Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Take  By  cover art

The Take

By: Christopher Reich
Narrated by: Paul Michael
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

From New York Times best-selling author Christopher Reich, an international spy thriller featuring Simon Riske: one part James Bond, one part Jack Reacher

Riske is a freelance industrial spy who, despite his job title, lives a mostly quiet life above his auto garage in central London. He is hired to perform the odd job for a bank, an insurance company, or the British Secret Service, when he isn't expertly stealing a million-dollar watch off the wrist of a crooked Russian oligarch.

Riske has maintained his quiet life by avoiding big, messy jobs - until now. A gangster by the name of Tino Coluzzi has orchestrated the greatest street heist in the history of Paris: a visiting Saudi prince had his pockets lightened of millions in cash, and something else. Hidden within a stolen briefcase is a secret letter that could upend the balance of power in the Western world. The Russians have already killed in an attempt to get it back by the time the CIA comes knocking at Simon's door.

Coluzzi was once Riske's brother-in-arms, but their criminal alliance ended with Riske in prison, having narrowly avoided a hit Coluzzi ordered. Now, years later, it is thief against thief, and hot on their trail are a dangerous Parisian cop, a murderous Russian femme fatale, her equally unhinged boss, and perhaps the CIA itself.

In the grand tradition of The Day of the Jackal and The Bourne Identity, Christopher Reich's The Take is a stylish, breathtaking ride.

©2018 Christopher Reich (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A beautifully constructed heist is only the beginning of this spectacular thriller, which sets thief vs. thief, spy vs. spy, and even cop vs. cop. The Take is dazzling fun that surprises to the last page, with a hero who deserves an encore." (Joseph Finder, New York Times best-selling author of The Switch and Judgment)
"Likable, rascally, and suave, Riske is as distinctive as Reich's other series lead, Jonathan Ransom." ( Publishers Weekly)
" The Take is a slick, elegant, and gripping spy thriller of the first order. With a brilliant heist, a twisting web of secrets and intrigue, and an adrenaline-fueled plot, Reich whisked me out of my world and into his from the explosive first pages. Simon Riske is my favorite kind of hero - flawed, dark, and utterly intriguing. Fabulous!" (Lisa Unger, New York Times best-selling author of The Red Hunter)

What listeners say about The Take

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    786
  • 4 Stars
    513
  • 3 Stars
    169
  • 2 Stars
    36
  • 1 Stars
    16
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    885
  • 4 Stars
    359
  • 3 Stars
    89
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    670
  • 4 Stars
    441
  • 3 Stars
    175
  • 2 Stars
    34
  • 1 Stars
    16

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A story with good bones and a plot that destroys them

This book had so much potential, it has really likable Main characters, a great narrator, an outline for a plot that could be a lot of fun so when it was suggested to me based on my past buying history I gave a it a shot and was enjoying it until at some point it just became the hardest thing to follow. The plot just has wayyyy too much going on, I finished the book and couldn’t begin to tell you what the point of it was and by the end a lot of (what felt like) copouts by the authors started to happen just to wrap the book up, it felt like the author didn’t know where they where going anymore either and just wanted it to be over (just like I did). The devil is definitely in the details for this book because there is just too much of everything, too many secondary characters, by the end I had no idea who any of them were, too many moving pieces from the letter the book is based around to the location of all the characters. This book would have benefited from a serious editor and some day trimming and I really think it would have been a fantastic read but by the end I just had a headache.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

105 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Un-everything....just awful

Christopher Reich wrote a book called Numbered Account that I really liked and this book is not even close to being any good. The story was unsatisfying and almost all the characters, even the good guys, were unlikable. The story wasn't even tied up very well. The reader was OK, but the accents all sounded somewhat alike, so kind of confusing. Unhappy with it overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

51 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I loved the Jonathan Ransom series and many of Reich's other books. To be honest, I didn't finish The Take. At 3 hours in, I am bored out of my mind and can't imagine continuing for the remaining 9 hours. It is listed as a thriller but so far nothing is happening.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

50 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Weak

Story was all over the place and tilted on the side of boring. Not Reich’s best work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fine McGuffin Adventure

What's the secret that can wack the world's geo-political equilibrium all to hell? ho's got it? Who wants it? How many bodies will pile up? Will mild-mannered killer Riske figure it out? Clever story with psychological dynamics. Here's recreational writing... Nice partner for you while you clean, wash, drive, repair, gym... like that.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting

This was another that I started during a period when I am driving 12+ hours a week and want company and entertainment. This provided both. Not sure how plausible the story is, but it is certainly interesting. Recommended. I have already purchased another Christopher Reich. I have enjoyed his in the past, although this is not my favorite.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • JB
  • 06-14-18

Good book

Well written. Interesting. A little slow for me but that’s a personal taste. Narrator was perfect.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sequel

Great story well written story moves interestingly and well thought out conclusion hopefully a sequel will arise soon

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This spy novel-thriller-smartly written and witty book is a great listen!

This is my first book my Christopher Reich - I’m extremely happy that there are several others, as this book was a FANTASTIC listen!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • AK
  • 02-14-19

The reader is one of the best!

I bought this because Paul Michael is the reader. It’s an okay story. I enjoyed his Jonathan Ransom novels more. It’s like a Robert Langdon story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful