A Reluctant Spy
A gripping spy thriller 'perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' (THE SUN)
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Headline Publishing Group
Published:5th Jun '25
Should be back in stock very soon
'Engrossing...ingenious...nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré' SUNDAY TIMES, THRILLERS OF THE MONTH
'A propulsive, intelligent, ripped-from-the-headlines spy novel that's guaranteed to cost you hours of sleep. Highly recommended' DAVID McCLOSKEY
'A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' THE SUN
Jamie Tulloch is a successful exec at a top tech company, a long way from the tough upbringing that drove him to rise so far and so quickly.
But he has a secret...since the age of 23, he's had a helping hand from the Legend Programme, a secret intelligence effort to prepare impenetrable backstories for undercover agents. Real people, living real lives, willing to hand over their identities for a few weeks in return for a helping hand with plum jobs, influence and access.
When his tap on the shoulder finally comes, it's swiftly followed by the thud of a body. Arriving at a French airport ready to hand over his identity, Jamie finds his primary contact dead, the agent who's supposed to step into his life AWOL and his options for escape non-existent.
Pitched into a deadly mission on hostile territory, Jamie must contend with a rogue Russian general, arms dealers, elite hackers, CIA tac-ops and the discovery of a brewing plan for war. Dangerously out of his depth, he must convince his sceptical mission handler he can do the job of a trained field agent while using his own life story as convincing cover.
Can Jamie play himself well enough to avoid being killed - and to avert a lethal global conflict?
'In the very top tier of espionage fiction' M. W. CRAVEN
'An excellent debut with terrific pace...will grip you to the end' JAMES SWALLOW
'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' I.S. BERRY
'I was on the edge of my seat the whole time' ANTONY JOHNSTON
'A rip-roaring page-turning keep-you-up-all-night thriller' NICHOLAS BINGE, author of ASCENSION
'Smart, riveting, and eerily prescient' SUNYI DEAN, Sunday Times Bestselling author of THE BOOK EATERS
'A pulse-pounding, twisting thrill-a-minute read that Slow Horses fans are going to absolutely...
Innocents have been caught up in espionage ever since The Thirty-Nine Steps. David Goodman's engrossing thriller offers an ingenious variation on the trope. Goodman combines traditional elements - the nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré - with the topicality of 2020s technology and the threat from Russia * SUNDAY TIMES *
A rip-roaring page-turning keep-you-up-all-night thriller -- Nick Binge, author of ASCENSION
Delving into the messy alliances of our post-Cold War world, A Reluctant Spy delivers a twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage set in sultry Zanzibar. Taut and suspenseful, it's as sharp as the salt and lime on a Tanzanian margarita. -- I.S. Berry
Ultra-modern espionage, globe-trotting action and high-octane fun - this is Spooks on steroids -- Tim Glister
Gleaming with freshness and verve, A Reluctant Spy is a pulse-pounding, twisting thrill-a-minute read that Slow Horses fans are going to absolutely love. There's a new spy king in town... -- Adam Simcox
Smart, riveting, and eerily prescient -- Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times Bestselling author of The Book Eaters
A brilliant high concept, fast-moving and impeccably told. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. -- Antony Johnston
A Reluctant Spy hits the ground running and never lets up. Clever, witty and all too believable; it's in the very top tier of espionage fiction -- M. W. Craven
All-too-relatable spy thriller that raised my heart rate and kept it hammering. -- Amber A. Logan
A Reluctant Spy is electrifying - a razor-sharp, warp-speed, tech-savvy spy thriller with a bang up-to-date geopolitical backdrop. Goodman will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page. -- CHRIS MERRITT
An excellent debut with terrific pace, David Goodman's 'A Reluctant Spy' will grip you to the end -- JAMES SWALLOW
A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut. * FINANCIAL TIMES *
One of the most polished assured debuts I've read in recent years. A killer concept, artfully executed. A Reluctant Spy is a galloping globe-trotting runaway read that I guarantee will have you in its clutches till the very last page. * ROBERT RUTHERFORD *
Wow. This book is worth the hype! A deliciously gripping thriller from a debut author. Punchy and tense, high stakes and characters to root for, I can see it on the big screen. Fantastic for spy/espionage/military fans or those that enjoy an unputdownable thriller. -- CLAIRE WILSON
A Reluctant Spy is a revelation: smart, gripping and laced with dark humour - a cutting-edge classic. -- DAVID WRAGG
ISBN: 9781035416028
Dimensions: 196mm x 126mm x 28mm
Weight: 265g
384 pages