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The Amateur

By Robert Littell
Penguin Classics
Series: Penguin Modern Classics – Crime & Espionage
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Brief Description
A riveting thriller about an ordinary man's quest for extraordinary vengeance. Charlie Heller is a CIA cryptographer, a quiet man in a back-room job. He's not a spy, let alone an assassin. But when his beloved fiancée is murdered by terrorists and his employers refuse to... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2800
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Releases 20th October 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "The Amateur" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A riveting thriller about an ordinary man's quest for extraordinary vengeance.

Charlie Heller is a CIA cryptographer, a quiet man in a back-room job. He's not a spy, let alone an assassin. But when his beloved fiancée is murdered by terrorists and his employers refuse to pursue her killers, Heller decides to take matters into his own hands.

Pursuing the culprits all the way behind the Iron Curtain, he is playing a dangerous game and doesn't know the rules. But even an amateur can outwit his enemies—especially when he's got nothing to lose.

The Amateur shows how an unexpected, driven protagonist can challenge his circumstances with compelling and gripping results.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241798720

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 July 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 214g

Pages: 288

Collections

Classic Fiction Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: Crime & Thriller Pre-order Books Pre-Order Crime & Thriller Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Robert Littell Series: Penguin Modern Classics – Crime & Espionage Spy & Espionage Thriller

About the Author

Robert Littell was born in Brooklyn in 1935. He is the author of a group of novels set during the Cold War and its aftermath. He is best known for his books The Company (2002) and The Amateur (1981), which has twice been filmed, in 1995 and 2025, the latter film starring Rami Malik and Laurence Fishburne. His most recent novel is A Plague on Both Your Houses (2024).

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