He grew up and resides in Bucks County, PA. He lives with his wife, Liz, and four children. He also has three dogs–two Labs, and a mixed breed that was rescued from the woods as a puppy. He is an avid animal lover and supporter of animal rights.
In his spare time, Mike enjoys spending time with his family. They enjoy going to the beach, the mountains, riding horses, going to amusement parks, or just hanging out in the backyard. Mike is also a big sports fanatic and loves watching baseball and football. During football season, Mike can always be found sitting in front of a TV on Sunday afternoon’s watching the games. He is also a major Star Wars fan and is always willing to talk about it at the drop of a hat.
In addition to his novels, Mike has adapted several of his books into screenplays for TV pilots. He’s also written a stage play. He is always working on another book.
You can connect with Mike Ryan here:
About the narrator:
Brian Hutchison has appeared on Broadway in The Boys in the Band (TONY AWARD-Best Revival of a Play), Man and Boy (with Frank Langella and Adam Driver), Looped (opposite Valerie Harper), Exit the King (with Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon), Proof, and The Invention of Love. Off-Broadway credits include How To Transcend a Happy Marriage (opposite Marisa Tomei-Lincoln Center) Smokefall (opposite Zachary Quinto) Pocatello (with TR Knight) Regrets, Spirit Control, From Up Here, and Go Back to Where You Are among others, at such theaters as Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, and Manhattan Class Company. In addition to performing major roles all over the country, Brian’s film and television credits include The Boys in the Band (Netflix-GLAAD MEDIA AWARD), Lisey’s Story, The Sinner, Madam Secretary, FBI-Most Wanted, Instinct, Elementary,Vinyl, Show Me a Hero, Killing Kennedy, Vino Veritas, Winter’s Tale, Love and Other Drugs, Do No Harm, Person of Interest, The Good Wife, Law & Order: SVU, etc. Brian holds an MFA in Dramatic Arts from the Old Globe Theater/University of San Diego.
Brian has recorded hundreds of audiobooks, in most genres including westerns, romance, sci-fi, thrillers, young adult, and non fiction. In the past few years, Brian has received a golden earphones award for Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult , a SOVA award for Leaving the Sea by Ben Marcus, and 3 Audie Nominations for Snowbound by Richard Wheeler, Clockwork Lives by Kevin Anderson and Neil Peart, and How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon, all of these in the Multi Narrator category. He has recorded titles for Recorded Books, Audible, Blackstone, ACX, and Simon & Schuster among others. I Still Think About You, which premiered at the HEARnow Festival in 2021, is Brian’s first audio drama.
You can connect with Brian Hutchison here:
My Favorite Quotes
Even the winners and the good people with the best of intentions wind up with blood on their hands. – The Silencer by @Mike_Ryan36 #Audiobook narrated by #BrianHutchison #Thriller #Suspense #MikeRecker #SilencerSeries
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I’d prefer our first case to not wind up with a dead body. – The Silencer by @Mike_Ryan36 #Audiobook narrated by #BrianHutchison #Thriller #Suspense #MikeRecker #SilencerSeries
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Rellim Reads 