The Long Shot [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Stephen Leather (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2007

Cole Howard of the FBI knows he has only days to prevent the audacious assassination—but he doesn’t know who the target is, or where the marksmen will strike. Former SAS sergeant Mike Cramer is also on the trail, infiltrating the Irish community in New York as he tracks down Mary Hennessy, the ruthless killer who tore his life apart. Unless Cramer and Howard agree to cooperate, the world will witness the most spectacular terrorist coup of all time.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'THE LONG SHOT consolidates Leather's position in the top rank of thriller writers. An ingenious plot, plenty of action and solid, believable characters - wrapped up in taut snappy prose that grabs your attention by the throat ... A top-notch thriller which whips the reader along at breakneck speed' -- Yorkshire Post 'In the top rank of thriller writers' -- Jack Higgins 'Unputdownable' -- South China Morning Post on HARD LANDING 'Leather can dispense high-adrenaline plotting but never at the expense of remembering that his characters are humans rather than Action Man dolls. In such books as THE LONG SHOT, the plot never pulls along wafer-thin characters in its trail, Dan Brown-style ... It's Shepherd's pungently drawn personality that makes him such a memorable hero ... The various storylines are orchetrated with precision and the steadily accelarating tension is maintained with assurance ...' -- Barry Forshaw in the Sunday Express 'Excitement is guaranteed' -- Independent on THE FIREMAN 'Stephen Leather should be nestling in your bookshelves alongside Frederick Forsyth and Jack Higgins' -- Daily Mail 'A whirlwind of action, suspense and vivid excitement' -- Irish Times on THE BIRTHDAY GIRL 'This is as hi-tech and as world-class as the thriller genre gets.' -- Express on Sunday on THE BOMBMAKER 'Exciting stuff with plenty of heart-palpitating action gingered up by mystery and intrigue ... Leather is an intelligent thriller writer' -- Daily Mail on THE TUNNEL RATS 'Action and scalpel-sharp suspense' -- Daily Telegraph on THE BIRTHDAY GIRL --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

STEPHEN LEATHER's acclaimed bestsellers including THE CHINAMAN and THE TUNNEL RATS have confirmed his standing in the front rank of thriller writers. A journalist for more than ten years, he worked for several papers including The Times, the Glasgow Herald, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. He lives in Dublin. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Isis Audio; Unabridged edition (February 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753126222
• ISBN-13: 978-0753126226
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Stephen Leather was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Before that, he was employed as a biochemist for ICI, shovelled limestone in a quarry, worked as a baker, a petrol pump attendant, a barman, and worked for the Inland Revenue. He began writing full time in 1992. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. You can find out more from his website, www.stephenleather.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the very best thrillers, November 8, 2002

By 

"deathfromafar" (North Canterbury New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Shot (Stephen Leather Thrillers) (Paperback)

I was surprised that this is to be the first of the reviews of this book. This is a really good thriller gentle reader, and very hard to put down.

The plot is basically this- the FBI stumble across what appears to be a training area for three snipers in the Arizona Desert. At the same time, a retired SAS Seargent is sent to the USA to track down a major IRA leader that he has a personal score to settle with. Needless to say the two plots rapidly intertwine.

For a thriller the characters are remarkably well sketched and lifelike. There is not the needless romance with the feisty partner/ lab technician/ victim that has become a cliche, and in fact the central character is happilly married, and has a fight with his wife. Both central characters have alcohol problems, but not in cliched way either- both are thoughtfully sketched out. Leathers style of writing is excellent. Although he jumps from character to character at no time does the plot lag. His writting is crisp, and reflects the pace in which the reader will enjoy the book.

The plot is nail biting, and realistic. Twists and turns abound, and frequently quite unexpected twists occur. The final few chapters are gripping, and almost impossible to put down.

Interestingly, with some knowledge of firearms, this is a technically correct book. A .50 Cal rifle can do a 2000 yard shot, with a good rifle and a great shooter,

Like I said, I am surprised that this has not been reviewed before, this is an excellent novel and most higly reccomended.

Grade: A+

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fly Goodyear, December 13, 2005

By 

Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: The Long Shot (Stephen Leather Thrillers) (Paperback)

Goodyear can thank the gods of serendipity that its airship wasn't involved in this caper in which super terrorist Carlos the Jackal, the IRA, and two renegade ex-SEAL snipers team-up to cause international havoc at a Baltimore Orioles baseball game while being chased by the FBI, Secret Service, MI5, and an out-of-shape, former SAS non-com.

THE LONG SHOT has two main protagonists, Special Agent Howard Cole of the FBI and former SAS Sergeant Mike "Joker" Cramer. The reader's primary allegiance may perhaps become divided, though what the latter endures at the hands of the diabolical IRA torturer, Mary Hennessy, makes him #1 on my list of Tough Guys. Cole, like many American males, only has an insufferable father-in-law, a drinking problem, a less-than-supportive wife, and a backstabbing, ambitious subordinate. And speaking of Hennessy, her eventual end is way too easy and unsatisfying. (Mary's persona makes me wonder whom author Stephen Leather subliminally used as her character model. An ex-wife or old girlfriend, perhaps?)

Despite the relative implausibility of the plot and an improbable ending, involving a blimp and one of the Good Guys dangling from a helicopter, that was better suited to a Hollywood Big Screen SFX orgasm, THE LONG SHOT does provide suspenseful moments of above-average entertainment. However, Leather here, to my mind, departs from his usual forte, which is to place his chief protagonist in a smaller arena of conflict that has repercussions that are more personal than global. It's this departure, and an overabundance of players, which makes this potboiler more standard fare than other Leather thrillers I've read. Stephen, I'm sorry, but three stars are the best I can manage. (But I'll keep buying and reading your books!)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jackal has had its day., March 31, 2003

By 

D. Newstead (Middlesex UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Long Shot (Stephen Leather Thrillers) (Paperback)

A great read a believable hero and the action is very gritty. This book was such an incredible read I missed my train stop rather than close the book before the end.Great story and a great idea all come together wrapped around lots of additional intrigue action and suspense, a prime target for the old hollywood treatment.