The Paris Deception

David O. Stewart

Oct 2020 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Joe Barrett

About this audiobook

1919-1920, Paris and Berlin: In the wake of The Great War, the city of Paris unites in jubilant celebration at the arrival of United States President, Woodrow Wilson. But amidst the prospect of peace, Parisians are dying as the Spanish influenza reaches epidemic proportions. Dr. Major Jamie Fraser is called in to advise the president's own doctor on how best to avoid the deadly disease and discovers, despite Wilson's robust appearance, the man is frailer than most realize. While trying to determine the source of Wilson's maladies, Fraser encounters a man he has not seen for nearly twenty years: Speed Cook-ex-professional ball player and now advocate for Negro rights. Cook is also desperate to save his son Joshua, an army sergeant wrongly accused of desertion. Pledging to help Cook, Fraser approaches Allen Dulles, an American spy, who is also Wilson's close aide. Soon Cook and Fraser's quest intersects with dramatic events when the French premier, Georges Clemenceau, narrowly survives an assassination attempt, and the Paris Peace Convergence begins to unravel. When the precarious German government balks at the grim terms of the peace treaty, Cook and Fraser discover that to save Joshua, they must find a way to preserve the fragile treaty, which may be the only barrier standing between Europe and another brutal war.

Ratings and reviews

historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, espionage, 1919***** 1919 France at the time of League of Nations and the Versailles treaty in Paris Dr. James Fraser was a country doctor who studied up on infectious diseases who was in the army and now is being buried by the problems of the Influenza, now he's buried in international politics as well. Speed Cook, a black ex-ballplayer and ex-newspaper publisher whose decorated son was unjustly accused of desertion and is in a French prison. It is detailed how poorly African-American soldiers were treated and how that creates the real challenge to clearing him. The two men have a positive history together and consider themselves friends. All the schemes and double-cross and partitioning up the world pretty much according to national self-interest sows the seeds of discord that presages later wars and hatreds. Joe Barrett is very adept at switching voices, good inflection, and giving life to the characters. A great read!

About the author

David O. Stewart is the bestselling writer of history and historical fiction, including The Lincoln Deception, The Summer of 1787, which won the Washington Writing Award for Best Book of 2007, and Madison's Gift.

Joe Barrett has been a working stage, screen, and recording booth actor since 1974 and an award-winning and eight-time Audie Award-nominated audiobook narrator since 1999. He also practiced law for five years-but don't hold that against him. Joe is married to actress Andrea Wright, and together they have four children.