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    The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
    Unavailable
    The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
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    The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel

    Written by Taylor Stevens

    Narrated by Hillary Huber

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    With The Innocent, Taylor Stevens, the bestselling author of The Informationist, returns with another blockbuster thriller featuring the fearless Vanessa Michael Munroe.

    Eight years ago, a man walked five-year-old Hannah out the front doors of her school and spirited her over the Mexican border, taking her into the world of a cult known as The Chosen. For eight years, followers of The Prophet have hidden the child, moving her from country to country, shielding the man who stole her. Now, those who've searched the longest know where to find her. They are childhood survivors of The Chosen, thirty-somethings born and raised inside the cult who've managed to make lives for themselves on the outside. They understand the mindset, the culture within that world, and turn to Vanessa Michael Munroe for help, knowing that the only possibility of stealing Hannah back and getting her safely out of Argentina is to trust someone who doesn't trust them, and get Munroe on the inside.

    Tautly written, brilliantly paced, and with the same evocation of the exotic combined with chilling violence that made The Informationist such a success, The Innocent confirms Taylor Stevens' reputation as a thriller writer of the first rank.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateDec 27, 2011
    ISBN9780307971401
    Unavailable
    The Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel

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    Reviews for The Innocent

    3.5/5

    147 ratings23 reviews

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    • 2/5
      Not as much fun as the first book in the series.
    • 4/5
      The Innocent is a second good book from Taylor Stevens, as her take-no-prisoners heroine, Vanessa Michael Munroe, goes deep inside a cult to extricate a kidnapped child. One of those books that keeps you turning pages long after you should have gone to sleep. I should note that it's a bit hard to read in (more than a few) places, given the difficult subject matter.
    • 3/5
      The Informationist introduced Vanessa 'Michael' Munroe, a damaged heroine with a set of unique skills developed as a means of surviving her troubled childhood. While The Informationist made it on to my wishlist last year I hadn't the opportunity to read it before this arrived for review. It's a shame because I think that my enjoyment of this novel would have been enhanced with a fuller understanding of Munroe's history. That being said, it matters little in terms of the story in this second installment of this new thriller series.Fast-paced and action packed, The Innocent sees Munroe infiltrating a cult in Argentina to retrieve a thirteen year old girl at the behest of Logan, Munroe's closest friend. In the eight years that Hannah has been held captive by 'The Chosen' she has been moved frequently but Logan finally has reliable information she is in Argentina and hopes Munroe can rescue her before she disappears again. The plot is fairly simple though the logistics of the mission requires a mix of complex skills including surveillance, infiltration and covert ops. There were elements of the plot I thought could have stronger, particularly the motive of The Chosen for taking Hannah and working so hard to keep her hidden. Oddly, despite the high stakes, violence and potential for problems to arise, I found the tension quite weak at times. Mainly I think because the cult posed little threat to someone with Munroe's talent and Hannah's rescue was rarely in doubt.Munroe is an unusual contrast of incredible deadly skill, emotional vulnerability, a champion of the innocent as well as a borderline sociopath. During The Innocent she is plagued by nightmares, struggling with guilt and vulnerable because of the internal conflict, as well as the importance of this operation to her personally due to her relationship with Logan. This adds some risk to the case, but not quite enough for it to be a source of suspense. Still Munroe is an appealing and complex character who makes for an intriguing and original protagonist.What I found particularly fascinating as background to this novel is Stevens personal history as a former cult member and how it informs the story of The Innocent. Stevens places her own emphasis on the cults operation and the repercussions for it's members, both current and former. Stevens experience brings an authenticity to the storyline without the sensational tone most exploit.The Innocent is an entertaining thriller and though it didn't quite reach its potential for me, the series is one that holds much promise. I would like to read the first and will look for the third, titled The Doll, which puts Munroe in conflict with human traffickers and is expected to be published in 2013.
    • 5/5
      Taylor Stevens roared onto the scene (and the New York Times Bestseller list) with her debut thriller The Informationist. She's back with her second novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe called The Innocent.Vanessa Michael Munroe is capable of just about anything. She's brilliant, beyond tough and loyal. How does she earn her living? Taking on cases that no one else is capable of seeing through or even wants to attempt. When her close friend Logan comes to her with a request for the seemingly impossible, she can't turn him down. Five year old Hannah was kidnapped by her mother's ex boyfriend almost eight years ago. She has been taken and secreted within The Chosen - a cult. After so long, they finally have word that Hannah might be in one of The Havens in Argentina. Armed with inside knowledge from three adult survivors of The Chosen, Munroe agrees to take the case. For above all else - she will protect the innocent.Taylor has painted a frightening picture of the inner workings of a cult and the treatment of the children trapped in a situation they didn't choose. The everyday life, the lack of schooling, the begging, the hierarchy, the running, the hiding, the abuse.... And she's not making it up. Author Taylor Stevens is writing what she knows. She grew up in a 'communal apocalyptic cult', finally getting out in her twenties.Stevens has crafted yet another unputdownable book. Hannah's chapters are alternated with Munroe's. We know what is going on with Hannah and can only will Munroe to get there faster. The ratcheting tension made it really hard to step away. What made it hard to put down? I loved the character. We learn more about Munroe with each book, but she is still an enigma. It was fantastic to have such a kick a** female protagonist, one who can hold her own in almost any situation. Over the top? Maybe - but a delicious piece of escapist reading. (but still kind of scary, when you realize that the cult descriptions are real.)Think of all those tough guy Jason Statham movie type characters and make them female.I chose to listen to The Innocent in audio book format. The reader was Hilary Huber. She has a well modulated voice. She conveyed Munroe's voice perfectly, never raising it, but transmitting her purpose and strength by talking even quieter.Another excellent thriller and number three is in the works - The Doll, due out in 2012.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this second book of the series. Michael is a very unique character and her ability to process information is different ,as is her ability to quickly learn languages. This book covers the kidnapping of a child by a cult, a situation the author is very familiar with and informative to me as a reader. Look forward to the third book.
    • 4/5
      The Innocent is the second novel in the series about my favorite action hero Vanessa Michael Munroe. Munroe is contacted by Logan, an old friend of hers. A girl named Hannah has been kidnapped into a cult known as The Chosen. After looking for Hannah for eight years, Logan knows that the now thirteen year old is living in one of The Chosen's "havens" in Buenos Aires.Logan and a small group of former cult members wish to hire Munroe to abduct Hannah out of the haven, and return her to her mother. Only because of her long-standing friendship with Logan does Munroe agree. The assignment will be dangerous for Munroe, but more so for any one who stands in the way of her mission.Author Taylor Stevens was raised in a cult and she understands the indoctrination process and how a child with limited experience can be taught to fear the outside world. Stevens herself broke of the Children of God in her twenties, and she has special insight into Logan and his friends and how they deal with the world.This book is fast-paced and exciting. It is very violent and there are strong allusions to sexual abuse of children. But it is all necessary to explain why Logan and Munroe are desperate to rescue Hannah.Apparently, Stevens has finished the third book in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series and I look forward to reading that.
    • 4/5
      First Line: She moved in a crouch, blade between her teeth, all four limbs connected to the earth; cocked her head, listened, and then continued on again, through the undergrowth and past the body at her bare feet.Once again Vanessa Michael Munroe has been asked to do the impossible. Hannah had been rescued from a religious cult called The Chosen once, but eight years ago, the five-year-old child was stolen back. For eight years a group of former childhood members of The Chosen have searched for Hannah, and now they've found her. The members of this group were raised within the cult, and they all escaped to make lives for themselves on the outside. Knowing what must be faced, they know that the only person they can trust to bring Hannah back and get her out of Argentina is Munroe.Munroe is already on the edge of a breakdown. Horrendous nightmares have her self-medicating in order to get some sort of uninterrupted sleep. Those who know her best doubt that she should even attempt this rescue, but Munroe knows that she's the only hope this young girl has of a normal life. There's no way the group can pay the expenses of this operation, but that doesn't stop Vanessa Michael Munroe. She's known for a long time that there are many things on this earth more important than money.Once again, Taylor Stevens delivers a lightning-paced thriller that doesn't stop. The story reads like an insider's view of life in a cult, and it should because the author grew up within one herself, but Stevens never lets herself become preachy or self-indulgent. Her take-no-prisoners main character sees to that.Stevens' use of language-- in particular her use of verbs-- conveys the message that Vanessa Michael Munroe does not think like other people. Munroe's wired differently, and she is totally unpredictable. Combine such a character with an adrenaline-charged plot and an insider's-type view of the setting, and you've got a book that's almost impossible to put down.If you like strong, intelligent, kick-ass heroines, you just have to meet Vanessa Michael Munroe!
    • 4/5
      Vanessa Michael Moore is an assassin who has nightmares about her past. She understands her killing capability and when her best friend, Logan, asks for help, she can't refuse.Logan explains that eight years earlier, his friend, Charity's daughter, Hannah, was abducted from her school and carried across the Mexican border to a cult known as The Chosen. Hannah was five years-old at the time and Logan and other members of the cult who have escaped ask Munroe if she'll rescue her.These people were childhood members of The Chosen and tell Munroe some of the things that go on there and inform her that they know where Hannah is being held.Munroe poses as a donor and makes contact with members of The Chosen in South America. Since she is bringing wealth, she's accepted without question.When she gets into a group home and sees other children, Munroe understands how difficult it may be to rescue Hannah if she has been brainwashed and is unwilling to leave.The reader understands the level that the children have undergone instruction from The Chosen. It is a timely novel when we think of the young people who are being abused by people in authority and we see how naive children can be.The book is disquieting at times when we see the vulnerability of the children but it is still a wonderfully evocative novel that will remain in the reader's mind with the thoughts of missing and lost children.
    • 4/5
      Vanessa Michael Monroe is a fantastic kick-ass heroine. I loved The Informationist and was thrilled to get a copy of The Innocent.This time, Micheal's best friend, Logan needs her help. Logan grew up in a cult called The Chosen. He eventually got out and later helped his childhood friend, Charity and her daughter, Hannah get out. Charity's boyfriend leaves the cult with them but eventually decides to return, kidnapping Hannah and taking her with them. The Chosen have kept Hannah closely hidden but now Logan and some of his former cult members have information about where Hannah may be kept. But they need Michael to get her out. Michael agrees but not before finding out some other motives of the ex-members, including Logan himself. Miles Bradford, who also appeared in The Informationist joins Michael. She has been having violent nightmares and Miles thinks the work will be helpful.This had less action than the first novel which was a little disappointing. We do see more of what goes on in Michael's head and how she deals with things and more interaction between her and Miles.The novel mostly takes place in Argentina, but I did not feel like a lot was said about the setting. it could have been anywhere. There were also some loose ends that did not feel resolved by the end.All in all, a good book but not as good as The Informationist, which should be read before reading this book or the reader will have almost no background on Michael.
    • 3/5
      The Innocent is good, but lacks much of the in your face, edge of the knife, fast paced action of Taylor Stevens' first novel, The Informationist. In contrast to the unexpected twists and turns of her first novel, The Innocent covers territory that will seem familiar to readers of the action, thriller genre. While this is a good, stand alone story, if you haven't read the first book of the series, you really won't see the full depth and complexity of the main character, Vanessa Michael Munroe from this book. It would be a shame not to realize the full range of this character, so definitely start this series from the beginning. Provided for review by the good folks at Amazon Vine.
    • 3/5
      This book started slowly, but once the action started it was great. My only complaint would be the author's over-use of the word 'said'. I would suggest that a thesaurus might be useful in future. Otherwise, very enjoyable.
    • 2/5
      Not nearly as good as the first book, The Informationist. Seemed pendantic. The story is Vanessa sets about rescuing a child from a cult. In the first half of the book, there's is not a lot of suspense and I found the plot predictable. Unfortunately, the first half is as far as I got.
    • 4/5
      A young girl and her mother escaping from a fanatical cult were betrayed by the mother’s boyfriend. He kidnapped the girl and returned with her to the cult. The cult’s members move around from county to county. They are hard to locate. But then the girl’s father get reliable information that she’s somewhere in Buenos Aires. He goes to Michael Malone to get his daughter back. He knows that Michael will use all her skills, including the deadly ones to help. Because he and Vanessa Michael Malone are former cult members. It’s where she learned to kill.
    • 4/5
      There wasn't much of a letdown in Taylor Stevens' second novel. It has the same 'hero', the same staccato pacing, and an interesting plot that takes us to another exotic locale. It's an exciting story that seems plausible.

      I like Stevens' writing style. She's not a great wordsmith and will never be mistaken for Alan Furst or Robert Wilson, but she's very straightforward and gets to the point quickly. I think her prose is a good match for how the story moves forward. The only real issue I have is that sometimes she's a little melodramatic.

      The story itself on the 'macro' level was very believable. Cults are out there, they do a lot of the things described in the book, and I could see the scenario the book was based on happening. A lot of the stuff at the detail level, though, seemed a bit of a stretch. I don't know if she's doing it self-consciously or not, but she seems to be playing the whole Salander/Munroe comparison pretty strongly. I don't think she has the depth of the Salander character and some of her capabilities and outcomes are a bit beyond belief, but Miki is still a great protagonist. It's just that it's tough to picture some of the physical scenes actually having the results they do in the book. You can say the same about many other thriller novels, though, so it's not a huge criticism.

      If you liked her first novel, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. Stevens has written a couple of very good novels as she begins her career, and I'm looking forward to following her in the future.
    • 3/5


      At about the halfway point in this book the story/plot is beginning to warm up. Apart from some lengthy character introductions, I cannot see why the author uses the word " said" so often. Commented, remarked, asked, exclaimed, mumbled, muttered and so on are all words I would expect and be asking a ten year old student to use to make their story more interesting.

      Much of the above is exacerbated by the narrator's expressionless manner of story telling.

      Thankfully, this book began to be more interesting during the second half. And maybe I did get used to the narrator's tone of voice, which was still not as good as other narrators. Still that is only my opinion! The topic is interesting - once the story develops; but it does take half the story to reach this point.

      Read at your own risk!


    • 4/5
      Its been a long time since I read the Informationist which is the first book in this series. I do remember liking it and wanting to return to it so here I am a few years later. Michael Munroe is a deadly chameleon. She can change her appearance, fluently speaks several different languages and knows how to blend in. Her expertise is information.When her friend asks her to help get a child out of a cult she reluctantly takes the job. She is having a difficult time and is having nightmares that leave people in danger. Hopefully she can suppress this long enough for her to find Hannah and get her out of the cult before she gets moved again.I found myself a little lost on what the nightmares were about, maybe it was something that happened in the first book that I don't remember but her violent episodes were such a central part that I felt I was missing something. However it didn't take away from the overall story. The Chosen are terrifying in the realistic portrayal of a religious cult and the way in which Michael infiltrates them is brilliant and simple. The characters are well developed with many layers. I don't think I will wait so long to read the next book in this series.
    • 4/5
      This second which actually is, I believe, really her first, just published later than the other, book is a lovely read. The first was such a different, unexpected delight. This second is delightful but actually not that much different than the first in plot or really anything else. I enjoyed it but I hope the next one is different.
    • 4/5
      The Innocent by Taylor Stevens is the second in her Vanessa Michael Munroe series and just as captivating as the first and the third book. In this book, the reader learns more about Logan's background and "Michael's" relationship to him. Taylor Stevens books are not to be missed by suspense/thriller fans and I eagerly await her 4th book in the series.
    • 4/5
      Just like The Informationist, this book has a fast-paced plot, exciting twists, touching romance, and an interesting locale. The Innocent confronts some heavy themes - namely, religious indoctrination and child abuse - and a couple of scenes are just painful to read. It really raises the stakes for Michael’s mission, making you root for her to succeed. Once again, Michael’s character is completely over the top (in an entertaining way), and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures. Overall, I enjoyed The Innocent just as much as the first book. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a good escape.
    • 5/5
      The opening finds (Vanessa) Michael again battling her past demons in nightmares that require drugs for her to sleep. In the meantime, Logan, an old friend that Munroe considers her family, approaches her for help in rescuing his daughter from the cult he escaped. Michael enlists the help of her formerly imposed partner, Bradford as they travel to Argentina. However, the cults connections to a large mafia family complicate the extraction. Yet, in Bradford’s acceptance of her, Munroe finds the strength to embrace her talents to save Hannah. Stevens brings the reader to a suspension of disbelief as we watch uberheroine Vanessa once again save the day.
    • 4/5
      A second date with Michael MunroeIn my review of Taylor Stevens’ debut novel, The Innocent, I wrote:“Munroe is a chameleon, changing back and forth from Vanessa Munroe to Michael Munroe as identity and gender suit her needs. She's a harsh character, and really took some getting used to. Even now, I couldn't describer as the least bit likable. She has no warmth, no apparent humor, and makes few attachments. Her code of morality is... situational. So much of my response to this novel had to do with my response to her... In the end, it really does come back to character. Munroe is cut from a bit of the same cloth as Steig Larsson's Lisbeth Salander with a dash of Alias's Sydney Bristow. She's impressive as hell, more than a little scary, and deeply flawed. It was interesting meeting her, but the jury is out on whether I want to spend more time in her company.”Now, my mom encouraged me to give men a second date unless there was a really compelling reason not to, and I guess I feel the same way about authors. Plus, I was fairly interested in the plot of this installment, as it dealt with Michael’s assignment, on behalf of a friend, to extract a young girl from an internationally-based religious cult much like the one Ms. Stevens was raised in and escaped from. How could that not be interesting?I was right. It was. The plot wasn’t as complex as the one in her first novel, but it didn’t need to be. There was plenty of story without being unnecessarily convoluted. The pacing was good and the tale moved well. Ms. Stevens’ fiction continues to be just as smart and character-driven as her debut novel was. But I have to admit I’m having exactly the same issue as I did with the first novel. The author promised that we’d get to know Michael better in subsequent novels, but she’s a hard character to get to know—and when you get right down to it, just not very likeable. This is how she reacts to a welcoming hug:“Her response to the uninvited physical contact was instant, a drive so intense that it required every shard of focus to keep her solidly in place. The rhythm of violence pounded in her chest and she remained frozen, fighting the urge to destroy him, to crush his head against the wall.” Is she damaged? Uh, yeah. But she’s still scary as hell and it’s hard to find her sympathetic. Or at least it is for me. At the end of the second book in this series, I feel as though I’m at the exact same juncture with Ms. Stevens and Ms. Munroe. How many dates am I going to give them to see if we click? Well, the canny publisher has already put a galley of book three in my hands, so perhaps just one more…
    • 4/5
      "The Innocent" is the second novel by Taylor Stevens that follows fearless heroine Vanessa “Michael” Monroe. Monroe’s best friend Logan contacts her from across the globe to ask for her help concerning his dark past involved in a religious cult called “The Chosen.” Even though Logan is openly gay, he reveals to Monroe that he has an 8-year-old daughter, Hannah, who has been kidnapped by the cult and he needs Monroe’s help to find her and bring her home. Monroe accepts the challenge of infiltrating this cult and finds herself in the middle of much more than she anticipated – including drug lords, high-ranking government officials, and the unspoken horrors of child abuse.Stevens’ second novel is a taut, action-filled adventure that takes the reader inside the secret world of a religious cult. The story takes awhile to pick up in pace, but once it gets going, there is no shortage of thrills and page-turning twists. Monroe has made an American heroine that can be compared to Steig Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander – complete with all the quirks that made her so different from other leading ladies. This book is a solid thriller with a good plot and a storyline that makes it stand out from others in the genre.Disclosure: I received my copy of this book free from Goodread’s First Reads program. This had no impact on my opinion of the book or my review.
    • 4/5
      Do-gooder vigilante Vanessa Michael Monroe is back, this time she’s helping spring a young woman named Hannah from The Chosen, a religious cult, in order to return Hannah to her parents. Michael’s background as the child of zealous missionaries, her friendship with Logan (an escapee of The Chosen), & her extensive training in combat techniques makes her a sympathetic and capable candidate to infiltrate the cult to retrieve Hannah. In the first book in the series, The Informationist, Michael was ruthless and single-minded; in The Innocent, we see a slightly softer side. Michael is suffering from nightmares as she tries to accept her role in the deaths of aggressors. During this assignment Michael bonds with her clients, three ex-Chosen members. She also gets to know her long time friend Miles Bradford much better. The first book was more brutal, this one has more heart. Together they show Michael as a well rounded character. I look forward to the next entry in the series.