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Westwind

By: Ian Rankin
Narrated by: Ian Rankin, Julian Rhind-Tutt
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Publisher's summary

For the first time in the US, this timeless cat-and-mouse classic from the Edgar Award-winning "genius" examines political tensions in an era of espionage (Lee Child, best-selling author of the Jack Reacher series).

In Europe, the Americans are pulling out their troops in a tide of isolationism. Britain, torn between loyalties to America and the continent, is caught in the middle. Across the pond, a space shuttle crashes on landing, killing all but one of the crew on board: A British citizen named Mike Dreyfuss, who will become vilified by the US press and protesters.

Halfway across the world, at English ground control headquarters, Martin Hepton watches with dismay as they lose contact with the most advanced satellite in Europe. When a colleague who suspects something strange disappears, Hepton realizes there is much more at stake than anyone knows - and many more people on his trail than he can possibly evade....

©2020 Ian Rankin (P)2020 Little, Brown & Company
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Critic reviews

"[A] techno-action-thriller with its ripped-from-today's-headlines plot...uncanny." (Richard Lipez, The Washington Post)

"A fast-paced blast from the past...and (who knows?) maybe the immediate future as well." (Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Westwind

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Implausible plot, beautifully narrated

And that about sums it up. Not worth a credit. But again, an excellent narration.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Ian Rankin does Moonraker

It was fun reading this example of early Rankin in an espionage-y, alternative-history genre. Although the book lacked much of the humor of the Rebus books, it was very enjoyable.

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5 people found this helpful

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Eerily predicts much of what's going on now

Always iffy to hear a story read by its author, but Rankin does a wonderful job. I'm a fan of his Rebus books so this was a complete departure and I went into it hoping for the best. In the introduction, he says that he wrote the book several decades ago but was inspired to bring it out again since so much of what he talked about in it seemed eerily like much of what seems to be happening today. Well read, well written, very interesting.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Hey, it's a Rankin

Nothing Ian Rankin has written have I disliked. And Rhind-Tutt's narration is superb - more of him, please!

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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old war thriller

should have remained in Rankin's attic. now irrelevant. the work of a young writer

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2 people found this helpful