Product guide

The Malta Escape: Payne & Jones Book 9 Audiobook

The Malta Escape: Payne & Jones Book 9 is an unabridged English audiobook by Chris Kuzneski, narrated by David Colacci. Its Maltese treasure hunt brings Payne and Jones into conflict with a Russian crime boss, mixing historical intrigue, action and humour across a 14-hour-and-43-minute runtime.

At a glance

Payne and Jones pursue a long-lost treasure connected to the Knights Hospitallers in Malta.
The plot also follows Russian crime-syndicate leader Ivan Volkov as he seeks revenge and turns his attention to the treasure.
The listing describes a blend of action, adventure, historical detail, suspense and humour.

Price

£4.99Save 65.96%

Reference price: ~~£14.66~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

The unabridged 14-hour-and-43-minute audiobook offers a substantial listening runtime.
The story combines a historical treasure hunt with a contemporary crime threat, giving it more than one strand of intrigue.
Customer feedback highlights engaging pacing, humour and historical detail.

Technical specifications

8 specifications

Format and runtime
Programme type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Listening length	14 hours and 43 minutes
Language	English

Credits and publication
Author	Chris Kuzneski
Narrator	David Colacci
Publisher	QUEST from W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication date	3 April 2019

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Listeners looking for a long, unabridged action-adventure audiobook with historical treasure-hunt themes.
Existing Payne and Jones series listeners, as this is Book 9.
Fans of stories that mix suspense and crime with humour.

Less suited to

Listeners seeking a standalone series entry or a story focused mainly on historical events. The listing identifies this as Book 9 and describes a contemporary criminal threat.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.4 / 5 · 1,227 ratings

5 stars68%68%
4 stars20%20%
3 stars7%7%
2 stars3%3%
1 star2%2%

Customer feedback describes the story as fast-paced and engaging, with humour and historical detail among its reported strengths. Views on the action are mixed, with some enjoying the all-out sequences and others finding the action limited. That difference may matter to listeners choosing between a character-led, humorous treasure hunt and a consistently action-heavy thriller. The listing specifies an unabridged 14-hour-and-43-minute narration, but does not establish a particular balance of action across that runtime.

Positive themes

Customers praise the engaging, fast-paced storytelling.
Customers appreciate the humour and historical detail.

Mixed feedback

Feedback is divided on the amount of action, with some finding it plentiful and others limited.
Customer feedback also indicates mixed views about the characters.

Frequently asked questions

What is The Malta Escape about?

Payne and Jones become involved in the search for a Knights Hospitallers treasure in Malta while facing Ivan Volkov, a Russian crime boss seeking revenge.

Who wrote and narrates this audiobook?

The listing credits Chris Kuzneski as author and David Colacci as narrator.

How long is the audiobook?

The listed listening length is 14 hours and 43 minutes.

Is this the first Payne and Jones book?

No. The title identifies it as Payne & Jones Book 9.