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419

Written by: Will Ferguson
Narrated by: Pete Bradbury
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Will Ferguson takes listeners deep into the labyrinth of lies that is 419, winner of the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

A car tumbles through darkness down a snowy ravine. A woman without a name walks out of a dust storm in sub-Saharan Africa. And in the seething heat of Lagos City, a criminal cartel scours the Internet, looking for victims. Lives intersect. Worlds collide. And it all begins with a single email: "Dear Sir, I am the daughter of a Nigerian diplomat, and I need your help".

When Laura Curtis, a lonely editor in a cold northern city, discovers that her father has died because of one such swindle, she sets out to track down - and corner - her father' s killer. It is a dangerous game she' s playing, however, and the stakes are higher than she can ever imagine. Woven into Laura' s journey is a mysterious woman from the African Sahel with scars etched into her skin and a young man who finds himself caught up in a web of violence and deceit. And running through it, a dying father' s final words: "You, I love."

©2012 Will Ferguson Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Africa Fiction Scary
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I liked the plot and the African twist. I thought it was a bit long in the middle part of the book and didn’t add too much to the story. I enjoyed it but was glad when it ended.

Plot keeps it interesting

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I enjoyed this story a lot. It was something very different from my usual novels and it gives an interesting insight into the 419 e-mail scams from Nigeria.

The character development was good and although there were a few overlapping plots it was fairly easy to follow most of the time.

My only complaint is the length of the novel. I felt like it dragged on beyond what was necessary for the storyline. Overall though, an entertaining listen.

Fascinating story

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I don't know how to review this. I got it on Audible when it was deeply discounted as part of a Giller Prize sale. It looked OK and I thought it would be a good one to listen to at work. It served the purpose.
I hate to say it, but I was kind of ambivalent. Parts were ok, parts were less ok. I did feel sad for some of the characters, but could not have cared less for others.
I appreciated the concept, which was pretty great, but the execution, I don't know. It felt a little heavy-handed, maybe? Like it was trying very hard to be /literary/ even though at its core it's a highly improbably revenge caper?
Yeah, not sure how it won the Giller, but it did get me through a long shift at work.

not for me

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A well-crafted novel that takes a sensational topic (419ing) and expertly explores the lives of those swept up in it. The narrator, Pete Bradbury, is absolutely stellar.

419 - A must-listen

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This book was a definite departure from my usual genre; but it pulled me in and didn’t let go. The story was brought to life by Mr. Bradbury. His rich baritone and unique voice for each character made listening a pleasure.

Worth the listen

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