The Real Michael Swann

A Novel

By: Bryan Reardon

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

"A twisting, heart-wrenching journey into a marriage, a gripping thriller... Reardon grabs his readers on page one, then deftly ratchets up the suspense until the breathless ending." (Lisa Unger, New York Times best-selling author)

Julia Swann, mother of two young boys, is on the phone with her husband, Michael, when the call abruptly cuts out. It isn't until later in the evening when she discovers that something terrible has happened at Penn Station, where Michael was waiting for a train home.

Julia races to New York City to look for Michael, her panicked searching interwoven with memories of meeting and falling in love with the husband she's now desperate to find. When someone finds a flyer she's posted and tells her they may have seen her husband, her prayers seem to be answered. Yet as she tries to find him, her calls go unanswered. Did Michael survive? If so, why hasn't he contacted her? Was he - or is he still - the man she fell in love with? Part family drama, part tragic love story, The Real Michael Swann is a deftly plotted suspense novel with an unflinching portrait of a marriage at its heart, challenging us to confront the unthinkable - both in our country and in our own homes.

"Reardon masterfully delivers an intimate, heartbreaking portrayal of a family whose love, trust, and loyalty for each other is put to the ultimate test." (Rhiannon Navin, author of Only Child)

©2018 Bryan Reardon (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Bryan Reardon keeps the action moving so expertly that I read [The Real Michael Swann] nearly in one sitting and I bet you'll want to, too." (The Charlotte Observer)

“[Reardon] reminds us, in these often terrifying times, how quickly the ground beneath us can disappear when all we’re trying to do is return home.” (The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ)

"Reardon delivers another page-turner with frighteningly plausible scenarios, an occasionally wrenching narrative, and a final message that is particularly relevant for our times." (Library Journal, starred review)

Fantastic

Will Damron makes this chilling and vivid story come life. I was there with the characters experiencing the plot twists along with them. A great listen! A terrific story. A must buy!

Nerve wracking!!!!

Michael Swann is in Penn Station. He's is on the phone with his wife (Julia) who is home with their two kids in Pennsylvania when there is an explosion and the line goes dead.
Julia fakes a phone call to Michael for her kids sake, she doesn't want them to worry. But she is frantic. Julia tries to get into the city but all entrances and exits have been closed. The authorities believe this is a terrorist attack. Julia is convinced that Michael is dead.
Michael regains consciousness He has no clue who he is. While wandering he finds a phone in his pocket, it shows a missed call from Julia. The name sounds like it should mean something but he has no idea what the phone's password is.
Then Julia gets a call from the police. He on a list of missing people. Then he's on a list that includes people responsible for this act.
This story plays out through narratives by both Julia and Michael. Julia recalls when and how they met and fell in love, their first argument, their engagement, their kids and more.
Michael in the meanwhile is clueless. He's wandering the city, he doesn't remember the explosion and he has a head injury. He's bleeding and carrying a case he doesn't know if it's his or someone else's but refuses to let go of it. He's totally unaware that Homeland Security has been looking for him. They think he may be responsible for the blast, he's wandering the city acting strange and carrying this case that he's protecting...
Julia doesn't think Michael had anything to do with it but is frantic to find him before the authorities do.
Will Damron narrates this book perfect. Damron is excellent with differentiating voices including the female characters.
This book keeps the tension high and and I could feel the anxiety from Julia.
The writing is excellent, the characters are fleshed out and believable. The story is plausible.
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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The REAL Truth about THE REAL MICHAEL SWANN.....

THE REAL TRUTH: If you want to waste 9 hours and 43 minutes of your time, THE REAL MICHAEL SWANN is the book for you.

This book received glowing reviews (huh?) and, therefore, I finished the book in its entirety because I kept on hoping that it would improve.

The book was very repetitive and its storyline could have been concisely told in 4 hours instead of 9 hours and 43 minutes. The author kept on switching back between the past and the present and, at times, the storyline was difficult to follow.

Will Damron did an excellent job with the narration but even a highly skilled narrator was not able to save this book.

I will be requesting a credit. Soooooo disappointed because the book's premise was intriguing and had so much potential.