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The Girlfriend Experience
When you're on the run from Chinese assassins, it helps to know who your friends are.
Matt Bugatti has cracked the Internet's most secure code. Now the NSA and Chinese spies will stop at nothing to learn his secret. Unaware of the danger he faces, Matt meets glamorous Gina, a woman with a secret of her own. Life is good - until the conflict comes to a head and Matt finds himself threatened and alone. Then Matt discovers Gina's secret and his world turns upside-down. Pursued by two nations, running for his life, Matt takes control - and learns who he can trust in a world where no one is who they seem.
Matt Bugatti has cracked the Internet's most secure code. Now the NSA and Chinese spies will stop at nothing to learn his secret. Unaware of the danger he faces, Matt meets glamorous Gina, a woman with a secret of her own. Life is good - until the conflict comes to a head and Matt finds himself threatened and alone. Then Matt discovers Gina's secret and his world turns upside-down. Pursued by two nations, running for his life, Matt takes control - and learns who he can trust in a world where no one is who they seem.
- GenresFiction
264 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2012
35 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
About the author
Charles O'Donnell
15 books57 followersCharles O’Donnell writes thrillers with high-tech themes in international and futuristic settings. He recently retired from a career of thirty-five years in engineering and manufacturing to write full-time, using his experience leading international teams to create compelling settings in faraway lands.
His latest books, Shredded and Shade are the product of his fascination with the progress of technology to either augment reality or to replace it entirely, and his concern over the erosion of privacy in a world in which everything is shared online, and nobody reads the terms and conditions.
Charles's work has been selected to appear in the Dark Ink Press Spring Anthology, in the online journal Esthetic Apostle, in the anthology Lost and Found, and other journals.
Charles lives with Helen, his wife, life partner and fellow paranoid in Westerville, Ohio.
His latest books, Shredded and Shade are the product of his fascination with the progress of technology to either augment reality or to replace it entirely, and his concern over the erosion of privacy in a world in which everything is shared online, and nobody reads the terms and conditions.
Charles's work has been selected to appear in the Dark Ink Press Spring Anthology, in the online journal Esthetic Apostle, in the anthology Lost and Found, and other journals.
Charles lives with Helen, his wife, life partner and fellow paranoid in Westerville, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 14, 2014
4.5*stars.
I won a copy of The Girlfriend Experience through a Goodreads giveaway; something of a rarity in itself as I rarely win anything!
A good start then!
My personal reading taste tends to veer in the direction of the horror genre, and if it hadn't of been for the very attractive cover, which in turn enticed me to read the blurb, then I'd likely never have entered the competition which allowed me the pleasure of reading this book.
So well done to whoever designed the cover, I love it!
The Girlfriend Experience in a nutshell: A genius computer programmer named Matt Bugatti invents a code breaking system everyone wants; and I do mean everyone!
This is a timely tale of industrial and international espionage, Governments covertly gathering information on any 'person of interest', and the threat posed by a growing Superpower.
Charles O'Donnell has succeeded in writing a multi-strand, hi-tech novel about corruption, one man's quest for love, and the levels people will go to if the prize is right.
The pace of the story is fairly slow, at least through the first half of the book, but the writing is of a high enough caliber so as to maintain the interest of the reader.
Probably the most impressive thing about this book is the amount of different strands weaved by the author; and more importantly how he then manages to pull those strands together.
It is a multi-faceted tale, told from the viewpoint of a number of different players, though I will confess that early on I had to keep flicking back through pages (at least with regards to the Chinese Characters names). Mr.O'Donnell obviously possesses more than a working knowledge of the Chinese culture, and I found this aspect of his writing particularly vivid.
To sum things up: A thoroughly entertaining spy saga, well written, and with an array of nicely drawn characters. A nice plot-line, and from a writer who clearly knows how to write!
A very good book!
I won a copy of The Girlfriend Experience through a Goodreads giveaway; something of a rarity in itself as I rarely win anything!
A good start then!
My personal reading taste tends to veer in the direction of the horror genre, and if it hadn't of been for the very attractive cover, which in turn enticed me to read the blurb, then I'd likely never have entered the competition which allowed me the pleasure of reading this book.
So well done to whoever designed the cover, I love it!
The Girlfriend Experience in a nutshell: A genius computer programmer named Matt Bugatti invents a code breaking system everyone wants; and I do mean everyone!
This is a timely tale of industrial and international espionage, Governments covertly gathering information on any 'person of interest', and the threat posed by a growing Superpower.
Charles O'Donnell has succeeded in writing a multi-strand, hi-tech novel about corruption, one man's quest for love, and the levels people will go to if the prize is right.
The pace of the story is fairly slow, at least through the first half of the book, but the writing is of a high enough caliber so as to maintain the interest of the reader.
Probably the most impressive thing about this book is the amount of different strands weaved by the author; and more importantly how he then manages to pull those strands together.
It is a multi-faceted tale, told from the viewpoint of a number of different players, though I will confess that early on I had to keep flicking back through pages (at least with regards to the Chinese Characters names). Mr.O'Donnell obviously possesses more than a working knowledge of the Chinese culture, and I found this aspect of his writing particularly vivid.
To sum things up: A thoroughly entertaining spy saga, well written, and with an array of nicely drawn characters. A nice plot-line, and from a writer who clearly knows how to write!
A very good book!
February 18, 2019
I stumbled upon this book unexpectedly and then couldn't put it down. It has compelling characters, fast-paced action, and an intricate web of intrigue that leads the reader on an exciting, twisty path all the way to the end.
I am not normally a thriller gal, but this one hooked me. I plan to dig into more books by this author soon.
I am not normally a thriller gal, but this one hooked me. I plan to dig into more books by this author soon.
February 7, 2014
I think if this book had been written fifteen years ago it may have given some food for thought but today to the internet or technically inclined reader it is going to be difficult to find any real interest and certainly no cause for alarm. The plot itself is just nonsense, and the pseudo science especially baffling. Why subject the reader to all that mumbo jumbo, the author has already told them the guy's a genius, so why does he keep droning on about it for the first half of the book? It came across to me as if the author is trying to establish his own credentials, force upon the reader a mistaken belief of his own unquestionable technical genius. Sadly for the main part the book is way too slow, there is also the amateur trait of there being too much of the author in this book, the lead character should stand alone and not need propping up with the authors constant, and unnecessary intervention. If the author spent more time and effort on the development of the supporting characters, then he would find the story would flow, and have a better pace. The problem however remains the premise is dull, and the book probably twice the length it should be to support the plot. If the author cut this book in half and started the story in the middle by jettisoning all the boring fake techno self serving waffle, then it could possibly be classified as a thriller.
September 21, 2013
Without giving too much away, I have to say this tech thriller is one of the best books I've read this year. Once you're mid way through you can't put it down. Having a husband in this field also gave me greater insight into Matt's character and the team's quest to bring their product to market. As the stress builds in the process so to does the desperation to meet outlandish goals. It's obvious this realistic setting has applied factual knowledge behind it. As for the China connection, it's a chilling prospect though one I think we already have glimpsed in recent years only this fiction brings it to a new level.
November 27, 2017
This book is *not* a romance, or even primarily about a girlfriend, despite its title. (There must be several dozen books with the exact same title that are romances or at least are primarily about girlfriends; this is very different.) This book is a techno-thriller, of an abstract sort: no cool gadgets, just some cool math (which changes everything).
As soon as a story plot involves computer hacking, I usually cringe. This one, however, isn't bad. The author obviously actually understands some of the math behind cryptography, and what he's talking about isn't obvious garbage (unlike a certain well-known writer *cough cough Dan Brown cough cough* who wrote an *awful* book about the NSA). The premise is that if there really is a significantly faster way of factoring numbers, most codes used today would fall (which is true). A lot of thrillers talk about doing this via quantum computing, but this one does it the old fashioned way. To me, as a computer scientist, the ideas weren't total garbage (but I'm not a number theorist).
The rest of the story isn't bad either. The hero, the number theory genius, is about ready to crack emotionally, and the Chinese are putting pressure on various people to steal the factoring breakthrough. How the hero (and others) work through their own issues and the complicated twists of multiple lies, a kidnapping, treason, etc., aren't badly done at all.
I gave this book 3 stars because it wasn't *that* great a thriller. It basically held my attention, except I didn't care much for the eponymous girlfriend; the plot idea was fine, I just didn't want to read about it. But I was so relieved to find a book about codebreaking and hacking that wasn't completely implausible from the start.
As soon as a story plot involves computer hacking, I usually cringe. This one, however, isn't bad. The author obviously actually understands some of the math behind cryptography, and what he's talking about isn't obvious garbage (unlike a certain well-known writer *cough cough Dan Brown cough cough* who wrote an *awful* book about the NSA). The premise is that if there really is a significantly faster way of factoring numbers, most codes used today would fall (which is true). A lot of thrillers talk about doing this via quantum computing, but this one does it the old fashioned way. To me, as a computer scientist, the ideas weren't total garbage (but I'm not a number theorist).
The rest of the story isn't bad either. The hero, the number theory genius, is about ready to crack emotionally, and the Chinese are putting pressure on various people to steal the factoring breakthrough. How the hero (and others) work through their own issues and the complicated twists of multiple lies, a kidnapping, treason, etc., aren't badly done at all.
I gave this book 3 stars because it wasn't *that* great a thriller. It basically held my attention, except I didn't care much for the eponymous girlfriend; the plot idea was fine, I just didn't want to read about it. But I was so relieved to find a book about codebreaking and hacking that wasn't completely implausible from the start.
April 5, 2017
Lots of fun!
There were so many turns where this could have been a great story, sadly the author played a little too safe and fell short of greatness. The resulting tale is however, a fun and entertaining diversion, well worth reading. At this point I have read two stories by this author, and while he gives credit in the second book for it's being far more polished this one remains my favorite. It is fresh and earnest in presentation with only a few rabbit trails that should have been either followed or cut out. Well done! I look forward to more from this author!
There were so many turns where this could have been a great story, sadly the author played a little too safe and fell short of greatness. The resulting tale is however, a fun and entertaining diversion, well worth reading. At this point I have read two stories by this author, and while he gives credit in the second book for it's being far more polished this one remains my favorite. It is fresh and earnest in presentation with only a few rabbit trails that should have been either followed or cut out. Well done! I look forward to more from this author!
November 17, 2013
"The Girlfriend Experience" by Charles O'Donnell which I won from Goodreads Giveaways is an edgy, espionage thriller set in the high-tech world of Connectrix Corporation where an advanced encryption code is being developed for Project Cygnus. As the story opens Matt Burgatti is formulating a top secret code that can decipher encrypted messages in record time and will be sold to the NSA as part of the Cygnus system. What Matt doesn't expect is that his work will be targeted by Chinese spies and that his anxiety about his research will make him vulnerable to a beautiful prostitute with a secret.
The plot is creatively crafted by a knowledgeable author who's worked in technology development. He gradually builds the suspense and emotional intensity as events unfold and the action heats up. The characters are natural and unglamorous in their day-to-day routine but their personalities gain more complexity as the story progresses. Matt Burgatti the mathematical genius is a naive, awkward and brooding malcontent who slowly changes into a personable, presentable young professional. As events progress he becomes more self-assured, determined and even brave in the face of adversity. Amiable Anson Polk although haunted by a tragic accident continues to be a loyal and trustworthy friend. Jon Ames, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Connectrix is manipulative, greedy and bears many of the unsavory traits of Alvin Xiao who's a conniving, sly traitor. Among many notable characters are also the shrewd and pragmatic Josef Hofbauer, the independent, unflappable Gina Bianchi and the observant and dogged Special Agent, Anibal Gutierrez. The antagonists arouse only anger and antipathy in the reader as they are devious, cold-hearted and have no qualms about killing to get what they want.
This fascinating story about white-collar crime and high-tech espionage is filled with twists and turns that will keep the reader enthralled until the end. I enjoyed it and will look for other thrillers by Charles O'Donnell in the future.
The plot is creatively crafted by a knowledgeable author who's worked in technology development. He gradually builds the suspense and emotional intensity as events unfold and the action heats up. The characters are natural and unglamorous in their day-to-day routine but their personalities gain more complexity as the story progresses. Matt Burgatti the mathematical genius is a naive, awkward and brooding malcontent who slowly changes into a personable, presentable young professional. As events progress he becomes more self-assured, determined and even brave in the face of adversity. Amiable Anson Polk although haunted by a tragic accident continues to be a loyal and trustworthy friend. Jon Ames, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Connectrix is manipulative, greedy and bears many of the unsavory traits of Alvin Xiao who's a conniving, sly traitor. Among many notable characters are also the shrewd and pragmatic Josef Hofbauer, the independent, unflappable Gina Bianchi and the observant and dogged Special Agent, Anibal Gutierrez. The antagonists arouse only anger and antipathy in the reader as they are devious, cold-hearted and have no qualms about killing to get what they want.
This fascinating story about white-collar crime and high-tech espionage is filled with twists and turns that will keep the reader enthralled until the end. I enjoyed it and will look for other thrillers by Charles O'Donnell in the future.
August 6, 2016
Wow, didn't see notice I had won this one, but received in the mail yesterday. So, looks like I won on 11/6/13 and received 11/13/13 (love fast delivery). I hope to start soon, I have 9 others plus my current read in front. 11/14/13
Started and finished around 12/25/13
Matt Bugatti is a genius. He has created a computer program that can crack an encrypted code fast, and now the Chinese and American agents are after his program. Then, Gina enters Matt's life. Life is good until Matt discovers Gina's secret and the fact he isn't safe, so he takes control and learns who he can and can't trust.
The characters were well written and the story moved along well. I am glad
Started and finished around 12/25/13
Matt Bugatti is a genius. He has created a computer program that can crack an encrypted code fast, and now the Chinese and American agents are after his program. Then, Gina enters Matt's life. Life is good until Matt discovers Gina's secret and the fact he isn't safe, so he takes control and learns who he can and can't trust.
The characters were well written and the story moved along well. I am glad
January 3, 2014
Firstly thanks to Goodreads for a copy of this book
The Girlfriend Experience is a highly enjoyable techno thriller, it took me a while to get into the book but once there soon had me hooked in. I found the characters well rounded with a fast paced storyline easily flitting between the USA and china without losing the pace or losing the plot. I wouldn't say that I could fully understand all the technical detail of the plot however, this did not deter from my enjoyment of what is an extremely well written and highly enjoyable thriller. Would recommend to any fan of thrillers.
I look forward to reading more by Charles O'Donnell
The Girlfriend Experience is a highly enjoyable techno thriller, it took me a while to get into the book but once there soon had me hooked in. I found the characters well rounded with a fast paced storyline easily flitting between the USA and china without losing the pace or losing the plot. I wouldn't say that I could fully understand all the technical detail of the plot however, this did not deter from my enjoyment of what is an extremely well written and highly enjoyable thriller. Would recommend to any fan of thrillers.
I look forward to reading more by Charles O'Donnell
November 18, 2013
I must mention that I won this book in the giveaway on goodreads.com. That being said, this book is pretty good with what it is, a finished first time novel by a very good author. There are a few errors in the book, and to me it seemed like the main characters romance was a bit pushed, especially the initial setup. I kept wanting to tell the author that he needed a bit of pacing. But past that this book was a pretty enthralling read, my attention was snapped into place and kept there till the end, which was where I thought things became pretty predictable. Not bad though for a first time book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 14, 2013I typically do not read Esponage/tech types of books, but this one was recommended to me so I gave it a try. I LOVED Matt Bugatti and his adventure through the twists and turns of this story. I have to agree with some of the others, once I figured out who was who in the 1st half of the book, I read the last half of the book into the wee hours of the am because I could not put it down. I just had to find out what was going to happen to Matt, Gina and the team. Very Impressed by the 1st book by this author and am looking forward to more.
November 22, 2013
Thanks to Goodreads I received a copy of The Girlfriend Experience by Charles O'Donnell. This is a smart, fast-paced techno-crime thriller that smacks of reality based on today's current events. The protagonist is a brainy, geeky near-recluse who becomes hooked up with a woman who most men would only dream of. In the end, he must rely on his own wits and a couple of friends with whom he can literally entrust his life as he becomes a hunted man. Explore international politics, corporate boardrooms and high technology in this exciting debut novel.
September 2, 2016
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
A good technological thriller. Although I didn't really feel a connection to ALL of the characters in this book, I certainly connected with Matt (the main character). And really, isn't that all that matters? I would love to see more books by this author featuring Matt Bugatti.
Well worth a read!
A good technological thriller. Although I didn't really feel a connection to ALL of the characters in this book, I certainly connected with Matt (the main character). And really, isn't that all that matters? I would love to see more books by this author featuring Matt Bugatti.
Well worth a read!
July 22, 2016
Thanks for Goodreads, I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. This book is about a quite interesting high-tech story. I really like the way that different plotlines are connected. When I started to read the first chapter, I could not wait to know about the rest of the whole book. Reading this book seems like watching an espionage movie in the mind.
November 30, 2013
I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
I enjoyed this book - it was very well written with an exciting twist at the end. Although I struggled a bit with all the technical computer jargon, this didn't distract me from the overall plot and I now know a lot more about the computer industry than I did before!
I enjoyed this book - it was very well written with an exciting twist at the end. Although I struggled a bit with all the technical computer jargon, this didn't distract me from the overall plot and I now know a lot more about the computer industry than I did before!
January 1, 2013
It's always fun to check out a book from a first time author... and "The Girlfriend Experience" was well worth the read! A great mix of geeky tech story with a mix of espionage and intrigue. Highly recommend and look forward to more stories from Charles "Gus" O'Donnell.
October 1, 2013
I loved The Girlfriend Experience and pretty much read it without stopping in one weekend. It's been a while since I've taken the time to do that. First of all, the subject matter - industrial espionage, cracking encryption keys, the NSA striving to gather more and more information on all Americans, and China trying to steal any breakthrough ideas - couldn't be more timely. The plot is carefully crafted and all the different lines are brought together beautifully, through the actions of a number of different characters who are all very believable. They way these characters compromise themselves gradually and end up committing more and more problematic acts, because each new one doesn't seem that much worse than the previous one, is simply masterful. Even though these rather ordinary people commit pretty outrageous acts that theoretically every one of us would condemn, you cannot help but develop a certain understanding and even sympathy for them. I especially thought the descriptions of the Chinese plot lines and characters were very well done. It's one thing to think of an interesting plot, but it requires a whole lot more skill to actually bring it to life with believable characters (where I think some bestsellers like the Da Vinci Code fall flat), which is precisely what this author has pulled off so brilliantly. I can't wait for more!
February 28, 2013
The Girlfriend Experience is a great read that pulls together multiple plot lines and winds them up into a fast moving, exciting conclusion. In much the same vain as David Baldacci, W. E. B. Griffin or Nelson DeMille, the author takes us through multiple twists and turns as the hero establishes himself as a likable "every man" who can handle himself in a tricky spot.
The story is quick, entertaining and the characters likable in their own, ordinary ways. I really enjoyed the fact that the characters were identifiable and not living some glamorous jet-setting lifestyle which is completely out of touch with reality. Although some portions of the book involving technical subjects could quickly exceed some peoples ability, it was tempered with a quick, mid-western dialog that brought the story back down to earth. As someone who is currently living overseas in China, I also found the sections of the story about China both interesting and realistic.
This is a great first effort by a new author. I look forward to the next installment of Matt Bugatti's story!
The story is quick, entertaining and the characters likable in their own, ordinary ways. I really enjoyed the fact that the characters were identifiable and not living some glamorous jet-setting lifestyle which is completely out of touch with reality. Although some portions of the book involving technical subjects could quickly exceed some peoples ability, it was tempered with a quick, mid-western dialog that brought the story back down to earth. As someone who is currently living overseas in China, I also found the sections of the story about China both interesting and realistic.
This is a great first effort by a new author. I look forward to the next installment of Matt Bugatti's story!
January 17, 2015
I can't say that some parts of this book weren't over my head, but that aspect added to the plot for me on so many levels! Matt's story is complex, and not entirely his story alone. With each layer that O'Donnell added, I felt slightly more bewildered and slightly more compassionate towards Matt and the huge mess he found himself in.
I particularly enjoyed that this wasn't a straight up thriller. While it was incredibly thrilling, Matt's own personal growth took on a plot of its own throughout the work and gave me a few breaks from the technical computer talk.
I loved each character, even the "bad guys." Each character is vividly depicted and has incredibly personality that shines through --I didn't find one boring character through the whole book!
I particularly enjoyed that this wasn't a straight up thriller. While it was incredibly thrilling, Matt's own personal growth took on a plot of its own throughout the work and gave me a few breaks from the technical computer talk.
I loved each character, even the "bad guys." Each character is vividly depicted and has incredibly personality that shines through --I didn't find one boring character through the whole book!
May 28, 2016
I won this book through Goodreads after reading the blurb and liking it a lot. I thought this was going to be an interesting book but never expected it to be as big a masterpiece as it is. I love the characters and their depth within the book. It leads up to a climax at the end but is mainly low key throughout the book. This allows it to be packed with information that is surprisingly its not thrust out at you like most books so it stays interesting throughout. Corruption runs rampant through this book and it is interesting to see who all will be roped into it by the end. One of the best books I have read in this genre in quite a while.
December 19, 2013
Without giving too much away, I have to say this tech thriller is one of the best books I've read this year. Once you're mid way through you can't put it down. Having a husband in this field also gave me greater insight into Matt's character and the team's quest to bring their product to market. As the stress builds in the process so to does the desperation to meet outlandish goals. It's obvious this realistic setting has applied factual knowledge behind it. As for the China connection, it's a chilling prospect though one I think we already have glimpsed in recent years only this fiction brings it to a new level.
February 11, 2014
Sorry, do not understand the hype posted about this book - this is a strange book. I could only make it past the first few chapters, because of stereotype characters, you know he has a scene where they are all drinking beer and grappa then after four hours we have a drunk driver, as well as a very strange project manager that relates to a critical line, on a project that cannot possibly be projected, it is just crazy. Of course the mc being Italian has to have an overbearing mother and just to complete the set the author manages to even has a German that ends every sentence with "No? Ja?"
Come on that is very poor, it didn't work for me.
Come on that is very poor, it didn't work for me.
January 18, 2013
It was suggested by a friend that I take the time to read The Girlfriend Experience. I usually wouldn't take the time to read a non-fiction book but the content was very interesting and compatible with my real life work experiences. I really enjoyed the story line. The second half of the book really put all the pieces into place. I can see where this story could easily be adapted into a movie. I am hoping to see more writings from the author. I say Great Job!
January 1, 2013
Great read! Once you get started on this book, it's very hard to put down. Especially the last half of the book. I stayed up late one night to finish it, because there was no way I could stop reading. Excellent character development and I especially love the main character, Matt. I highly recommend this book.
August 27, 2014
Was not sure what to expect as I heard no one died early on in the novel :). I thought it might be a little slow going but found myself doing what I typically do when I have a great read. Slipping away from conversations at the beach, spending a little extra time in the car, staying up late... all so I could read the next chapter. Exceptional work for a first book!
September 7, 2016
Fast Paced and Well Crafted
Great characters, interesting concept, and doesn't skimp on the technical details - all together a really fun, hard driving triller in the mold of Dan Brown or Lee Child.
Great characters, interesting concept, and doesn't skimp on the technical details - all together a really fun, hard driving triller in the mold of Dan Brown or Lee Child.
April 2, 2013
I enjoyed this book but I found the characters a little confusing; I think some of the character's actions could have been expanded to make things clearer.
October 12, 2013
Gripping! Page turner! Hope Matt Bugatti continues as a series,since he is such a tenacious and likeable detective.
August 27, 2014
Good story, good plot. An enjoyable read, but I would have liked some of the characters given a bit more life.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews