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Harold Middleton #2
The Copper Bracelet
Harold Middleton returns in this explosive sequel to The Chopin Manuscript as he’s drawn into an international terror plot that threatens to send India and Pakistan into full-scale nuclear war. Careening from Nice to London and Moscow to Kashmir to prevent nuclear disaster, Middleton is unaware his prey has changed and the act of terror is far more diabolical than he knows. Will he discover the identity of the Scorpion in time to halt an event that will pit the United States, China, and Russia against each other at the brink of World War III?
A follow-up to the award-winning The Chopin Manuscript, The Copper Bracelet brings together 16 of the world’s most celebrated thriller writers including Lee Child, Joseph Finder, David Hewson, David Liss, and Lisa Scottoline to each write a chapter of this pulsing tale. Once again, Jeffery Deaver set the story in motion, and brings it to its shocking finale.
A follow-up to the award-winning The Chopin Manuscript, The Copper Bracelet brings together 16 of the world’s most celebrated thriller writers including Lee Child, Joseph Finder, David Hewson, David Liss, and Lisa Scottoline to each write a chapter of this pulsing tale. Once again, Jeffery Deaver set the story in motion, and brings it to its shocking finale.
Audio CD
First published October 27, 2009
7 people are currently reading
938 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
509 books11.7k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
June 28, 2019
Under the auspices of a new form of writing project, the International Thriller Writers (ITW) worked to create a second audiobook story in this series with many top-name contributors. This book is again led by the opening and closing chapters by Jeffrey Deaver, along with many other members of the ITW group. Harold Middleton is front a centre for another adventure, hunting down terror suspects with NATO. After a shoot-out, Middleton discovers that one of the victims is sporting a copper bracelet with unique markings. Calling in some assistance from his close friends, Middleton discovers that bracelet has ties to a group with an interest in ‘heavy water’. As Middleton seeks to trace down the potential threat, he discovers that there is more to the story, including a mysterious Scorpion, a faceless leader with plans to bring major devastation in the near future. With a massive construction project in India turning heads around the world, there is speculation that Scorpion might strike. The project, already raising anger between India and Pakistan, could be the tipping point of a new regional war, centred in Kashmir. Middleton thrusts himself into the middle of it all, learning how disastrous things could get if Scorpion is not stopped, only to learn that there are others with invested interest in the terror plot, which could significantly disrupt the international balance of power. Another great collaborative effort that allows the reader to see many writing styles synthesised into a single novel. Recommended to those who like literary patchwork of this nature and fans of international mysteries.
I vaguely remember reading the first two books in this series, when they were newly released on Audible. I enjoy the premise of putting many authors together to carve out a decent story, offering them each a small piece of the pie. The story is strong and the constant character advancement provides the reader a definite treat as things progress, much like the series debut. Harold Middleton returns with more adventure and has shown that his amateur sleuthing, paired with some firepower, leaves him ready to tackle any international situation. Surrounding himself with a handful of returning characters, Middleton is able to work his way through the story, showing both his power and a personal vulnerability in the form of his family. The twists and turns cannot always be predicted, with so many authors in the mix. That said, there is surely succinct development within each chapter, as the author has only a short time before they hand it off to another. The story is a great collaborative effort for something of this size. The reader who can fathom the complexity of intertwining so many writing styles in a single piece will not be as judgmental with the final product. This effort is one that will have me turn to Jeffrey Deaver, who took on a solo effort to pen a third novel in this series.
Kudos, Mr. Deaver et al., for completing another of these unique writing assignments for readers to enjoy. I have always loved the challenge the ITW pushes on its members to work outside their comforts to appease the reading public. A brilliant idea properly executed.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I vaguely remember reading the first two books in this series, when they were newly released on Audible. I enjoy the premise of putting many authors together to carve out a decent story, offering them each a small piece of the pie. The story is strong and the constant character advancement provides the reader a definite treat as things progress, much like the series debut. Harold Middleton returns with more adventure and has shown that his amateur sleuthing, paired with some firepower, leaves him ready to tackle any international situation. Surrounding himself with a handful of returning characters, Middleton is able to work his way through the story, showing both his power and a personal vulnerability in the form of his family. The twists and turns cannot always be predicted, with so many authors in the mix. That said, there is surely succinct development within each chapter, as the author has only a short time before they hand it off to another. The story is a great collaborative effort for something of this size. The reader who can fathom the complexity of intertwining so many writing styles in a single piece will not be as judgmental with the final product. This effort is one that will have me turn to Jeffrey Deaver, who took on a solo effort to pen a third novel in this series.
Kudos, Mr. Deaver et al., for completing another of these unique writing assignments for readers to enjoy. I have always loved the challenge the ITW pushes on its members to work outside their comforts to appease the reading public. A brilliant idea properly executed.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
October 20, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, but not as much as I loved the first one. The concept works pretty well for them, but I didn't enjoy some of the character changes.
September 22, 2016
The Chopin Manuscript - multiple authors. Released in 2007, 7.5 hours of listening. Harry Middleton and the “Volunteers” are introduced in a mystery involving a newly discovered Chopin manuscript. The ‘Volunteers’ is a small group of clandestine good-guys that goes after bad-guys with the aid of alphabet soup named organizations across the world.
The Copper Bracelet - multiple authors. Released in 2009, 8.5 hours in length. A story that starts with a bang: an exploding cell phone and laptop at a beach sting involving Harry Middleton and his cohorts. Subsequent chapters morph into a twisted, confusing, and globe trotting mess that ends with an assassination attempt.
The Starling Project is written by Jeffery Deaver alone and released in 2014. A shorter story just over four hours long, but told in the manner of an old fashioned radio mystery. Lots of sound effects like footsteps, car doors slamming.
The first two books in the series, The Chopin Manuscript and The Copper Bracelet, are collaborative efforts involving multiple writers - each author responsible for one chapter. A single narrator, Alfred Molina, does a credible job - no trouble with male/female voices, good diction, sound effects a little over the top, but decent productions. The books begin with a foundation by Jeffery Deaver and the final chapters are his efforts to bring all the disparaging clues to a close. This wasn’t the plan, I’m sure, but it’s what appears to have resulted.
The books lack the cohesiveness of an overall vision because there are so many cooks in the kitchen stirring the plot with their own vision. The efforts were likely fun (or frustrating?) for the authors, but resulted in books that were difficult reads. Lots of rewinding and muttering of “What the…?”. The best parts of these stories are the chapters written by those you would expect. Jeffery Deaver, Joseph Finder, and Lee Child. In my opinion, the rest tried too hard to ‘make a splash’ and ultimately damaged the overall effort. My cliched opinion: Everybody was not using the same playbook - shoot me.
The last book in the series, The Starling Project, is completely different from a production standpoint. The book is the performances of a myriad of narrators/actors, special sound effects of bombs, gunshots, creaking doors, and heart-thumping music fill - basically an elaborate radio drama. Smooching/moaning during a few sex episodes distracted from plot. These scenes are presented in a ‘fade-to-black’ manner, but are eye-rolling and ridiculous. Although the plot is interesting, Jeffery Deaver uses Harry Middleton conversations to wrap up much of the story - pulling loose ends together in the last few minutes of listening. This book is more about production than story.
The Harold Middleton Series was created in audiobook format only. The series has decent reviews and is certainly an extraordinarily unusual effort. Suppose I’m alone in a ‘meh’ opinion - but, there it is.
The Copper Bracelet - multiple authors. Released in 2009, 8.5 hours in length. A story that starts with a bang: an exploding cell phone and laptop at a beach sting involving Harry Middleton and his cohorts. Subsequent chapters morph into a twisted, confusing, and globe trotting mess that ends with an assassination attempt.
The Starling Project is written by Jeffery Deaver alone and released in 2014. A shorter story just over four hours long, but told in the manner of an old fashioned radio mystery. Lots of sound effects like footsteps, car doors slamming.
The first two books in the series, The Chopin Manuscript and The Copper Bracelet, are collaborative efforts involving multiple writers - each author responsible for one chapter. A single narrator, Alfred Molina, does a credible job - no trouble with male/female voices, good diction, sound effects a little over the top, but decent productions. The books begin with a foundation by Jeffery Deaver and the final chapters are his efforts to bring all the disparaging clues to a close. This wasn’t the plan, I’m sure, but it’s what appears to have resulted.
The books lack the cohesiveness of an overall vision because there are so many cooks in the kitchen stirring the plot with their own vision. The efforts were likely fun (or frustrating?) for the authors, but resulted in books that were difficult reads. Lots of rewinding and muttering of “What the…?”. The best parts of these stories are the chapters written by those you would expect. Jeffery Deaver, Joseph Finder, and Lee Child. In my opinion, the rest tried too hard to ‘make a splash’ and ultimately damaged the overall effort. My cliched opinion: Everybody was not using the same playbook - shoot me.
The last book in the series, The Starling Project, is completely different from a production standpoint. The book is the performances of a myriad of narrators/actors, special sound effects of bombs, gunshots, creaking doors, and heart-thumping music fill - basically an elaborate radio drama. Smooching/moaning during a few sex episodes distracted from plot. These scenes are presented in a ‘fade-to-black’ manner, but are eye-rolling and ridiculous. Although the plot is interesting, Jeffery Deaver uses Harry Middleton conversations to wrap up much of the story - pulling loose ends together in the last few minutes of listening. This book is more about production than story.
The Harold Middleton Series was created in audiobook format only. The series has decent reviews and is certainly an extraordinarily unusual effort. Suppose I’m alone in a ‘meh’ opinion - but, there it is.
May 16, 2019
To be fair, espionage is not my favourite genre. Having said that I still enjoyed the book. I found the concept of each chapter being written by a different author quite novel.
I think I may have liked it more if I read the first of the series before it.
I think I may have liked it more if I read the first of the series before it.
April 18, 2018
I didn’t think I was a fan of spy drama (or whatever it’s called). It took me a bit to engage but I’m glad I did. It’s a good read.
August 6, 2014
Reviewed first at Brunner's Bookshelf
This is amazing for the simple reason that this was written by 16 different authors. This is the sequel to The Chopin Manuscript bringing Harold Middleton back for another adventure. The Chopin Manuscript was originally a serial audio book. Every week there was a new chapter written by a different author. My favorite author, Jeffery Deaver, Wrote the first chapter in that one and this book setting the story. After he set every thing up each author wrote the next chapter and steered the story in the direction they wanted. At the very end Jeffery Deaver wrote the last chapter to finish off the book.
This book has a much more intense plot line that takes the story all around the world. In this book there isn't just adventure and action but a massive threat of nuclear war. Some of my favorite characters are back in this book but we also get to meet a few more. The way that each author is able to seamlessly mesh these chapters together and make it seem like one person wrote it is amazing. It really does make me want to check out some of these authors. If they can write this well then I'm sure I would enjoy their individual books. I have read Lee Child before and his stuff is good.
I really liked this book but there were a few things that kept this from a full 5 star review. A lot of reviews I have read as well as interviews with the authors who contributed say this is better than the first book. I disagree. There were a few times that I found my mind wandering away from the story. The Chopin Manuscript held my attention all the way through which is why I think that one was better. The addition of new characters was great, but it came close to Stephen King territory with almost to many to be able to keep straight.
This is a great book and a lot of fun to read/listen too. If audio books aren't your thing, then you can get this book and the Chopin Manuscript in the book called Watchlist. I highly recommend both books to any fans of mystery novels. Especially if you are a fan of any of these authors you will enjoy reading this. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I know the cover is small so here is a list of the authors who wrote this book.
Jeffery Deaver Linda Barnes
Gayle Lynds Jenny Siler
Jim Fusilli P.J. Parrish
John Gilstrap Brett Battles
Joseph Finder Lee Child
Lisa Scottoline Jon Land
David Corbett James Phelan
This is amazing for the simple reason that this was written by 16 different authors. This is the sequel to The Chopin Manuscript bringing Harold Middleton back for another adventure. The Chopin Manuscript was originally a serial audio book. Every week there was a new chapter written by a different author. My favorite author, Jeffery Deaver, Wrote the first chapter in that one and this book setting the story. After he set every thing up each author wrote the next chapter and steered the story in the direction they wanted. At the very end Jeffery Deaver wrote the last chapter to finish off the book.
This book has a much more intense plot line that takes the story all around the world. In this book there isn't just adventure and action but a massive threat of nuclear war. Some of my favorite characters are back in this book but we also get to meet a few more. The way that each author is able to seamlessly mesh these chapters together and make it seem like one person wrote it is amazing. It really does make me want to check out some of these authors. If they can write this well then I'm sure I would enjoy their individual books. I have read Lee Child before and his stuff is good.
I really liked this book but there were a few things that kept this from a full 5 star review. A lot of reviews I have read as well as interviews with the authors who contributed say this is better than the first book. I disagree. There were a few times that I found my mind wandering away from the story. The Chopin Manuscript held my attention all the way through which is why I think that one was better. The addition of new characters was great, but it came close to Stephen King territory with almost to many to be able to keep straight.
This is a great book and a lot of fun to read/listen too. If audio books aren't your thing, then you can get this book and the Chopin Manuscript in the book called Watchlist. I highly recommend both books to any fans of mystery novels. Especially if you are a fan of any of these authors you will enjoy reading this. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I know the cover is small so here is a list of the authors who wrote this book.
Jeffery Deaver Linda Barnes
Gayle Lynds Jenny Siler
Jim Fusilli P.J. Parrish
John Gilstrap Brett Battles
Joseph Finder Lee Child
Lisa Scottoline Jon Land
David Corbett James Phelan
November 30, 2016
The Copper Bracelet is a brilliantly written sequel to The Chopin Manuscript which takes the Volunteers all across the globe in an effort to stop what could clearly be the beginning of World War III.
The plot has a multi layered structure which, combined with its inspiration from real events in North India, keeps you hooked. I particularly enjoyed how the lead characters return in the sequel to play even more dangerous roles.
Alfred Molina's narration is superb. His voice enactment of the variety of accents is an absolute delight to listen to.
The plot has a multi layered structure which, combined with its inspiration from real events in North India, keeps you hooked. I particularly enjoyed how the lead characters return in the sequel to play even more dangerous roles.
Alfred Molina's narration is superb. His voice enactment of the variety of accents is an absolute delight to listen to.
January 8, 2021
I love the way this has been written with 16 different authors, Jeffery Deaver writing the first and last chapter and each other author writing one chapter each. Very clever and extremely well done. The story meshes together well despite the different writing styles and ideas of the individual authors.
The story itself is a great read though I did prefer the first in the series, The Chopin Manuscript. Very entertaining and keeps the reader guessing.
The narrator does a good job with the different character voices though there are a number of questionable pronunciation errors.
The story itself is a great read though I did prefer the first in the series, The Chopin Manuscript. Very entertaining and keeps the reader guessing.
The narrator does a good job with the different character voices though there are a number of questionable pronunciation errors.
October 15, 2017
Interessante l’esperienza di scrivere a più mani una storia. Un po’ meno per quanto riguarda i contenuti, piuttosto fantastici, molto inverosimili, a volte assurdi. La storia ricorda autori americani che scrivono di eroi invincibili, infallibili, che sfiorano sempre le pallottole, che cadono da altezze assurde eppure restano illesi. Insomma, bella l’idea della scrittura collettiva, meno bella la costruzione di un ex colonnello che sfida da solo la cattiveria del mondo.
December 26, 2022
Didn't have a good a flow as the first book in this collaboration series. May have partially been due to the fact that I was using audiobook, since none of my library sources had the book in print. Story just didn't flow as well as The Chopin Manuscript. Definitely wouldn't recommend audio version of this book and not sure I'd really recommend it anyway. Guess I'll try the third in this series at sometime in the future when I can obtain a print copy without having to buy it.
August 1, 2019
I enjoy these compilations. I love the idea of all the authors working together to create an entertaining story for all their followers.
This story continues with characters from The Chopin manuscript. Is fairly current regarding politics and stresses between countries, religions and of course, Power!
This story continues with characters from The Chopin manuscript. Is fairly current regarding politics and stresses between countries, religions and of course, Power!
January 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Love the concept of different authors writing each chapter, and the way the plot twists and turns. The plot is thrilling and topical, and the main characters are a little over the top, but likeable nonetheless. Alfred Molina's narration is brilliant, and, for me, is an essential part of the experience.
October 4, 2025
Thought this might be interesting, a group of bestselling spy-novel writers collaborating (one per chapter) on a book. But it's just an outrageous plot with thin characters and every spy-novel trope. If it were humorous it might be a good Dr. Evil movie. But it isn't. I lost interest because I just didn't care about the people or the plot after a while.
March 10, 2019
Truly enjoy Deaver's books. This was most interesting, as he wrote the first couple of chapters, then other authors added a chapter of their own, extending the story in their own fashion. Some chapters I really enjoyed, others, not so much. Surprised by the ending,....
July 5, 2020
More cohesive than the first one, but for me there were too many twists which actually just felt like "hey, I realized I didn't want to be finished with that person after all/I didn't want it going down that road".
December 1, 2023
Actual rating 2.5 stars
Each chapter in this book is written by a different author. The writing is seamless and the plot moves along well. The story is an espionage/spy thriller and I don't usually care for that genre.
Each chapter in this book is written by a different author. The writing is seamless and the plot moves along well. The story is an espionage/spy thriller and I don't usually care for that genre.
March 30, 2018
Worth listening to.
December 4, 2018
I have really enjoyed these two books. Love the action, the running plot lines, the twists, Harry...its quite the ride.
May 31, 2019
4.5 stars. I enjoyed this book. The idea of different authors for each chapter was interesting. It worked well
January 14, 2020
Kind of disjointed, but that's the nature of the kind of story it is. I listened on Audible and Molina's performance was excellent. The best section (to me) was the Lee Childs section.
October 25, 2020
An interesting story with clear research but not as good as the first Harry Middleton.
November 3, 2020
Need to read The Chopin manuscript first
Read
February 27, 2022To borrow a phrase from the book, I think something happened here...I'm not sure what.
This was an intriguing concept for a book, but what a mess. It doesn't earn even one star.
This was an intriguing concept for a book, but what a mess. It doesn't earn even one star.
February 26, 2023
Good red I really enjoyed it
September 6, 2024
An interesting way to write a thriller, with multiple authors each writing a chapter. I reviewed it on my blog. https://wineandhistory.wordpress.com/...
January 24, 2025
Good, but —like some other comments— I enjoyed the first book in the series a tad better.
Read
October 8, 2025Audible
February 3, 2021
Nie rozczarowałam się. Wcale nie jest lepsza od "Manuskryptu Chopina".
Męczyłam się nad tą książką. Fabuła w ogóle mnie nie wciągnęła (prawdę powiedziawszy to w pewnym momencie się w niej pogubiłam). Dużo bezsensownych zwrotów akcji.
Styl pisania raz lepszy, raz gorszy - no ale tego się można było spodziewać po kilkunastu autorach.
W sumie tą książkę skończyłam tylko i wyłącznie dlatego, że nie lubię zostawiać nie doczytanych książek nie ważne jak badziewne by były.
Cieszę się, że mam już ją za sobą :D
Męczyłam się nad tą książką. Fabuła w ogóle mnie nie wciągnęła (prawdę powiedziawszy to w pewnym momencie się w niej pogubiłam). Dużo bezsensownych zwrotów akcji.
Styl pisania raz lepszy, raz gorszy - no ale tego się można było spodziewać po kilkunastu autorach.
W sumie tą książkę skończyłam tylko i wyłącznie dlatego, że nie lubię zostawiać nie doczytanych książek nie ważne jak badziewne by były.
Cieszę się, że mam już ją za sobą :D
March 17, 2017
Not bad, but not very impressive either. I thought it was a little boring until the last few chapters, and the final chapter had about two endings too many. Still, it's another successful experiment in writing, but I found the first one slightly better.
May 11, 2010
Courtesy of Amazon
I listened to The Chopin Manuscript back when it was first released from Audible in serial format and loved the whole concept of a thriller round-robin novel. That book was fascinating and I loved it so when I saw The Copper Bracelet was released, I just had to have this one too, especially since it is the sequel to The Chopin Manuscript.
Harold Middleton is back again on a new mission. He and his contingents are trying to get to the bottom of an international plot that threatens to bring the Eastern world to its knees by instigating a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. On the trail of the mysterious man known only as The Scorpion, Middleton must find this terrorist and stop him before World War III erupts. However, these terrorists are more diabolical than Middleton realizes and his only clue, an unusual copper bracelet, seems to be leading him to the wrong man… or is it? It will take everything Middleton and company have to get out of this predicament, especially when clues seem to indicate his daughter Charlie is in danger.
Several different threads and a few red herrings are entertwined to make for a brilliantly complex story full of danger and intrigue in The Copper Bracelet. Just when we think we know what direction the story will go next, we are thrown for a loop when events are turned upside down and inside out, only to take us somewhere different than we first imagined.
I love all the characters in this novel, from the beautiful but deadly Jana to the traumatized Charlie, to the tough as nails Leona, and everyone in between. Middleton is a fascinating man who somehow manages to put his mission first, even when those he loves most are endangered in the process. We just know he’ll figure it all out and save the day, though we will be wondering who will left standing in the end.
The Copper Bracelet starts off with a bang when Jeffrey Deaver introduces the mystery in the first chapter, and does not let up until the explosive finale. I was captivated from beginning to end and on the edge of my seat as I waited to see what direction each author would take.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2010. All rights reserved.
I listened to The Chopin Manuscript back when it was first released from Audible in serial format and loved the whole concept of a thriller round-robin novel. That book was fascinating and I loved it so when I saw The Copper Bracelet was released, I just had to have this one too, especially since it is the sequel to The Chopin Manuscript.
Harold Middleton is back again on a new mission. He and his contingents are trying to get to the bottom of an international plot that threatens to bring the Eastern world to its knees by instigating a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. On the trail of the mysterious man known only as The Scorpion, Middleton must find this terrorist and stop him before World War III erupts. However, these terrorists are more diabolical than Middleton realizes and his only clue, an unusual copper bracelet, seems to be leading him to the wrong man… or is it? It will take everything Middleton and company have to get out of this predicament, especially when clues seem to indicate his daughter Charlie is in danger.
Several different threads and a few red herrings are entertwined to make for a brilliantly complex story full of danger and intrigue in The Copper Bracelet. Just when we think we know what direction the story will go next, we are thrown for a loop when events are turned upside down and inside out, only to take us somewhere different than we first imagined.
I love all the characters in this novel, from the beautiful but deadly Jana to the traumatized Charlie, to the tough as nails Leona, and everyone in between. Middleton is a fascinating man who somehow manages to put his mission first, even when those he loves most are endangered in the process. We just know he’ll figure it all out and save the day, though we will be wondering who will left standing in the end.
The Copper Bracelet starts off with a bang when Jeffrey Deaver introduces the mystery in the first chapter, and does not let up until the explosive finale. I was captivated from beginning to end and on the edge of my seat as I waited to see what direction each author would take.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2010. All rights reserved.
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