The Hive: A Thriller

by Kuba Soltysiak, Tim Schauer, Jeff Baker

In the electrifying new series The Hive: A Thriller, CIA cyber-ops officer Samantha Sloane stumbles onto a mystery that leads straight into her own forgotten past. Her search for answers draws her into the orbit of Eli Cooper, the elusive CEO of a billion-dollar cybersecurity firm and his group of elite hackers who make up The Hive. But the more Sam learns about Eli and his company, the more she realizes she can't trust anyone around her.

Starring Tony Hale, Taylor Dearden, Brandon Routh, Samira Wiley, and Margo Martindale, the series follows Sam as she’s trapped between the agency that raised her and the rogue survivors it left behind.

Executive Produced by Tony Hale, the Hive is a gripping story of psychological warfare, digital espionage, and what it means to own your past.

Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.

©2025 Treefort Media, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Mystery

3 pages, Audiobook

Published January 8, 2026

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook went from zero to 100 in ten seconds and doesn’t stop until the end. I was at the edge of my seat holding my breath the whole time. Great short listen!

[Kira Simion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voice actors - 5/5
Story - 4.5/5

The stars rounded up.

I loooveed how action packed it was. I will say it got a bit confusing for how they moved sometimes like one scene to the next transitions, but it was fun. ^^

[Dana Cerimeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun short story. Nia's character was fun and witty. It was very quick paced and engaging. I agree with other reviewers, it would make a great show!

[TheBookLounge · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOW THIS WAS INTENSE!!!

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are always a great listen! Book is good - love the theatrics added for the suspense.

[Emma Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy cow this was SO good. It’s short and all I want is a sequel, I’m familiar with so many places this book is set in which made it that much better. The audio recording was SUPERB. It had me on the edge of my seat and gasping at every plot twist.

[Kristen Regans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thriller would make a fantastic movie!!!!

[Janice Meek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soltysiak's "The Hive" is the literary equivalent of a triple shot espresso: fast, jittery and keeps you buzzing. Tension is tight and plot twists a bit predictable, but it is a solid 3 star.

[Dannielle Hardenstine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun listen. Legitimately my only complaint is that there wasn’t more. It was too fast!!!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this Audible original audiobook by chance. The entire production was everything you’d hope for in an audiobook. Not just read but acted by a cast of narrators. It was only 3 hours long but I liked everything about it. Also I kept thinking the main character’s voice was really familiar. I was like it sure sounds like the actor who plays Mel in The Pitt and sure enough it was.

I personally would recommend this audiobook.

[Amanda Yost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quick read!

[Rachel Keranovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short story. Psychological thriller mixed with CIA conspiracies. I loved it. The audiobook was entertaining and I ate it up in one day. This would make for SUCH an interesting tv show.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️s

🎧 Read

Short, faced-paced, thriller with great narration and production.

[mibvb · Rating 4 out of 5]

listened to this book in one sitting lmaooo

[Butterfly Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea how I was going to feel about this audiobook but then I could NOT stop listening. Taylor Dearden was pure perfection in this role and having anyone else play this part would have been an abomination. This style of audiobook is not for everyone but when it is done correctly, which it absolutely was here, is my ear candy.

Can’t wait for more!!

[Cashie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was up way too late listening to this…

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind control, CIA agents, insane captor and cult vibes. Good twists and turns and unlikely friendships.

[Mary Loomis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Audible version had great narration and sound effects. The story was a quick listen and kept my interest all the way through.

[Lauren Chalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 4.5 ⭐️ The audio is really well done. I love Taylor Dearden in The Pitt. She is exceptional in this as well

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful dramatized audio production! A fun quick listen that took off at 100 mph and never stopped. Most of the voice actors were amazing and the story gave just enough info to make it make sense while still keeping it short. Great 1-day listen!

[Roni Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting with a great castz

[Sheila Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this quick read, loved the actors they used to read this book!

[Sami Danley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent short read. 4 stars only because it was so short. pacing was ok, but it could have been lengthened for more detail. Great twists and I loved the characterizations of the nuero-spicy characters.

[Chyanna Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

kept me on the edge of my seat and yelling at my radio the whole time

[Sigena S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonstop action from beginning to end! Definitely recommend

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty damn good

[Ramon Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

This audiobook felt like jumping straight into a movie. The production and narration made the story incredibly immersive.

The plot was fast-paced, engaging, and full of solid twists that kept me hooked the entire time. An exciting ride from start to finish.

Highly recommend

[ilabeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tie the knot you can't untie"

I am thrilled and beyond excited to finally have found my first and best 5 star read this year so far! I normally listen to books on 2x-3x speed but this one, I kept on 1x because the music was *chefs kiss*. I was hooked from the beginning because of the suspense and then the story got better. The plot, the characters, the twist, all meshed very well together. I did catch the twist early on but that's okay because it was still good. Sam finding out what happened in her past was a wild ride. Can't wait for more! Whenever the physical copy comes out, I plan on purchasing it because it's that good.

[Yodyout · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently finished listening to The Hive, and I’d say it’s a decent listen if you’re looking to pass the time. The experience was pleasant enough and didn't feel like a waste of effort. However, I wasn't particularly impressed. The main issue is that the plot felt quite cliché by today’s standards. It follows tropes that we’ve seen many times before, which took away the sense of surprise or novelty. If you're looking for something groundbreaking, this might not be it. But if you want an easy, straightforward story to listen to while doing other tasks, it serves its purpose. Overall, it’s an average read—enjoyable, but not necessarily memorable.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Great narrators. (A)