The Diamond Eye

A Novel

By: Kate Quinn

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet librarian who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.

In the snowbound city of Kiev, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son—but Hitler’s invasion of Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper—a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC—until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Kate Quinn (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

A true story that kept me on edge throughout

Kate Quinn does a remarkable job at finding events that happened that most don’t know about and heroes that were not recognized during their lifetimes and brings them to life with vivid details about them and their incredible stories. They are stories worth sharing with our children and grandchildren.

Linda

This is the most incredible book I have listened to in a very long time. Much of it is true. The writing is terrific and the reader is wonderful. The characters you will love, hate and respect with great fervor. Don't miss this one!

Compelling ,Historical , Surprising

I'm drawn to historical novels about WW 2, but this one is especially interesting. Given the struggle between Russia and Ukraine, an account of a Ukrainian born, female sniper captured my attention.l. Lyudmila Pavlichenko ranks in the top ten deadliest snipers in the world, yet she was a loving mother, fervent patriot and recognized historian. Moreover, she found time for romance in the middle of one of the worst wars in history. I listened while, driving, cooking, cleaning, walking and more. i highly recommend it to those interested in a little known war hero

A duo I’ll never turn down

Kate Quinn is a queen of WWII historical fiction with a flare for suspense. Saskia Maarleveld is remarkable narrator the slips between accents, genders, and characters in ways that bend the mind yet sound effortless. I will always make time for this pair.

Never Say Never

Not a story I ever would have considered before. Wasn't interested in snipers and violence. I read the reviews and gave this a try, however. It was fantastic and I'll be looking into her other books as well. First historical fiction I have ever devoured like this.

Wow

This was an incredible book- read by an incredible narrator. She made every character come alive. Flawless accents. Not cheesy like most readers trying to do voices. Beautifully written. Could not stop listening from start to finish!

Historical Female Sniper

Fantastic story of a strong but relatable woman sniper. I love the stories of her time in the field at war and her connections to the people fighting with her. The narrator does a fantastic job with the accents and pronunciation of the Russian names that my imagination would never have gotten right.

Brilliant Narrative

A real life soldier during the Nazi invasion of the USSR, the main character shares a gripping story. Her training as a sniper and her experience as an attractive young woman in a male dominated milieu are well depicted. Her evolution as a dedicated combatant and finally as a sort of diplomat present a fascinating life. She played a real role in bringing the allies together to defeat the Nazis. The fictional last bit of sniper work in the book although maybe unnecessary, did give a tense culmination to her story.

Incredible and mosty true Story!

I love Saskia's narration as her Russian accent is very accurate. This story is taut and riveting and based mostly on the amazing true life of Lyudmilla Pavlechenko, the most accomplished and famous sniper in the Red Army in WWII. Cannot recommend this more highly!

Brilliant. Loved it.

If you liked any of the last works by Kate Quinn this won’t disappoint. Another awesome immersive listen. I love the details the intertwining of history, characters, and story. The amount of research has to be tremendous but well worth the beautifully executed story she has here. This will be a repeat listen for sure. Saskia does such a fantastic job with Kate’s books. They make a great team!