Joan Allen to narrate audiobook of State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton
The audiobook narrator for State of Terror, the political thriller co-written by Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny, is an actor with experience playing first ladies, CIA officials and others in government: Joan Allen.
"I am such a fan of Joan Allen — when I heard she would be the voice of State of Terror, I was ecstatic," Penny said in a statement issued through the book's publisher, Simon & Schuster.
"She will brilliantly bring to life all the diverse characters and elements, from drama, to thriller, to humour and, best of all, make it all deeply human."
Scheduled to come out Oct. 12, 2021, State of Terror features a "novice" secretary of state, working in the administration of a rival politician, who tries to solve a wave of terrorist attacks.
It's the first work of fiction by Clinton, the former U.S. Senator and first lady who served as secretary of state during President Barack Obama's first term.
Clinton is a longtime admirer of Penny, known for mysteries featuring Inspector Armand Gamache.
Thirteen years ago, Penny was a CBC broadcaster and journalist. Now, she's an award-winning author who has sold millions of books and has won armloads of prizes. Her Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series include Still Life, Bury Your Dead, A Trick of the Light, Glass Houses. and All the Devils Are Here. In 2013, Penny was named to the Order of Canada.
Penny's latest Gamache book, The Madness of Crowds, came out in August 2021 and has been among the country's top-selling novels.
Allen, who in a statement called State of Terror a "heart-pounding ride," received an Academy Award nomination for her performance as first lady Pat Nixon in the Oliver Stone movie Nixon. Her other roles include CIA deputy director Pamela Landy in The Bourne Conspiracy and The Bourne Ultimatum, and Sen. Laine Billings Hanson in The Contender, for which she also received an Oscar nomination.
"She will bring our characters and their adventures alive for listeners," Clinton said in a statement.
