Best Cat and Mouse Audiobooks

The highest-rated cat and mouse audiobooks, ranked by listeners. Browse 50 titles with top narrators.

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Cat and Mouse is about power dynamics played out through pursuit and evasion. One character holds the upper hand—whether through intellect, resources, or ruthlessness—while the other scrambles to stay ahead, outthink, or ultimately escape their hunter. What makes this trope electric is the constant shift in advantage. The prey might outsmart the predator. The hunter might underestimate their target. Readers love the chess-match pacing, the escalating stakes, and that moment when the hunted person turns the tables.

You'll find Cat and Mouse everywhere: thrillers where detectives close in on criminals, fantasy heists where con artists outwit their pursuers, historical fiction where fugitives evade capture, and psychological dramas where the power dynamics are ambiguous from page one. Expect sharp dialogue, clever tactics, and the constant tension of someone being one step away from getting caught—or catching.

These are the highest-rated cat and mouse audiobooks, ranked by listener ratings. A great narrator can elevate an already compelling trope — turning tension into an immersive experience.

  1. 1
    Savage Son cover

    Savage Son

    Terminal List • Book 3

    by Jack Carr

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    4.88 ABR Score (65.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.5 Goodreads (36.5K) ★ 4.87 Audible (28.8K)
    More about this pick

    Ray Porter transforms Carr's revenge thriller into pure adrenaline. His ability to shift between Reece's measured lethality and the chaos around him makes this the best entry in the series yet.

  2. 2
    Red Specter cover

    Red Specter

    The Tier One Thrillers • Book 5

    by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    4.79 ABR Score (10.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.65 Goodreads (3.9K) ★ 4.88 Audible (6.2K)
    More about this pick

    Ray Porter's gravelly intensity transforms this into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game that feels genuinely urgent—perfect for anyone who wants their espionage tense, tactical, and impossible to pause.

  3. 3
    Consent to Kill cover

    Consent to Kill

    Mitch Rapp • Book 8

    by Vince Flynn

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.73 ABR Score (66.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (53.1K) ★ 4.73 Audible (13.6K)
    More about this pick

    Mitch Rapp's ruthless counterterrorism methods finally provoke retaliation when foreign agents target his personal life, forcing him to balance vengeance against protecting those he loves most.

  4. 4
    Reunion in Death cover

    Reunion in Death

    In Death • Book 14

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.71 ABR Score (36.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (32.6K) ★ 4.81 Audible (4.1K)
    More about this pick

    A birthday party becomes a murder scene when a mysterious woman with emerald eyes poisons the guest of honor, launching Eve Dallas into a case that resurrects dangerous ghosts from her past.

  5. 5
    Oath of Loyalty cover

    Oath of Loyalty

    Mitch Rapp • Book 21

    by Kyle Mills, Vince Flynn

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.71 ABR Score (31.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.48 Goodreads (24.5K) ★ 4.75 Audible (7.1K)
    More about this pick

    Mitch Rapp goes into exile when the President declares him a threat, but global terrorism forces him back into action. George Guidall's authoritative narration suits this high-stakes political thriller perfectly.

  6. 6
    Imitation in Death cover

    Imitation in Death

    In Death • Book 17

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.71 ABR Score (37.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (32.8K) ★ 4.82 Audible (4.7K)
    More about this pick

    A killer studies history's most notorious serial murderers and recreates their crimes in 2059 New York, personally challenging Lieutenant Eve Dallas to a deadly game of identification.

  7. 7
    The Hard Line cover

    The Hard Line

    Gray Man • Book 15

    by Mark Greaney

    Narrated by Jay Snyder

    4.70 ABR Score (4.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.68 Goodreads (2.6K) ★ 4.91 Audible (1.9K)
    More about this pick

    Court Gentry discovers he's become the target instead of the hunter in this role-reversal thriller. Snyder's controlled performance captures the Gray Man's realization that family loyalty cuts both ways.

  8. 8
    War Shadows cover

    War Shadows

    Tier One • Book 2

    by Brian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    4.69 ABR Score (17.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.47 Goodreads (7.3K) ★ 4.75 Audible (10.0K)
    More about this pick

    Ray Porter's commanding performance drives this globe-spanning thriller where ex-SEAL John Dempsey hunts a decade-old enemy across three continents.

  9. 9
    The Hunt for Red October cover

    The Hunt for Red October

    Jack Ryan • Book 3

    by Tom Clancy

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.69 ABR Score (402.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (389.7K) ★ 4.78 Audible (13.1K)
    More about this pick

    Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius attempts to defect with Russia's most advanced nuclear sub. Scott Brick's authoritative narration matches Clancy's technical precision in this cat-and-mouse thriller that launched the Jack Ryan series.

  10. 10
    Devoted in Death cover

    Devoted in Death

    In Death • Book 41

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.68 ABR Score (30.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (24.9K) ★ 4.75 Audible (5.6K)
    More about this pick

    Dallas hunts a killer couple carving hearts into their victims while traveling cross-country on a murder spree. Susan Ericksen continues her stellar work as the voice of this long-running futuristic police procedural.

  11. 11
    Final Option cover

    Final Option

    The Oregon Files • Book 14

    by Clive Cussler, Boyd Morrison

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.67 ABR Score (10.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.48 Goodreads (8.0K) ★ 4.82 Audible (2.9K)
    More about this pick

    Scott Brick's crisp, propulsive narration turns this Cussler techno-thriller into pure adrenaline—he nails the rapid-fire dialogue and keeps the momentum relentless for over 10 hours.

  12. 12
    Creation in Death cover

    Creation in Death

    In Death • Book 25

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.66 ABR Score (33.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.4 Goodreads (30.2K) ★ 4.77 Audible (3.0K)
    More about this pick

    Eve Dallas faces her most chilling case when a killer from nine years past returns to New York with the same twisted signature and refined methods.

  13. 13
    Kill Shot cover

    Kill Shot

    Mitch Rapp • Book 2

    by Vince Flynn

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.65 ABR Score (78.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (60.7K) ★ 4.65 Audible (17.9K)
    More about this pick

    Assassin Mitch Rapp becomes the hunted when his latest kill in Paris goes wrong, forcing him underground while enemies close in from all sides. Guidall's narration matches the relentless pace as Rapp fights for survival.

  14. 14
    The Crossing cover

    The Crossing

    Harry Bosch • Book 18

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Titus Welliver

    4.64 ABR Score (91.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (72.4K) ★ 4.67 Audible (19.2K)
    More about this pick

    Retired detective Harry Bosch reluctantly helps his defense attorney half-brother Mickey Haller prove a client's innocence. Welliver's familiarity with Bosch shines as the character struggles with working for the defense.

  15. 15
    Enemy at the Gates cover

    Enemy at the Gates

    Mitch Rapp • Book 20

    by Kyle Mills, Vince Flynn

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.64 ABR Score (30.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (23.8K) ★ 4.67 Audible (7.0K)
    More about this pick

    George Guidall's steady, authoritative narration transforms this Mitch Rapp thriller into pure espionage immersion—he makes every betrayal and mole hunt feel genuinely dangerous.

  16. 16
    Loyalty in Death cover

    Loyalty in Death

    In Death • Book 9

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.64 ABR Score (42.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (38.3K) ★ 4.75 Audible (3.9K)
    More about this pick

    Bombs target Eve Dallas personally while an unknown terrorist taunts her with letters in futuristic New York. Susan Ericksen handles the cat-and-mouse tension with characteristic precision.

  17. 17
    Backlash cover

    Backlash

    Scot Harvath • Book 18

    by Brad Thor

    Narrated by Armand Schultz

    4.63 ABR Score (22.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (17.2K) ★ 4.69 Audible (5.4K)
    More about this pick

    Scot Harvath crashes in remote Russian wilderness and must survive both the elements and enemy forces hunting him in this stripped-down survival thriller that tests every skill he's learned.

  18. 18
    The Law of Innocence cover

    The Law of Innocence

    A Lincoln Lawyer Novel • Book 6

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Peter Giles

    4.63 ABR Score (93.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.35 Goodreads (78.6K) ★ 4.6 Audible (15.3K)
  19. 19
    The Huntress cover

    The Huntress

    by Kate Quinn

    Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

    4.60 ABR Score (231.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.3 Goodreads (217.5K) ★ 4.66 Audible (14.3K)
  20. 20
    The Lincoln Lawyer cover

    The Lincoln Lawyer

    A Lincoln Lawyer Novel • Book 1

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Adam Grupper

    4.60 ABR Score (279.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.23 Goodreads (258.9K) ★ 4.57 Audible (20.2K)
    More about this pick

    Mickey Haller's mobile law practice from the back of his Lincoln gets complicated when defending a wealthy playboy accused of assault leads him into a web connecting his current and past cases.

  21. 21
    Takedown cover

    Takedown

    Scot Harvath • Book 5

    by Brad Thor

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.60 ABR Score (28.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (25.4K) ★ 4.75 Audible (3.4K)
    More about this pick

    Manhattan's bridges and tunnels destroyed in a Fourth of July attack trap residents while Middle Eastern soldiers hunt for one man with dangerous secrets.

  22. 22
    Dark Horse cover

    Dark Horse

    An Orphan X Novel • Book 7

    by Gregg Hurwitz

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.59 ABR Score (21.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (16.9K) ★ 4.68 Audible (4.6K)
    More about this pick

    Scott Brick's measured intensity perfectly captures Evan Smoak's controlled precision in this seventh installment—a thriller that rewards longtime fans while delivering genuine stakes and moral complexity.

  23. 23
    The Power of the Dog cover

    The Power of the Dog

    Power of the Dog • Book 1

    by Don Winslow

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    4.58 ABR Score (59.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (49.4K) ★ 4.57 Audible (10.1K)
    More about this pick

    Winslow chronicles thirty years of DEA agent Art Keller's obsessive war against Mexican cartels, following multiple characters through corruption, betrayal, and bloody revenge across the drug trade.

  24. 24
    The Sum of All Fears cover

    The Sum of All Fears

    Jack Ryan • Book 6

    by Tom Clancy

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.58 ABR Score (75.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.08 Goodreads (67.0K) ★ 4.75 Audible (8.2K)
    More about this pick

    Jack Ryan works on Middle Eastern peace negotiations while facing the terrifying possibility that the U.S. President may be incompetent during a massive crisis.

  25. 25
    The Death of Dulgath cover

    The Death of Dulgath

    The Riyria Chronicles • Book 3

    by Michael J. Sullivan

    Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

    4.58 ABR Score (30.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (21.3K) ★ 4.73 Audible (9.0K)
    More about this pick

    Hired to prevent an assassination, Royce and Hadrian discover that saving the last of an ancient noble line means navigating political schemes and magical threats. Tim Gerard Reynolds captures both the witty banter and underlying darkness of their partnership.

  26. 26
    Persuader cover

    Persuader

    Jack Reacher • Book 7

    by Lee Child

    Narrated by Dick Hill

    4.56 ABR Score (110.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.15 Goodreads (105.6K) ★ 4.69 Audible (5.2K)
    More about this pick

    Dick Hill's gravelly narration makes Reacher's methodical revenge feel inevitable and personal, turning this into the series' most satisfying entry where every slow-burn setup pays off.

  27. 27
    The First Commandment cover

    The First Commandment

    Scot Harvath • Book 6

    by Brad Thor

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.55 ABR Score (30.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.27 Goodreads (26.1K) ★ 4.67 Audible (4.5K)
    More about this pick

    A sadistic killer targets everyone close to counterterrorism agent Scot Harvath, forcing him to launch an unauthorized revenge mission.

  28. 28
    A Killer's Mind cover

    A Killer's Mind

    Zoe Bentley Mystery • Book 1

    by Mike Omer

    Narrated by Brittany Pressley

    4.55 ABR Score (77.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (63.7K) ★ 4.58 Audible (13.3K)
    More about this pick

    When forensic psychologist Zoe Bentley investigates three embalmed Chicago women posed as if alive, the FBI's darkest case gets personal fast. Brittany Pressley captures both Zoe's analytical mind and growing dread perfectly.

  29. 29
    Deathmatch cover

    Deathmatch

    Arisen • Book 11

    by Michael Stephen Fuchs

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    4.54 ABR Score (4.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.47 Goodreads (1.6K) ★ 4.81 Audible (2.4K)
    More about this pick

    Elite military operators face their deadliest enemy yet: enhanced soldiers with their skills but zero humanity. R.C. Bray's intensity matches the brutal stakes.

  30. 30
    The Dark Horse cover

    The Dark Horse

    Walt Longmire • Book 5

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.54 ABR Score (28.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.3 Goodreads (21.6K) ★ 4.65 Audible (7.1K)
    More about this pick

    Sheriff Walt Longmire goes undercover to investigate a woman who allegedly shot her horse-burning husband six times in the head. George Guidall captures Longmire's dry wit and the dusty desperation of rural Wyoming perfectly.

  31. 31
    Tripwire cover

    Tripwire

    Jack Reacher • Book 3

    by Lee Child

    Narrated by Johnathan McClain

    4.53 ABR Score (159.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (143.3K) ★ 4.58 Audible (16.4K)
    More about this pick

    Reacher investigates his former commanding officer's disappearance and confronts a Vietnam-era war criminal with prosthetic hooks for hands—Child's most personal and vicious villain yet.

  32. 32
    A Serpent's Tooth cover

    A Serpent's Tooth

    Walt Longmire • Book 9

    by Craig Johnson

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.53 ABR Score (24.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.3 Goodreads (17.1K) ★ 4.65 Audible (7.2K)
    More about this pick

    Walt Longmire investigates a highway shooting involving a polygamist compound while navigating family secrets and federal complications in Wyoming's high country.

  33. 33
    Dance of Death cover

    Dance of Death

    Pendergast • Book 6

    by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.53 ABR Score (40.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (35.7K) ★ 4.67 Audible (4.2K)
    More about this pick

    Agent Pendergast faces his most personal enemy yet—his own brother Diogenes—in a deadly game of cat and mouse through New York's cultural institutions.

  34. 34
    Legion's Fifth Vault cover

    Legion's Fifth Vault

    Divine Apostasy • Book 5

    by A.F. Kay

    Narrated by Travis Baldree

    4.52 ABR Score (4.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.56 Goodreads (2.7K) ★ 4.85 Audible (1.5K)
    More about this pick

    Breaking into the world's most secure prison requires winning a combat championship in front of thousands while staying anonymous in a god's city. Baldree's performance matches the absurdity of this impossible heist.

  35. 35
    House of Spies cover

    House of Spies

    Gabriel Allon • Book 17

    by Daniel Silva

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.52 ABR Score (39.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.31 Goodreads (35.1K) ★ 4.58 Audible (4.5K)
    More about this pick

    Gabriel Allon hunts the ISIS mastermind called Saladin across Europe and North Africa, assembling a network of operatives for the most personal mission of his career.

  36. 36
    The Black Widow cover

    The Black Widow

    Gabriel Allon • Book 16

    by Daniel Silva

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.51 ABR Score (45.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (38.2K) ★ 4.53 Audible (7.0K)
    More about this pick

    Gabriel Allon goes undercover to infiltrate ISIS after a Paris bombing, using art restoration skills for espionage. George Guidall balances the intellectual spy work with visceral terrorism threats.

  37. 37
    The Lies of Locke Lamora cover

    The Lies of Locke Lamora

    Gentleman Bastard Sequence • Book 1

    by Scott Lynch

    Narrated by Michael Page

    4.51 ABR Score (348.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.3 Goodreads (345.8K) ★ 4.63 Audible (2.2K)
    More about this pick

    Lynch's gentleman thief Locke runs elaborate cons in the Venice-like city of Camorr until a mysterious adversary threatens his crew of Bastards.

  38. 38
    The Hit cover

    The Hit

    Will Robie • Book 2

    by David Baldacci

    Narrated by Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy

    4.51 ABR Score (92.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (79.7K) ★ 4.54 Audible (12.6K)
    More about this pick

    Government assassin Will Robie faces off against Jessica Reel, a fellow killer who's gone rogue, in Baldacci's cat-and-mouse thriller that McLarty and Cassidy handle with professional precision.

  39. 39
    The Reversal cover

    The Reversal

    The Lincoln Lawyer • Book 3

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Peter Giles

    4.50 ABR Score (105.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.23 Goodreads (93.0K) ★ 4.57 Audible (12.1K)
    More about this pick

    Defense attorney Mickey Haller switches sides to prosecute the retrial of a convicted child killer freed by DNA evidence, partnering with Harry Bosch to prove the man's still guilty. Connelly expertly explores both sides of the criminal justice system.

  40. 40
    Near Dark cover

    Near Dark

    The Scot Harvath Series • Book 19

    by Brad Thor

    Narrated by Armand Schultz

    4.49 ABR Score (21.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (16.4K) ★ 4.61 Audible (4.7K)
  41. 41
    Tom Clancy Shadow State (A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel Book 18) cover

    Tom Clancy Shadow State (A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel Book 18)

    Jack Ryan, Jr. • Book 18

    by M.P. Woodward

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.49 ABR Score (7.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (6.1K) ★ 4.69 Audible (1.1K)
    More about this pick

    Jack Ryan Jr. survives a helicopter crash in Vietnam only to uncover a conspiracy threatening Western investors. The latest Clancy thriller blends modern economic espionage with classic action sequences across Southeast Asia.

  42. 42
    Black Ice cover

    Black Ice

    The Scot Harvath Series • Book 20

    by Brad Thor

    Narrated by Armand Schultz

    4.49 ABR Score (21.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (17.6K) ★ 4.6 Audible (3.6K)
  43. 43
    The Day of the Jackal cover

    The Day of the Jackal

    by Frederick Forsyth

    Narrated by Simon Prebble

    4.49 ABR Score (152.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.27 Goodreads (146.8K) ★ 4.49 Audible (5.6K)
    More about this pick

    An anonymous assassin stalks Charles de Gaulle while French police race to unmask him in this cat-and-mouse thriller that practically invented the modern political assassination plot.

  44. 44
    Bad Luck and Trouble cover

    Bad Luck and Trouble

    Jack Reacher • Book 11

    by Lee Child

    Narrated by Dick Hill

    4.48 ABR Score (112.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (104.5K) ★ 4.5 Audible (8.0K)
    More about this pick

    Someone is systematically hunting Reacher's old army investigation unit, starting with a man dropped from a helicopter over the California desert. The premise hooks immediately, and Hill maintains tension as Reacher reunites with survivors.

  45. 45
    An Inside Job cover

    An Inside Job

    Gabriel Allon • Book 25

    by Daniel Silva

    Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

    4.48 ABR Score (26.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (24.8K) ★ 4.58 Audible (1.3K)
    More about this pick

    Art restorer Gabriel Allon discovers a masterpiece is fake, launching him into Venice's shadowy art underworld. Ballerini's sophisticated delivery matches Silva's elegant prose in this latest spy thriller.

  46. 46
    Tom Clancy’s Firing Point cover

    Tom Clancy’s Firing Point

    A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel • Book 7

    by Mike Maden

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.47 ABR Score (12.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (9.1K) ★ 4.65 Audible (3.6K)
    More about this pick

    Scott Brick's measured intensity is perfect for this one—he captures Jack Ryan's controlled fury as he hunts down answers across an international conspiracy that keeps twisting just when you think you've got it figured out.

  47. 47
    The New Girl cover

    The New Girl

    Gabriel Allon • Book 19

    by Daniel Silva

    Narrated by George Guidall

    4.47 ABR Score (39.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (34.4K) ★ 4.53 Audible (4.8K)
  48. 48
    Clive Cussler Ghost Soldier cover

    Clive Cussler Ghost Soldier

    Oregon Files • Book 18

    by Mike Maden

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    4.47 ABR Score (5.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.49 Goodreads (4.9K) ★ 4.76 Audible (516)
    More about this pick

    Juan Cabrillo faces his most sophisticated adversary yet when African jihadis acquire mysterious American weapons. Scott Brick's familiar voice guides listeners through another high-tech Oregon Files adventure.

  49. 49
    Criss Cross cover

    Criss Cross

    Alex Cross Adventures • Book 27

    by James Patterson

    Narrated by Andre Blake

    4.47 ABR Score (29.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (26.8K) ★ 4.61 Audible (2.2K)
  50. 50
    Command Authority cover

    Command Authority

    Jack Ryan, Jr. • Book 5

    by Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney

    Narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips

    4.46 ABR Score (27.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (19.0K) ★ 4.57 Audible (8.4K)
    More about this pick

    Jack Ryan Sr. confronts a decades-old KGB assassin while his son hunts the same killer in modern-day Estonia. Lou Diamond Phillips brings gravitas to this dual-timeline thriller spanning Cold War espionage and contemporary cyber warfare.

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

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