Solitary Agents

EVERY TRAITOR WAS ONCE TRUSTED.... 'Goodman combines traditional elements - the nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré - with the topicality of 2020s technology' SUNDAY TIMES Jamie Tulloch and Sam Li never intended to be spies. Jamie, a former exec at a tech company, found himself caught up in a mission and discovered a taste for the secret world while Sam, a burnt-out corporate lawyer, was unexpectedly talent spotted by MI5. When both are plunged into covert training, they find themselves pitted against each other for their final evaluation - Exercise Red Poacher. Every year, MI6 trainees must evade capture, infiltrate sensitive sites and report back with the right intel, while their peers at MI5 try to stop them. But things take a sinister turn when they witness the apparent murder of one of their fellow recruits. Is it all part of the exercise? Or is someone trying to weaponise this game of spies into something far more deadly? Praise for David Goodman: 'If you think you've read every twist in every area of the genre, think again. Our winner has found a new take and delivers it with pace and propulsive storytelling. A Reluctant Spy is a sparkling new entry in the canon, with a vivid and unfamiliar setting as well as a gripping cast of characters. Don't start it last thing at night, or you might miss breakfast." VAL MCDERMID 'A propulsive, intelligent, ripped-from-the-headlines spy novel that's guaranteed to cost you hours of sleep. Highly recommended' DAVID McCLOSKEY 'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' THE SUN 'A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' FINANCIAL TIMES 'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' I.S. BERRY '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