The Protege (Audio Editions Mystery Masters) [Audio Cassette]

Stephen Frey (Author), Holter Graham (Narrator)

Book Description

Series: Audio Editions Mystery Masters | Publication Date: January 2006

After surviving attempts on his life and malicious competition in the corporate world, Christian Gillette has finally become Chairman of Everest Capital. Now on the brink of taking-over his ex-rival's sinking firm and buying the NFL's newest team-The Las Vegas Twenty-Ones-Gillette finds himself drawn to a young deal-maker named David Wright. However, when Gillette's success suddenly starts crumbling and it looks that Wright is to blame, the newly crowned Chairman will have to face tough facts and tough choices surrounding his protégé.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The mob and a disgruntled competitor are trying to kill Christian Gillette, the charismatic, good-looking and wildly successful chairman of Everest Capital, a multibillion-dollar private equity firm. He's got government spooks trying to use one of his companies as a front for a top-secret nanotechnology program. And on top of all this, he still has to run his firm and figure out the truth about his father's death. Narrator Graham does the book justice, voicing the high-powered businessmen with all the right intonations, using slight alterations to distinguish between characters, including a spot-on British accent (although his mob hit man accent does seem a bit trite). His facility for dialogue makes Graham an ideal choice for this audiobook, as the novel's characters are its primary strength. Graham is also adept at reading the narrative sections, using deliberate pacing that makes the action compelling and easy to follow—and this is essential, as the novel features a complex web of plot threads that, at times, strains credibility. Fortunately Graham provides a stabilizing influence, keeping the story more firmly grounded in reality even as the author has it veer off into thriller fantasyland. Simultaneous release with the Ballantine hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 3). (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In Frey's The Chairman (2005),Christian Gillette took over Everest, a multibillion--dollar private equity firm and brought it to new heights of fame and fortune. Here, Gillette continues his quest for financial domination but, at the same time, begins to consider life outside Everest--especially his love for his pop-star girlfriend--and contemplates the process of choosing an heir-apparent. But just who should his protege be? He settles on David Wright, a young gun with proven talent who always aims to please. What Gillette doesn't know, however, is that Wright has another agenda, one not of his own making but rather a fait accompli set in motion when one night of wild sex goes terribly wrong. Frey tells a fine story, but he dresses it up a bit too much with over-the-top plot twists. Still, when it comes to high-finance intrigue, this series continues to look good on the bottom line. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Audiogo; Unabridged edition (January 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157270506X
• ISBN-13: 978-1572705067
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,298,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stephen Frey is a managing director at a private equity firm. He is the bestselling author of fourteen previous novels, including The Fourth Order, The Insider, and The Takeover. He lives in Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars, January 29, 2006

By 

Konrad Kern (OFallon, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Protégé: A Novel (Hardcover)

In this second Christian Gillette novel, Frey does an outstanding job with all the plot twists and turns. The story will keep you enthralled.
It's not necessary that you read "The Chairman" before reading this novel, but I would recommend that you do.
Stephen Frey has been on my 'must read' list for a couple years now and with this latest financial thriller, he'll be staying there.

Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Edgy, intelligent, challenging suspense, January 14, 2006

By 

N. Larrabee (Tarrytown, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Protégé: A Novel (Hardcover)

Christian Gillette excels at leading Everest, his private equity firm. It is a high stakes business that comes with great risks. Christian quickly decides to promote young superstar David Wright within the company. David is hiding a secret that he is desperate to keep under lock and key. However, enemies of Gillette's manage to obtain key evidence against him and thus are able to keep David on a very short leash. Allison Wallace enters the scene wanting to give Gillette's firm five billion dollars in exchange for a seat as managing partner. Like Faith, Gillette's girlfriend, one cannot help but question her motives or intentions. Intermingled throughout his dealings is Gillette's need to find out what happened to his parents. His vulnerable side emerges for his friends and those who honestly need him. This novel has a well-written, exciting storyline; with non-stop action and intriguing characters.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A excellent book real page turner, January 3, 2006

By 

T. A Kelley "kelleyt" (pueblo, colorado United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Protégé: A Novel (Hardcover)

Mr. Frey has done a ecellent job with this book it is the continuation from the previous book " The Chairman " I would definitely recommend that you read that book first. Be forewarned that if you continue with this reveiw i will be giving away some info from the chairman book.

Christian Gillette is saga continues in this work of fiction,he is the CEO of Everest Capital a private equity fund Mr. gillette assumed this position after the founder and former chairman is killed in a plot to takeover Everst Capital there was a attempt on christian life also but was foiled.

The chairman seems to have everything going for him he is one of the youngest Ceo has just put the finishing touchs on the biggest private equity funds ever 15 billion dollars, named one of the top fifty bachelors in peoples magazine and has a hot popstar girlfriend and of course all kinds of money. But they do not realize all the stress and problems that come with running this firm. But mr. gillette has some help with a real up and comer David wright who is on his way to becoming partner but unknown to christian david has a dark secret that could prove to be the demise of he equity funds. Then there is Allison Wallace who comes from a mega-rich family who wants to invest 5 billion into the new fund with the stipulation that Allison is made a partner, she seems hell bent on being the next Ceo.

Christian is also approached by a couple of men from a secret goverment agency who want to hide a company that is specializing in nanotechnology research in one of the companies owned by Everst Capital and in exchange for this they will deliverinfromation on the suspicious plane crash that resulted in the death of his U.S. Senator father and they all so have information on his the where abouts of his birth mother.

All these events are on a collsion course along with other events that make this book really moving it seems that a few too many story lines but they are brought together in a real well. SO give this a read but again i recommend that you read The Chairman first.