Audiobook Review: Argylle by Elly Conway #Argylle #EllyConway #AudiobookReview #LibroFm

Book Synopsis:

The globe-trotting spy thriller that inspired the upcoming action blockbuster Argylle , featuring a star-studded cast including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Cena.

One Russian magnate’s dream of restoring a nation to greatness has set in motion a chain of events which will take the world to the brink of chaos. Only Frances Coffey, the CIA’s most legendary spymaster, can prevent it. But to do so, she needs someone special.

Enter Argylle. His life came to a crashing halt as a teenager. Since then he has been treading water, building barriers between himself and the world. Until one moment of compassion and brilliance will bring him to the attention of the most powerful woman in the secret world.

Coffey knows all about Argylle’s dark past. She knows it haunts him. But she also knows it may give him the skills to join the team going up against one of the most powerful men in the world. His crash course in espionage will take him from the jungles of Thailand to the boulevards of Monaco, from the monasteries of Mount Athos to a forgotten cavern buried deep in the mountains.

It is a deathly rollercoaster ride that will either make him – or break him…

My Review:

Argylle is a gripping, fast paced spy thriller which will be interesting to see made into a film.

Firstly I really liked the main character Argylle and enjoyed following him through the book. He seemed a genuinely nice guy and I like how much he seemed to care for his team mates, even when it was unlikely to be reciprocated. If anyone was likely to hold back and help someone Argylle was your man and as such he was there for of the other characters crucial moments. It was quite amusing to see him learn to be a spy and some of his earlier missions had me laughing out loud with some of his attempts at subterfuge. 

The author does a great job at describing some of the fantastic locations featured in this book so that I felt like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters. There were some locations that I hadn’t heard of and I enjoyed spending time googling them to find out more. I felt that some of the action scenes in the book were slightly overdone at times, with long descriptions about what was happening when I didn’t feel it was needed. I do wonder if they were done with the film in mind though as I felt they would make great action sequences and they did help me to visualise what was going on.

I listened to the book on audiobook and found the book hard to pause once I had started. I often found myself stopped whilst doing a task as I was so absorbed in what was happening. Some of the events in the book where perhaps a little cliche at times and I felt borrowed from other popular franchises (a Russian bad guy, a mission involving the Nazis, a difficult motorcycle chase) which did frustrate me at times. I think I actually groaned out loud at one point much to my kids amusement. 

The ending was interesting and while I did guess quite early on who the mole in the group was, I was satisfied with how everything was tied up in the end. The ending hints at a possible sequel and despite my reservations listed above I think I would be interested to read more from this author in future.

Huge thanks to libro.fm for giving me an audiobook of Argylle in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

Elly Conway was born and raised in upstate New York. She wrote her first novel about Agent Argylle while working as a waitress in a late-night diner.