Red Notice

No other story about international intrigue and high stakes crime puts as many listeners at the edge of their seats as Bill Browder’s Red Notice. Marked by its shocking, true story, the gripping memoir-turned-thriller audiobook has drawn acclaim from everywhere. In this article, I’ll talk about Red Notice, the music, and why it’s one of my favorite listening experiences of all time.

Plot Summary

Bill Browder’s story is recounted in Red Notice: How I got in, and shut down, the world’s largest racket: a story of extortion, money laundering, deceit, and murder, and of the Russian dictator who criticized Bill Browder’s battle against corruption. Soon after investing in the Russian stock market Browder discovered widespread corruption and fraud that resulted in his expulsion from the country.

As a result, his troubles were just starting. Browder became an outspoken champion of justice and human rights when his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was killed in a Russian prison in 2009. Browder had been digging away at the world of international corruption, until he got sucked into the crosshairs of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Characters

A very interesting cast of complex and interesting characters tell it. All characters bring depth and nuance to what is, laughable though it may seem, still: Or Sergei Magnitsky or Vladimir Putin, a real story where everybody involved is courageous or ruthless. Browder himself though, is just a human being and he is so inspired and so much the story of his own evolution from an ambitious businessman into a human rights campaigner is mind boggling.

Themes

At its core, Red Notice is about courage, conviction and justice, and Red Notice is precisely about that. Browder's story is a frightening reminder of how brutal a business corruption can be, and that, even in deeply improbable situations, it is immoral and morally wrong not to fight it. It ALSO functions as an audiobook, looking at the themes of identity, moral, and the ever illusive world of international politics.

Writing Style and Pacing

Up and I highly recommend this audiobook to get you started on your Russian language learning journey. He's calibrated his pace exactly to spool action, suspense and introspection round and round for a wonderful, compelling, absorbing, thought provoking audiobook. The story is narrated by Adam Grupper, whose clear crisp and expressively speaking voice is what makes the story so interesting.

Conclusion

Imagined by the likes of a Stephen King, this audiobook, set to the exhilarating soundtrack of the murder, the counterfeiting, and the theft of an entire art collection is a highly compelling success that should satisfy fans of memoirs, true crime, and international intrigue.

Bill Browder’s experience is a powerful one of essential courage, a touchstone of how the battle for human rights and justice must never be ignored no matter what or how awful it is. The quick pace of Red Notice, combined with its masterful narration, thought provoking themes, and easy to nod away audiobook will mean that you hear it straight through.

• Written By

  : Bill Browder

• Narrated By

  : Adam Grupper

• Published By

  : Simon & Schuster Audio