The Expats: A Novel [Hardcover]

Chris Pavone (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 6, 2012

The international thriller that Patricia Cornwell says is “bristling with suspense” about an American abroad who finds herself in complex web of intrigue.
 
Can We Ever Escape Our Secrets?
 
Kate Moore is a working mother, struggling to make ends meet, to raise children, to keep a spark in her marriage . . . and to maintain an increasingly unbearable life-defining secret. So when her husband is offered a lucrative job in Luxembourg, she jumps at the chance to leave behind her double-life, to start anew.
      She begins to reinvent herself as an expat, finding her way in a language she doesn’t speak, doing the housewifely things she’s never before done—playdates and coffee mornings, daily cooking and never-ending laundry. Meanwhile, her husband works incessantly, at a job Kate has never understood, for a banking client she’s not allowed to know. He’s becoming distant and evasive; she’s getting lonely and bored.
      Then another American couple arrives. Kate soon becomes suspicious that these people are not who they say they are, and she’s terrified that her own past is catching up to her. So Kate begins to dig, to peel back the layers of deception that surround her. She discovers fake offices and shell corporations and a hidden gun, a mysterious farmhouse and numbered accounts with bewildering sums of money, and finally unravels the mind-boggling long-play con that threatens her family, her marriage, and her life.
      Stylish and sophisticated, fiercely intelligent and expertly crafted, The Expats proves Chris Pavone to be a writer of tremendous talent.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A Reader’s Guide for The Expats, A Novel

By Chris Pavone

In order to provide reading groups with the most informed and thought-provoking questions possible, it is necessary to reveal important aspects of the plot of this novel. If you have not finished reading The Expats, we respectfully suggest that you wait before reviewing this guide.

Introduction

Hailed by Patricia Cornwell as “bristling with suspense” and praised by John Grisham as reminiscent of early novels by Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, and Robert Ludlum, The Expats garnered coast-to-coast acclaim, marking the debut of an unforgettable new voice in American fiction.

An international thriller, The Expats is the story of a seemingly ordinary working mom, Kate Moore, whose husband, Dexter, is offered a lucrative job in Luxembourg—a move that will unravel everything they believed about each other. Kate and Dexter have struggled to make ends meet, so they jump at the chance to start a new life abroad with the promise of rich rewards. But Kate has been leading a double life, and leaving America forces her to abandon her dangerous but heroic job. She soon discovers that it will be harder than she thought to shed her past, especially while coping with the weight of an unbearable secret. Dexter seems to be keeping secrets of his own, working long hours for a banking client whose name he can’t reveal. When another American couple befriends them, Kate begins to peel back the layers of deception that surround her, revealing a heart-stopping con that threatens her family, her marriage, and her life.

Sophisticated and expertly crafted, The Expats is set in some of Europe’s most enchanting locales, and races toward a provocative, startling conclusion. We hope this guide will enhance your experience of the pulse-pounding journey.

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. How does Kate’s sense of self shift throughout the novel? In the end, how does she reconcile the roles of wife, mom, and adrenaline-seeking agent?

2. In chapter ten, on page ninety-three, Kate thinks about crossing an unspoken line that exists in many marriages: “You know the lines are there, you feel them: the things you don’t discuss. . . . You go about your business, as far away from these lines as possible, pretending they’re not there.” To what degree did Kate and Dexter deceive themselves, as much as they deceived each other? Is complete honesty realistic for most married couples?

3. After working hard to keep her own career a secret from Dexter, why is it hard for Kate to accept his secrecy about his job? Was she setting a double standard or just responding to her well-honed instincts?

4. What were your initial theories about Julia and Bill, and the “Today” scenes?

5. Kate was well suited to her job when she led a solitary life. What did the CIA give her in lieu of love? As she realizes that Dexter and her family are all she has, how does her understanding of love change?

6. What is Hayden’s role in Kate’s life? Do you have a Hayden to rely on?

7. How do Kate and Dexter feel about the power of breadwinners in a marriage? What does their story say about resenting a spouse who doesn’t seem to be contributing (Dexter in America) versus resenting a spouse who seems to be a workaholic (Dexter in Luxembourg)? In the end, which of the novel’s characters prove to be the most materialistic?

8. Kate is haunted by the Torres episode. How did this continue to define her decision making and actions years later? If you were ever in a situation like this, how far would you go to protect your family?

9. Dexter often cites human gullibility as a weakness in I.T. security. Discuss the characters who let their guard down for love, vanity, sex, wealth, or other lures. What ultimately makes Dexter gullible? Does his gullibility make him blameless?

10. As the plot began to unfold, which revelations surprised you the most? What truth was buried beneath the layers of deception?

11. The Expats delivers a highly realistic portrayal of female agents, motherhood, and strong women who outsmart men. What is the effect of knowing that the book was written by a man?

12. Does it matter that the Colonel was bloodthirsty? Do the ends justify the means?

13. What does the novel say about trust and how it is earned? What do Kate and Dexter discover about the strength of their trust for each other?

14. Discuss the life of expatriates in general—a role the author experienced when his wife accepted a job in Luxembourg. If you were to live abroad, where would you want to set up housekeeping? How do expats balance the fact that they’re foreigners with the need to feel at home? Would you enjoy close-knit communities of expat spouses, or would the lack of privacy be hard to handle?

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

"Sly. . . . Pavone strengthens this book with a string of head-spinning revelations in its last pages. . . . The tireless scheming of all four principals truly exceeds all sane expectations.” —The New York Times

“Bombshell-a-minute. . . . Pavone creates a fascinating, complicated hero.” —Entertainment Weekly

“A gripping spy drama and an artful study of the sometimes cat-and-mouse game of marriage.” —Family Circle

“Smartly executed. . . . Pavone is full of sharp insights into the parallels between political espionage and marital duplicity. . . . Thoroughly captivating.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Superb. . . . [Pavone] expertly draws readers along with well-timed clues and surprises. . . . An engineering marvel.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Expertly and intricately plotted, with a story spiraling into disaster and a satisfyingly huge amount of double-crossing, The Expats certainly doesn’t feel like a first novel.  This is an impressively assured entry to the thriller scene.” —The Guardian (London)

“Refreshingly original. . . . Part Ludlum in the pacing, part Le Carré in the complexity of story and character, but mostly Chris Pavone. . . . A thriller so good that you wonder what other ideas [Pavone] has up his cloak, right alongside the obligatory dagger.” —The Star-Ledger

“Amazing. . . . Impossible to put down. . . . Pavone invokes memories of the great writers of spy fiction of the past, and he has the chops to be mentioned with the best of them.” —Associated Press

“A blast. . . . Pavone is spinning a fantastic tale with action that spans the globe.” —Dallas Morning News

“Highly entertaining.” —Mystery Scene

“Thoroughly enjoyable.” —Suspense Magazine

“Hard to put down.” —San Francisco Bay Guardian

“Stunningly assured. . . . An intricate, suspenseful plot that is only resolved in the final pages.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Brilliant, insanely clever, and delectably readable.” —Library Journal (starred review)

“Meticulously plotted, psychologically complex. . . . The sheer amount of bombshell plot twists are nothing short of extraordinary, but it’s Pavone’s portrayal of Kate and her quest to find meaning in her charade of an existence that makes this book such a powerful read.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Impressive. . . . With almost more double-crosses than a body can stand.” —Kirkus (starred review)

“Bristling with suspense and elegantly crafted, The Expats introduces a compelling and powerful female protagonist you won't soon forget. Well done!” —Patricia Cornwell

“I often thought I was again reading the early works of Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, and Robert Ludlum. Smart, clever suspense, skillfully plotted, and a lot of fun to read.” —John Grisham

“One of the best-written spy thrillers I've ever read. . . . A riveting story of great-game deceptions wrapped inside the smaller deceptions of marriage. At moments horrifying, hilarious, and very wise, The Expats has given Chris Pavone a permanent place on my short list of must-read authors.” —Olen Steinhauer

“A gem. Clever, suspenseful with a jet fueled story that rockets from one corner of the globe to another, it is never less than a thrill a minute. . . . An absolute winner!” —Christopher Reich

“Spy stories need to budge over to make space for Kate Moore—mother, wife, expat and far more than she appears. I loved her.” —Rosamund Lupton

“Riveting.  One of the most accomplished debuts of recent years: not just a worthy addition to the literature of espionage and betrayal, but a fine portrait of a marriage disintegrating under the pressure of secrets and lies.” —John Connolly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Crown; First Edition edition (March 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307956350
• ISBN-13: 978-0307956354
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (369 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chris Pavone grew up in New York City, and attended Midwood High School in Brooklyn and Cornell University. He worked at a number of publishing houses over nearly two decades, most notably as an editor at Clarkson Potter, where he specialized in cookbooks; in the late nineties, he also wrote a little (and mostly blank) book called The Wine Log. His first novel, The Expats, released in the U.S. and the U.K. in early 2012, was an instant New York Times bestseller, and is being published in fifteen languages on five continents, and developed for film. Chris is married and the father of twin schoolboys, as well as an old cocker spaniel, and they all live in Greenwich Village and the North Fork of Long Island.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

118 of 132 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Love, Lies, Larceny, and Lechery in Luxembourg January 28, 2012

By Misanthrope™ TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Because of the information already included on the Amazon page for this product, it should not be a surprise to anyone that espionage plays a part in this novel, so I will admit without fear of giving spoilers that I have always loved novels related to espionage. However, I have never read one in which the protagonist was female, and espionage is not really the main story in this novel.

In keeping with my desire to not give spoilers, I will refrain from explaining character backgrounds and major plot points, at least with any specificity.

Kate, the protagonist, is married to Dexter, and they both have each other fooled, to very different extents, and in very different ways. They have a commitment to each other that transcends the deceptions, and both have very good reasons for their deceptions, though perhaps not reasons with which everyone will have sympathy.

The plot is one with many twists -- a veritable roller-coaster ride -- and takes the reader across various countries and continents, mundane and exotic. It also jumps back and forth in time enough to cause vertigo.

The only serious weak point of the novel, in my opinion, is that the author has the characters' actions mostly occur in their memories, rather than simply showing us all of the action as it occurs. A great deal of the story, action or back-story, is simply explained in dialogue, which is not ideal, but it is still quite interesting.

In my copy, it is stated that this book is "being developed for major theatrical release by CBS films." I think the story lends itself well to a movie version, and possibly will be even stronger as such, but there is little doubt that Pavone is a talented writer (a former editor and ghostwriter), and I expect to see much more of his work.

The strongest recommendation I can give for this novel is that if there were a sequel, I would read it.

152 of 172 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Tension and Puzzles Aplenty February 4, 2012

By Zoeeagleeye VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

If your thing in a spy thriller is tension aplenty with lots of secrets and puzzles, you will enjoy this book. Chris Pavone excels in the double-double cross and even makes you laugh at it. He is equally good at putting you right in the middle of whatever description he's got going. Europe has never been so conjured up for the reader's imagination. The plot is a good one, often curved around the unexpected, and it's a tiny bit implausible, but not so implausible it interferes with your intelligence.

Where Pavone falls into mediocrity is in the details. At times there are just too many of them. Other times they are half-presented, then dropped too soon. An example of too many is this entire paragraph: "There was a squat hard-plastic container of cardboard coasters featuring a baroque coat-of-arms, with a lion and pennants and maybe snakes and a sun and a crescent moon, and stripes, and a castle turret, plus gothic lettering that she couldn't make out because from where she sat it was upsidedown, this highly stylized thick black lettering." The description plays no part in the scene or the plot. Oh, the word "this" is Pavone's favorite, used far too many times.

As for a detail dropped too soon, the protagonist, Kate, sees some nuns, making her feel guilty, for what we know not.

Writes Pavone, "Kate was impressed with how many words this woman used to communicate her ideas." Funny, I was thinking the very same thing about the author!

The biggest problem for me is the character, Kate. She thinks like a man trying to think like a woman, and often it just doesn't work. The biggest failure is the relationship between Kate and Julia. They often relate more like two males would. Kate and Dexter also interact sort of by the numbers. In other words, intimacy is nonexistent.

The author wants to put Kate into predicaments and then think a way out for her but few women I know would have acted that way. Take when Dexter, her husband comes home from work and catches her before she can hide what she is doing. She lets him best her because she can't think of a way to keep him out of the kid's room. Really? Any woman worthy of the name would immediately make a cunningly directed play for her husband, redirecting his attention to sexy teasing. But our Kate, the hard-bitten CIA assassin merely crumples away from the room, giving her husband the upper hand.

Then there's the scene where she boldly hurls herself down an extremely dark, dangerous alleyway, allowing herself to be led to a hard-core "den of inequity," and without a blink of nerves, drops her clothes in front of the armed vicious, crazy bad guys (I don't think even an Angelina Jolie character would do this!), ends up getting what she wants and leaves with impunity. It was as if she swam naked and bloody into the middle of a shark fest and emerged untouched.

Conversely, why did the author put her in male writer's favorite women's position: nighttime, alone, vulnerable, stalked, chased. Yup, there's our Kate again, but this time she is in her own safe neighborhood, knows the layout, is wearing high heels walking toward home ... and she is scared! She worries about her shoes on cobblestones, as well. What! Again, any woman worthy of the name would simply remove the shoes and run, not do as Kate does, cringe with anxiety and then bop the wrong man -- which scene BTW has nothing to do with the plot. It is just in there for "fun." We never find out anything about either man; both disappear from the book.

Another example of her character being "off": here is a woman who LIVES secrets. Her husband doesn't know she is a spy. So what sort of game does she teach her children to amuse them? A spy game she makes up. I don't think so!

If you can get past the detailed minutiae, the inadequate and stiff sounding dialogue, and a main character who never quite comes together, you still have left the suspense, the mystery as it unravels, and several good observations -- such as, "People who were too outgoing made her suspicious. She couldn't help but presume that all the loud noise was created to hide quiet lies." Now that's the way a spy would think!

40 of 48 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars A Truly Bad Read March 27, 2012

By M. J Shulman

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am in the financial industry and looked forward to another author creating mysteries related to the industry. I was terribly disappointed and forced myself to finish the book -- something I rarely have to do. The plot and outcomes are obvious; the depiction of banks and the world of money is so far removed from reality I could not suspend disbelief when reading the book; and the author's constant placement of his own voice, masked as the thoughts of the protagonist, was downright annoying. I myself have written a book, I am very respectful of new authors but the bottom line is stay away, a poorly written book all the way around.