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Spycatcher #1
Spycatcher
The most electrifying espionage thriller debut in years--and one of the first in modern memory to be written by a former agent under his own name . . .
Matthew Dunn spent years as an MI6 field operative working on some of the West's most clandestine missions. He recruited and ran agents, planned and participated in special operations, and operated deep undercover throughout the world. In Spycatcher he draws on this fascinating experience to breathe urgent, dynamic new life into the contemporary spy novel.
Featuring deft and daring super spy Will Cochrane, Dunn paints a nerve-jangling, bracingly authentic picture of today's secret world. It is a place where trust is precious and betrayal is cheap--and where violent death is the reward for being outplayed by your enemy.
Will Cochrane, the CIA's and MI6's most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he's never been outplayed. So far . . .
Will's controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today's most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man's past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced--and survived--up to now.
Matthew Dunn spent years as an MI6 field operative working on some of the West's most clandestine missions. He recruited and ran agents, planned and participated in special operations, and operated deep undercover throughout the world. In Spycatcher he draws on this fascinating experience to breathe urgent, dynamic new life into the contemporary spy novel.
Featuring deft and daring super spy Will Cochrane, Dunn paints a nerve-jangling, bracingly authentic picture of today's secret world. It is a place where trust is precious and betrayal is cheap--and where violent death is the reward for being outplayed by your enemy.
Will Cochrane, the CIA's and MI6's most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he's never been outplayed. So far . . .
Will's controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today's most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man's past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced--and survived--up to now.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2011
226 people are currently reading
1807 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Dunn
16 books275 followersMatthew Dunn was an MI6 intelligence officer who spent years operating around the world on matters pertaining to the national security of Great Britain and its allies. For the last decade he has been an author and has written 14 published books. He is the author of the "Spycatcher" series and "Ben Sign" series of espionage-mystery noir novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
May 1, 2020
I enjoyed this duel of stories turned into one. Mr. Dunn writes with much interest and intrigue for his audience and he demonstrates that repeatedly throughout this novel with the hero chasing the villain before being chased himself. The twists are there and your mind is exercised. 8 of 10 stars!
August 18, 2011
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard is plannign a terror attack against the West and it's up to MI6's top agent Will Cochrane to ferret out the terrorist mastermind, a fellow spy calling himself Meggido. But what is the connection between Cochrane and Meggido? And is Cochrane willing to use the woman he's falling for to bait a trap for Meggido?
I won this in a Firstreads giveway.
The good parts:
Spycatcher is a decent thriller. Since Matthew Dunn is a former MI6 agent, the action has a gritty authenticity to it. Will Cochrane reminds me of Daniel Craig as James Bond, only tougher and less pretty. It was suspenseful at the appropriate times but not an orgy of violence.
One of the things I liked most about Spycatcher was that while the villains were Muslim terrorists, Dunn didn't beat me over the head with his political beliefs. Not once did I feel like I was being preached to about the evils of the Muslim religion. Brad Thor could learn a thing or two from Dunn's even-handedness.
The not so good parts:
The writing was pretty bland. Maybe it's because I'm a cynical curmudgeon but I found 90% of the twists to be fairly predictable, from Meggido's connection to Cochrane's past to Cochrane falling for Lana. I pretty sure the publisher was banking on Dunn's past as a MI6 operative to sell the book. At no time did I feel like Cochrane was in any real danger and frequently had the urge to skip to the end.
Other observations:
All of the Americans' dialogue seemed British to me. I'd chalk this up to Dunn's inexperience.
The "thrilling" conclusion:
Spycatcher isn't a bad book. It was a gripping way to spend a few hours. Just don't expect it to revolutionize the thriller genre.
I won this in a Firstreads giveway.
The good parts:
Spycatcher is a decent thriller. Since Matthew Dunn is a former MI6 agent, the action has a gritty authenticity to it. Will Cochrane reminds me of Daniel Craig as James Bond, only tougher and less pretty. It was suspenseful at the appropriate times but not an orgy of violence.
One of the things I liked most about Spycatcher was that while the villains were Muslim terrorists, Dunn didn't beat me over the head with his political beliefs. Not once did I feel like I was being preached to about the evils of the Muslim religion. Brad Thor could learn a thing or two from Dunn's even-handedness.
The not so good parts:
The writing was pretty bland. Maybe it's because I'm a cynical curmudgeon but I found 90% of the twists to be fairly predictable, from Meggido's connection to Cochrane's past to Cochrane falling for Lana. I pretty sure the publisher was banking on Dunn's past as a MI6 operative to sell the book. At no time did I feel like Cochrane was in any real danger and frequently had the urge to skip to the end.
Other observations:
All of the Americans' dialogue seemed British to me. I'd chalk this up to Dunn's inexperience.
The "thrilling" conclusion:
Spycatcher isn't a bad book. It was a gripping way to spend a few hours. Just don't expect it to revolutionize the thriller genre.
March 28, 2012
Even though I'm just getting started with this book, I can feel myself becoming more virile & manly within the first 100 pages of my introduction to Will Cock Cochrane. He is so badass that you might even be risking pregnancy just by reading this review-- and I'm including men in this warning. The only reason I'm not having twins is due to my years of practice in not getting pregnant. You have been warned.
********************
Update:29Feb12
I just can't do it anymore. I haven't picked this book up in a week. Slightly more than 150 pages in and all I'm doing is looking for things to mock. I'm taking notes. There's no other reason to continue, and I've got other (better) books to read. The prose is clunky and over-written. The hero is supposed to be a super-badass secret-agent man, but a super-badass secret-agent man with a soft, gooey inner delicacy just waiting for the right time/woman, but really he's just kind of a dick. And how do we, the reading public know our hero, Will Cochrane, is a super-badass, etc? Because he keeps telling everyone.
To be continued....
********************
Update:29Feb12
I just can't do it anymore. I haven't picked this book up in a week. Slightly more than 150 pages in and all I'm doing is looking for things to mock. I'm taking notes. There's no other reason to continue, and I've got other (better) books to read. The prose is clunky and over-written. The hero is supposed to be a super-badass secret-agent man, but a super-badass secret-agent man with a soft, gooey inner delicacy just waiting for the right time/woman, but really he's just kind of a dick. And how do we, the reading public know our hero, Will Cochrane, is a super-badass, etc? Because he keeps telling everyone.
To be continued....
March 6, 2012
The author’s real life resume in the spy game had me more than willing to give this a chance. A glowing recommendation by Lee Child didn’t hurt either. In spite of three attempts, I couldn’t get beyond a ludicrous chapter one.
Instead of a snarky review, I’ll just quote three sentences from the book.
Opening sentence:
“You’re sure that I won’t be killed today?”
Hmm. This reader sure hopes the obvious doesn’t occur and reads on.
Descriptive sentences:
The two men became silent. The rain hit their faces with increased intensity.
Hmmm. I sense this prose was translated from the original Vulcan.
Last sentences:
Will lifted his gun and placed it’s nozzle against Soroush’s temple. He closed his eyes and whispered, “Good-bye, old friend.”
Then he pulled the trigger and shot Soroush dead.
Hmmmmmm. At least I got a laugh out of this. A garden hose has a nozzle. A gun has a muzzle. Even though the protagonist has three gunshot wounds to the gut, he rebounds in chapter two. That’s pretty funny too but I don’t read much humor, so I’m looking for something else to read.
Instead of a snarky review, I’ll just quote three sentences from the book.
Opening sentence:
“You’re sure that I won’t be killed today?”
Hmm. This reader sure hopes the obvious doesn’t occur and reads on.
Descriptive sentences:
The two men became silent. The rain hit their faces with increased intensity.
Hmmm. I sense this prose was translated from the original Vulcan.
Last sentences:
Will lifted his gun and placed it’s nozzle against Soroush’s temple. He closed his eyes and whispered, “Good-bye, old friend.”
Then he pulled the trigger and shot Soroush dead.
Hmmmmmm. At least I got a laugh out of this. A garden hose has a nozzle. A gun has a muzzle. Even though the protagonist has three gunshot wounds to the gut, he rebounds in chapter two. That’s pretty funny too but I don’t read much humor, so I’m looking for something else to read.
August 18, 2012
Apparently Matthew Dunn was a real life MI6 agent, involved in dozens of successful missions and (despite a reminder that "Medals are never awarded to modern MI6 officers") Dunn was personally commended for his actions on one mission that was "so significant that it directly influenced the successful conclusion of a major international incident.*"
Does this lead to a more realistic spy thriller? Decidedly not.
I mean, on one hand, the various spy agencies actually do what they're supposed to do. MI6 and CIA do human intelligence**. NSA does cryptography.*** On the other hand, Will, the intelligence officer in question, wantonly slaughters dozens of Iranian operatives (many of them in central park, no less) not to mention operatives from a bunch of other countries as well. Somehow, I think if this were an actual day in the life of an MI6 field agent we would be reading about them in the press somewhat more frequently.****
The writing is dreadful. Lots of paragraphs that are structured like, "Will did this thing. Will did this other thing. Will knew that this implausibly detailed thing would happen because of his time as a field agent in Prague in 1997." The dialogue is equally stilted and dull.
I know a hallmark of the spy novel is the globetrotting, but in this book it was downright excessive. Will zips back and forth between 3 or four countries keeping ducks in a row and checking in on people. Characters randomly demand meetings in various and sundry other European cities. Clearly in the universe of this book, you don't have to arrive at the airport 2 hours early, because if you did, Will would have spent the entire length of the plot sitting in a waiting room. Furthermore, none of the cities visited have any real personality--all the action could have happened in one country and the story would not have suffered one bit.
For all this, the book moves very swiftly. The tension kicks in on the first page and doesn't really let up until the end. It was enjoyable to read, even if, in retrospect, it wasn't very good.
* Source: his author bio on the back cover.
** And, to be fair, the mission is to recruit an operative, which I gather is fairly realistic.
*** None of this Halle Barry in a bright orange bikini bull$#^&.
**** "Our source was the New York Times."
Does this lead to a more realistic spy thriller? Decidedly not.
I mean, on one hand, the various spy agencies actually do what they're supposed to do. MI6 and CIA do human intelligence**. NSA does cryptography.*** On the other hand, Will, the intelligence officer in question, wantonly slaughters dozens of Iranian operatives (many of them in central park, no less) not to mention operatives from a bunch of other countries as well. Somehow, I think if this were an actual day in the life of an MI6 field agent we would be reading about them in the press somewhat more frequently.****
The writing is dreadful. Lots of paragraphs that are structured like, "Will did this thing. Will did this other thing. Will knew that this implausibly detailed thing would happen because of his time as a field agent in Prague in 1997." The dialogue is equally stilted and dull.
I know a hallmark of the spy novel is the globetrotting, but in this book it was downright excessive. Will zips back and forth between 3 or four countries keeping ducks in a row and checking in on people. Characters randomly demand meetings in various and sundry other European cities. Clearly in the universe of this book, you don't have to arrive at the airport 2 hours early, because if you did, Will would have spent the entire length of the plot sitting in a waiting room. Furthermore, none of the cities visited have any real personality--all the action could have happened in one country and the story would not have suffered one bit.
For all this, the book moves very swiftly. The tension kicks in on the first page and doesn't really let up until the end. It was enjoyable to read, even if, in retrospect, it wasn't very good.
* Source: his author bio on the back cover.
** And, to be fair, the mission is to recruit an operative, which I gather is fairly realistic.
*** None of this Halle Barry in a bright orange bikini bull$#^&.
**** "Our source was the New York Times."
September 13, 2011
From ReadingWithMo: http://www.readingwithmo.com/2011/08/...
I typically enjoy fast action, suspense thrillers. I am usually able to set realism aside, and enjoy a good shootem' up story. But the action in Spycatcher is so far removed from reality that it was just not an enjoyable read. The main character, Will Cochrane, was able to endure so many injuries and still function that there was no suspense. It was a given that he would walk away from whatever the bad guy could dish out.
The characters were mostly one dimensional stereotypes. Few had any development at all. It seemed like they were pulled from various spy movies and just thrown into the plot with little planning. The dialogue did not flow well and I admit I found myself skimming quite a bit just to get through this one.
This one just did not work for me. It seems people either loved this one or hated it. You will just have to decide for yourself.
I typically enjoy fast action, suspense thrillers. I am usually able to set realism aside, and enjoy a good shootem' up story. But the action in Spycatcher is so far removed from reality that it was just not an enjoyable read. The main character, Will Cochrane, was able to endure so many injuries and still function that there was no suspense. It was a given that he would walk away from whatever the bad guy could dish out.
The characters were mostly one dimensional stereotypes. Few had any development at all. It seemed like they were pulled from various spy movies and just thrown into the plot with little planning. The dialogue did not flow well and I admit I found myself skimming quite a bit just to get through this one.
This one just did not work for me. It seems people either loved this one or hated it. You will just have to decide for yourself.
March 15, 2021
Will Cochran is very arrogant and thinks he is untouchable and the best when really he does get hurt and is very stupid. This seemed very unrealistic at times.
May 5, 2011
Will Cochrane is an agent for MI6, a very special agent designated with the code name Spartan, the name of the very difficult program for which he trained and passed. Only one agent at a time had that code name and it was his until he was killed.
After a failed assignment in the States, an Iranian he'd handled for information on terrorists activities for years had died at Will's hand, at the man's insistence, rather than let him fall back into Iranian hands, he returns to the States for a new mission, still recovering from three bullet wounds in his gut.
Word had gotten out of a new terrorist act planned for either Germany or the United States. An elusive terrorist leader was in charge, a man known all the way back to the latter days of the Shah's regime in Iran. Will's boss in MI6 and his opposite number in the CIA had escaped back then because of the efforts, and the life, of one man.
That man had been Will's father.
Will is charged with finding this elusive man and learning from him exactly what is planned. And stop it of course.
No easy job.
Matthew Dunn's writing, crisp and clean, took me back to my days of youth when I;d found Fleming's Bond novels and Le Carre's George Smiley. This book falls somewhere between those two styles, a mix of then and today's modern thrillers.
After a failed assignment in the States, an Iranian he'd handled for information on terrorists activities for years had died at Will's hand, at the man's insistence, rather than let him fall back into Iranian hands, he returns to the States for a new mission, still recovering from three bullet wounds in his gut.
Word had gotten out of a new terrorist act planned for either Germany or the United States. An elusive terrorist leader was in charge, a man known all the way back to the latter days of the Shah's regime in Iran. Will's boss in MI6 and his opposite number in the CIA had escaped back then because of the efforts, and the life, of one man.
That man had been Will's father.
Will is charged with finding this elusive man and learning from him exactly what is planned. And stop it of course.
No easy job.
Matthew Dunn's writing, crisp and clean, took me back to my days of youth when I;d found Fleming's Bond novels and Le Carre's George Smiley. This book falls somewhere between those two styles, a mix of then and today's modern thrillers.
August 6, 2011
Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn delivers all the lightning-quick action and suspense the genre and synopsis promise. Sometimes the plot was a bit dizzying, moving from European capital to European capital, from city streets, to snow-covered wilderness. If you want a thrilling ride which hardly gives you time to breathe – Spycatcher is your book. The fact that the author is a former M16 field officer with 70 successful missions to his credit lends the plot and the small details some serious cred and authenticity (although the author stresses he has not revealed any secrets of his former employer as to do so would put lives in danger). Be prepared for a lot of confusing, official-sounding acronyms, though.
The centerpiece of the cloak-and-dagger tale and what anchors its hyperactive plot is the somber character of Will Cochrane. Will is Daniel Craig’s Bond to the 10th power – exceptional as a spy, able to withstand the most grueling and impossibly dangerous situations, and a loner haunted by demons. His heroic father sacrificed himself on the field in order to save his friends and his mother was murdered in front of his young eyes. His traumatic childhood, however, is what secretly drives him to become the best of the best as an M16 operative:
"No man of your generation had ever done the year-long program and lived. However, you not only survived but excelled in the program, and as a result you became our most deadly and effective operative. There is never allowed to be more than one of you, so while you live you are the only man who has our most distinguished code name: Spartan."
Unlike Bond, though, Will has an unerring sense of justice – that his job, his skills, and that he exist to punish evil-doers, right wrongs, and to protect the innocent. This obligation to do what is right clashes with his role as “Spartan” – to be a cool-headed and obedient tool for his superiors. It also puts him in even more danger, for like his father, Will doesn’t hesitate to risk his life and disregard protocol when innocent lives are in danger. Despite the treacherous life he leads, Will is not at all hardened. In fact, his emotions are vulnerable to manipulation. Just the possibility of being able to avenge his father, used by his superiors to make him do what he is reluctant to do, also leads him to willingly sacrifice himself if it came to that.
"'Do you understand the risks you are taking with such a man? You are telling Megiddo to kill you.'
"Will imagined the pain his father must have felt in the Evin Prison torture room. 'I want Megiddo to come after me. I want him to view me as tethered bait. I want him to realize too late that it is he who is the prey and I who am the predator.
"'And then like all true predators, I will rip my prey apart.'"
Even more enigmatic than Will is his opponent, Megiddo – a super-villain who seems to be one step ahead of Will at all times. The author very skillfully builds the reader’s anxiety and fascination with Megiddo as he is spoken of and felt but never seen for almost all of the book, his off-screen presence gradually building with dangerous anticipation until the climax.
The climax had some unexpected revelations but one twist was not a surprise and I could actually see coming from almost the beginning of the book, so it wasn’t as shocking as it was meant to be. In a world of shifty allegiances and double-dealings, Will ought to have seen this betrayal coming from the outset. Again and again, the author portrayed Will as keenly observant and able to read people instantly and accurately – yet for some reason common sense eludes him and he maintains a blind spot.
I also didn’t buy how quickly he cares for Lana, the bait he is forced to use to lure Megiddo out into the open, so much so that he’s willing to throw the whole operation for her.
I have some dissatisfaction with minor stylistic details: The first chapter of Spycatcher had some info-dumping that made for a clumsy beginning. I decided to ignore it though and was rewarded. The author also has a writing tic that needs to be edited better in the coming books where entire paragraphs have a series of sentences that start the same way: I want, I want, I want; He remembered, He remembered, He remembered; He saw, He saw, He saw. This happened repeatedly and like the info-dumping distracted me from the story. I’m not sure if this is left over from the author’s report-writing days as a field officer, but it just results in a choppy narrative.
August 15, 2011
I just finished reading this novel, and I have to say that I enjoyed the last part of it more than the beginning. Why you might ask? The reason is that halfway through my reading of the novel I had the good fortune of interviewing the author on my blogtalk radio show The G-ZONE. Matthew Dunn’s voice is smooth, silky, and yet vibrant. I had gotten a sense of why and how he was able to recruit so many spies; he was pretty captivating. I had his voice in my head as I read the rest of the novel, just like he was narrating it for me. The other fun part was trying to figure out how much of his main character is fact and how much may be fiction. I love the main character he has created in Will, aka Spartan. My suggestion is that if you have read this fast paced novel to tune into the show; I have the link here in the post, or if you are planning on reading it, give it a listen and grab Matthew Dunn’s essence. It will make things that much better for you.
Here is the link to the show and then the synopsis:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
“Matthew Dunn spent years as an MI6 field operative working on some of the West’s most clandestine missions. He recruited and ran agents, planned and participated in special operations, and operated deep undercover throughout the world. In Spycatcher he draws on this fascinating experience to breathe urgent, dynamic new life into the contemporary spy novel.
Featuring deft and daring superspy Will Cochrane, Dunn paints a nerve-jangling, bracingly authentic picture of today’s secret world. It is a place where trust is precious and betrayal is cheap—and where violent death is the reward for being outplayed by your enemy.
Will Cochrane, the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he’s never been outplayed. So far…
Will’s controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today’s most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man’s past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced—and survived—up to now. “
Here is the link to the show and then the synopsis:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
“Matthew Dunn spent years as an MI6 field operative working on some of the West’s most clandestine missions. He recruited and ran agents, planned and participated in special operations, and operated deep undercover throughout the world. In Spycatcher he draws on this fascinating experience to breathe urgent, dynamic new life into the contemporary spy novel.
Featuring deft and daring superspy Will Cochrane, Dunn paints a nerve-jangling, bracingly authentic picture of today’s secret world. It is a place where trust is precious and betrayal is cheap—and where violent death is the reward for being outplayed by your enemy.
Will Cochrane, the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset and deadliest weapon, has known little outside this world since childhood. And he’s never been outplayed. So far…
Will’s controllers task him with finding and neutralizing one of today’s most wanted terrorist masterminds, a man believed to be an Iranian Revolutionary Guard general. Intending to use someone from the man’s past to flush him out of the shadows, Will believes he has the perfect plan, but he soon discovers, in a frantic chase from the capitals of Europe to New York City, that his adversary has more surprises in store and is much more treacherous than anyone he has ever faced—and survived—up to now. “
August 19, 2011
I wasn't able to finish this thriller due to the mountain of cliches I would have to have ascended, sans nifty spy gear.
October 9, 2012
Yeah, you can call me a lair (if you’re so inclined), but I’ve actually had the good fortune of knowing two gentlemen who worked (in completely different capacities) for the CIA. One of the fellows I went to high school with was recruited out of college very quickly; he was a languages scholar, and the CIA snatched him up right quick. His job? Well, it wasn’t all that glamorous, to be perfectly honest; he spent the bulk of his workday reading foreign magazines and newspapers, scouring them for anything that he believed could have been cryptic information secretly being shared between foreign agents. The second fellow I worked with in the early nineties; he had been placed inside what was the Soviet Union for the expressed purposes of ‘monitoring’ industrial developments. Again, what stuck with me about the task was that it was far from thrilling, certainly far from the exploits of, say, James Bond, a man called Sloane, or any man from U.N.C.L.E. It was … well … routine, one might say.
What I take away from my experience in knowing these two men is that there’s an awful lot to the inside of the intelligence community that’s far from scintillating and more humdrum, and, to a certain extent, that’s the greatest strength I can find in Matthew Dunn’s SPYCATCHER. See, the book’s hero spends an awful lot of time ‘getting ready’ and/or ‘getting prepped’ for his various adventures and fisticuffs, and quite a bit of that feels legitimate. Like a Boy Scout, the hero prepares for his exploits. Still, on the cover of the book, SPYCATCHER was dubbed as “one of the year’s best thriller debuts” by Lee Child, no less. My suspicion is that Lee Child didn’t read the draft I did. That’s not to say that SPYCATCHER doesn’t have some measure of excitement – rather, it does in middling supply, but much of that is tucked into the latter half. The first half? Well, there’s an awful lot in there that’s more than a bit hard to swallow.
Will Cochrane is the ULTIMATE asset – the SPYCATCHER on the novel’s name: handpicked by rogue elements within MI6, Cochrane is the ‘Spartan’ (a codename I’m thinking was shamelessly borrowed from the Val Kilmer film of the same name, interestingly enough). Like any good ‘Highlander’ (for those of you who’ll get the inference), there can be only one: protocols require that, at all times, there is only one living ‘Spartan.’ Once he (or she) dies, another is recruited. What’s recruitment like? Well, the reader isn’t told specifically, but we’re led down the path to believing that it’s brutal. After all, a ‘Spartan’ – much like James Bond – actively uses his (or her) “license to kill” at every opportunity … so when the world’s greatest known terrorist (who also just happens to be the world’s deadliest hand-to-hand fighter AND the world’s quickest draw with a gun AND who can singlehandedly best anyone at anything) who answers to the codename of Megiddo drops onto Cochrane’s radar, you can bet these two opposing forces are about to butt heads, with the loser going down in flames.
Essentially, this is a spy story of an older variety – one told with some hard-boiled characters in only the kinds of circumstances and situations required of a hard-boiled world – when compared with some of the more erudite spy novels of late. Cochrane is a man’s man – trapped in a man’s world – but first-time author Matthew Dunn curiously supplies his MI6 assassin with a planeload of emotional baggage that would cause James Bond to see a therapist. There’s a huge backstory – all told with some reasonable flash and sizzle – that involves the man’s late father ALSO having been a super-spy (with ties to both MI6 and the CIA); and I can’t help but wonder if a more accomplished editor could’ve helped Dunn slim down some elements of the character’s history in order to get a finished product with better ‘flow.’ As it stands, much of SPYCATCHER works when the prose is light and quick and efficient; sadly, these parts are spaced out with dense passages that ultimately add little or nothing to the story but give the book respectable ‘girth.’
And then there’s the desperately, hopelessly, heart-tugging romantic subplot involving (what would you expect?) a ravishingly attractive Lana with ties to Mediggo’s past. Wouldn’t you know it but, on only Cochrane and Lana’s third meeting (the first two having absolutely zero sexual chemistry developed or seriously hinted at) they’re smitten with one another? He needs her in order to finally have something to care about other than killing baddies, and she needs him in order to heal the chasm left in her soul by her dearly departed lover (the terrorist!). Oh, say it isn’t so, but why MUST contemporary fiction continuous explore the feminized action hero? I thought Cochrane was a man’s man, Mr. Dunn. Please make up your mind!
As a debut novel, it’s seriously plagued by the usual ‘debut novel’ intellect – heroes and villains seeking a theatrical presence, bad guys who can’t help but tell you EVERYTHING they’re about to do to you – and even a few that shouldn’t be here (again, I harken the call for a better editor). Some think it trite of me to point out such obvious errors made by “accomplished” writers, but (on page 437) Dunn has Cochrane looking at Roger … when Roger was a character Cochrane and Laith dropped off at a hospital two pages back. Now that Cochrane and Laith are on the other side of town, I think Dunn CLEARLY intended to have Cochrane looking at Laith, not Roger. It’s moments like these – and SPYCATCHER has a solid handful – that pull me – the reader – out of the story, forcing me to stop, reread the passage, then flip back a few pages to make certain I haven’t made an error in understanding the tale … and that’s NEVER a good thing.
That, and wouldn’t you imagine that a spy trying to “fit in” on a routine train ride to New York City could get by on spending less than $1,500 for one day’s wardrobe? Cochrane needs nothing more than a change of clothes – I won’t divulge the circumstances so as to not spoil the plot – but $1,500 is a bit much? Plus, Dunn makes a point of telling the reader that Cochrane bought cologne, too! Wow. James Bond prefers his martinis shaken, not stirred, but methinks Cochrane won’t rush in to save the day without a few squirts of man-stink on his neck. How far we’ve fallen.
And that’s a shame because, as I’ve tried to make clear, there’s an awful lot of SPYCATCHER that is quite good. I understand a reader might have to employ a willing suspension of disbelief in this day and age, but, as spies go, give me Jason Bourne any day of the week over this sissified man-child.
What I take away from my experience in knowing these two men is that there’s an awful lot to the inside of the intelligence community that’s far from scintillating and more humdrum, and, to a certain extent, that’s the greatest strength I can find in Matthew Dunn’s SPYCATCHER. See, the book’s hero spends an awful lot of time ‘getting ready’ and/or ‘getting prepped’ for his various adventures and fisticuffs, and quite a bit of that feels legitimate. Like a Boy Scout, the hero prepares for his exploits. Still, on the cover of the book, SPYCATCHER was dubbed as “one of the year’s best thriller debuts” by Lee Child, no less. My suspicion is that Lee Child didn’t read the draft I did. That’s not to say that SPYCATCHER doesn’t have some measure of excitement – rather, it does in middling supply, but much of that is tucked into the latter half. The first half? Well, there’s an awful lot in there that’s more than a bit hard to swallow.
Will Cochrane is the ULTIMATE asset – the SPYCATCHER on the novel’s name: handpicked by rogue elements within MI6, Cochrane is the ‘Spartan’ (a codename I’m thinking was shamelessly borrowed from the Val Kilmer film of the same name, interestingly enough). Like any good ‘Highlander’ (for those of you who’ll get the inference), there can be only one: protocols require that, at all times, there is only one living ‘Spartan.’ Once he (or she) dies, another is recruited. What’s recruitment like? Well, the reader isn’t told specifically, but we’re led down the path to believing that it’s brutal. After all, a ‘Spartan’ – much like James Bond – actively uses his (or her) “license to kill” at every opportunity … so when the world’s greatest known terrorist (who also just happens to be the world’s deadliest hand-to-hand fighter AND the world’s quickest draw with a gun AND who can singlehandedly best anyone at anything) who answers to the codename of Megiddo drops onto Cochrane’s radar, you can bet these two opposing forces are about to butt heads, with the loser going down in flames.
Essentially, this is a spy story of an older variety – one told with some hard-boiled characters in only the kinds of circumstances and situations required of a hard-boiled world – when compared with some of the more erudite spy novels of late. Cochrane is a man’s man – trapped in a man’s world – but first-time author Matthew Dunn curiously supplies his MI6 assassin with a planeload of emotional baggage that would cause James Bond to see a therapist. There’s a huge backstory – all told with some reasonable flash and sizzle – that involves the man’s late father ALSO having been a super-spy (with ties to both MI6 and the CIA); and I can’t help but wonder if a more accomplished editor could’ve helped Dunn slim down some elements of the character’s history in order to get a finished product with better ‘flow.’ As it stands, much of SPYCATCHER works when the prose is light and quick and efficient; sadly, these parts are spaced out with dense passages that ultimately add little or nothing to the story but give the book respectable ‘girth.’
And then there’s the desperately, hopelessly, heart-tugging romantic subplot involving (what would you expect?) a ravishingly attractive Lana with ties to Mediggo’s past. Wouldn’t you know it but, on only Cochrane and Lana’s third meeting (the first two having absolutely zero sexual chemistry developed or seriously hinted at) they’re smitten with one another? He needs her in order to finally have something to care about other than killing baddies, and she needs him in order to heal the chasm left in her soul by her dearly departed lover (the terrorist!). Oh, say it isn’t so, but why MUST contemporary fiction continuous explore the feminized action hero? I thought Cochrane was a man’s man, Mr. Dunn. Please make up your mind!
As a debut novel, it’s seriously plagued by the usual ‘debut novel’ intellect – heroes and villains seeking a theatrical presence, bad guys who can’t help but tell you EVERYTHING they’re about to do to you – and even a few that shouldn’t be here (again, I harken the call for a better editor). Some think it trite of me to point out such obvious errors made by “accomplished” writers, but (on page 437) Dunn has Cochrane looking at Roger … when Roger was a character Cochrane and Laith dropped off at a hospital two pages back. Now that Cochrane and Laith are on the other side of town, I think Dunn CLEARLY intended to have Cochrane looking at Laith, not Roger. It’s moments like these – and SPYCATCHER has a solid handful – that pull me – the reader – out of the story, forcing me to stop, reread the passage, then flip back a few pages to make certain I haven’t made an error in understanding the tale … and that’s NEVER a good thing.
That, and wouldn’t you imagine that a spy trying to “fit in” on a routine train ride to New York City could get by on spending less than $1,500 for one day’s wardrobe? Cochrane needs nothing more than a change of clothes – I won’t divulge the circumstances so as to not spoil the plot – but $1,500 is a bit much? Plus, Dunn makes a point of telling the reader that Cochrane bought cologne, too! Wow. James Bond prefers his martinis shaken, not stirred, but methinks Cochrane won’t rush in to save the day without a few squirts of man-stink on his neck. How far we’ve fallen.
And that’s a shame because, as I’ve tried to make clear, there’s an awful lot of SPYCATCHER that is quite good. I understand a reader might have to employ a willing suspension of disbelief in this day and age, but, as spies go, give me Jason Bourne any day of the week over this sissified man-child.
February 19, 2014
Spycatcher features Will Cochrane, the latest literary action figure from Hasbro. Will is a specially trained agent of Great Britain’s intelligence service MI6, his codename Spartan – “a man who goes by many names but has no name; who can start wars and end them” – blah blah blah. Will is a man with his own agenda, “I don’t give a damn about the rules. All I care about is getting the job done.” - which involves a lot of gunplay, for Will’s bullets never miss. In a nutshell Spartan is the unsung savior of the free world.
In this adventure Will is tasked with tracking down an elusive and very dangerous Iranian terrorist, who too has a codename, Megiddo… and of course also save the world. As Will’s boss tells him, “This will be your toughest and most critical mission. You must succeed despite the odds against your doing so.” Egads! This all sounds important. And it is, for Will’s final instructions are, “Do whatever you have to do. But you must succeed. You must stop him.” Cue the 007 music.
Spycatcher isn’t an Ian Fleming James Bond adventure, a LeCarre George Smiley one, or a Lee Child Jack Reacher saga. In fact this book wouldn’t pass muster as a cartoon script. The dialog is stilted, characters less than one dimensional and the plot less than simplistic and just ludicrous. Labeling it as farce is an overstatement. The author is described as a “former MI6 agent”, which makes the lack of both realism and imagination in this book downright confounding. And with the glowing blurbs on the cover from Lee Child and John Lawton – whose novels I very much enjoy – it’s hard to believe they read the same book – if in fact they did read it.
By all means pass on Spycatcher.
In this adventure Will is tasked with tracking down an elusive and very dangerous Iranian terrorist, who too has a codename, Megiddo… and of course also save the world. As Will’s boss tells him, “This will be your toughest and most critical mission. You must succeed despite the odds against your doing so.” Egads! This all sounds important. And it is, for Will’s final instructions are, “Do whatever you have to do. But you must succeed. You must stop him.” Cue the 007 music.
Spycatcher isn’t an Ian Fleming James Bond adventure, a LeCarre George Smiley one, or a Lee Child Jack Reacher saga. In fact this book wouldn’t pass muster as a cartoon script. The dialog is stilted, characters less than one dimensional and the plot less than simplistic and just ludicrous. Labeling it as farce is an overstatement. The author is described as a “former MI6 agent”, which makes the lack of both realism and imagination in this book downright confounding. And with the glowing blurbs on the cover from Lee Child and John Lawton – whose novels I very much enjoy – it’s hard to believe they read the same book – if in fact they did read it.
By all means pass on Spycatcher.
June 1, 2011
If you only read one spy novel all summer, this has to be the one. Will Cochrane, code name Spartan, of MI6 is British intelligence's secret weapon. He is known only to his handler and the British Prime Minister. When the stakes are too high, the mission seems impossible, and losing is not an option, they give the assignment to Spartan. Once given a mission, he will not stop, regardless of the body count, until it is accomplished or he is dead. It seems nothing can stop this juggernaut, until he is faced with the assignment of capturing the terrorist who threatens the lives of thousands of innocent people and the possible start of a world war. It turns out that this same master spy had brutally tortured and murdered Will's father when Will was just a young boy. Finding and killing this man while avenging his father's death has been a driving force throughout Will's life. It has caused him to become the most efficient and deadly spy in the world. Can he keep his emotions under control long enough to accomplish his most important mission? This book is very well written. It flows smoothly and quickly as the action keeps coming and the bodies pile up. There are more than sufficient plot twists to keep you guessing until the end of the book and leave you yearning for more. This book was provided by the Amazon Vine program and the well read folks at William Morrow publishing.
February 10, 2020
Terrible writing and completely unbelievable story. Don’t read.
Terrible sophomoric writing and completely unbelievable story. Waste of time. Don’t read. And I like spy books. Why do backstories in dialog?
Terrible sophomoric writing and completely unbelievable story. Waste of time. Don’t read. And I like spy books. Why do backstories in dialog?
August 24, 2011
The opening scene was preposterous and was delivered in a wooden style. It stopped me cold.
Want to read
December 17, 201412/17/14-Free on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Spycatcher-Nove...
December 1, 2019
This is a great first novel. The main character (as well as the author in real life) are agents of the British MI6. In once sense, there is nothing 'surprising' in the writing (it is a spy thriller, what do you expect?), but the plot, surprises, and characters are all well developed and thought out. I would recommend this book to fans of Daniel Silva's character Gabriel Allon. I look forward to the next book in the series.
June 9, 2020
My first read for this author on audiobook. I was pulled in right away, then with the vast number of characters I got a bit lost for a while. I did enjoy how the plot developed, and how the "hunter" turned into the "hunted". Quite an interesting ending, with a couple surprises. 7 out of 10.
January 18, 2018
Spycatcher is a book written by Matthew Dunn and is part of the Spycatcher series. Matthew Dunn is a skilled writer and is known for his spy novels and the occasional book about a soldier. Spycatcher details the life of main character, Will Cochrane, and his tasks as an elite spy for the MI6 and CIA. Spycatcher is the first book in this action filled series that will entertain you the whole way through. It is filled with plot twists and the characters are very well developed. The plot line is well thought out, with many fights and special missions Will must plan and carry out to thwart others. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good series that was well planned and also anyone who is interested in spy novels and the secret service.
July 29, 2013
Matthew Dunn in his new book, “Spycatcher” Book One in the Spycatcher series published by William Morrow introduces us to master spy Will Cochrane.
From the back cover: Will Cochrane is the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset… and deadliest weapon. Since childhood, the only world he has ever known is a clandestine realm of elaborate lies and unholy alliances–where trust is rare, betrayal comes cheap, and a violent death is often the penalty for being outplayed by an opponent. Cochrane has never been outplayed… So far.
Now his controllers have a new game: neutralize one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, believed to be a general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Cochrane’s unpredictability makes him the one agent capable of catching his adversary off guard, and he believes he has the perfect plan. But on a breakneck race through the capitals of Europe and into America’s Northeast, the spycatcher will discover that his prey knows the game all too well…and his agenda is more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.
This is a great beginning that introduces us to a 21st Century spy, Will Cochrane, Code Name Spartan. In this adventure Cochrane’s life is great danger as he is charged with bringing down the mastermind terrorist behind many of Iran’s plots to bring down the west. I think that the really best spy stories are the ones when they are spy versus spy. Sometimes equally matched, sometimes not, one knows the other but only the one and generally the bad guy. This is the environment that Will Cochrane finds himself embroiled in. As a former MI6 field officer, Matthew Dunn was trained in all aspects of intelligence collection, deep-cover deployments, small arms, explosives, military unarmed combat, surveillance, and infiltration, and conducted approximately seventy missions – all of them successful. If anyone can write about spy versus spy missions with authenticity it is Mr. Dunn. “Spycatcher” is a wonderful thriller as the tension mounts as Cochrane is on the run from Europe to America to stop a threat and keep from getting killed. ”Spycatcher” is loaded with twists and turns and red herrings that will leave you guessing all the while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next. When you finish this book you will heave a hugely satisfying sigh because you have enjoyed yourself immensely. Mr. Dunn has provided us with a great spy in Will Cochrane. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series from this very talented author.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Harper Collins. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: Will Cochrane is the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized asset… and deadliest weapon. Since childhood, the only world he has ever known is a clandestine realm of elaborate lies and unholy alliances–where trust is rare, betrayal comes cheap, and a violent death is often the penalty for being outplayed by an opponent. Cochrane has never been outplayed… So far.
Now his controllers have a new game: neutralize one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, believed to be a general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Cochrane’s unpredictability makes him the one agent capable of catching his adversary off guard, and he believes he has the perfect plan. But on a breakneck race through the capitals of Europe and into America’s Northeast, the spycatcher will discover that his prey knows the game all too well…and his agenda is more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.
This is a great beginning that introduces us to a 21st Century spy, Will Cochrane, Code Name Spartan. In this adventure Cochrane’s life is great danger as he is charged with bringing down the mastermind terrorist behind many of Iran’s plots to bring down the west. I think that the really best spy stories are the ones when they are spy versus spy. Sometimes equally matched, sometimes not, one knows the other but only the one and generally the bad guy. This is the environment that Will Cochrane finds himself embroiled in. As a former MI6 field officer, Matthew Dunn was trained in all aspects of intelligence collection, deep-cover deployments, small arms, explosives, military unarmed combat, surveillance, and infiltration, and conducted approximately seventy missions – all of them successful. If anyone can write about spy versus spy missions with authenticity it is Mr. Dunn. “Spycatcher” is a wonderful thriller as the tension mounts as Cochrane is on the run from Europe to America to stop a threat and keep from getting killed. ”Spycatcher” is loaded with twists and turns and red herrings that will leave you guessing all the while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next. When you finish this book you will heave a hugely satisfying sigh because you have enjoyed yourself immensely. Mr. Dunn has provided us with a great spy in Will Cochrane. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series from this very talented author.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Harper Collins. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 1, 2011
breesabookworm.com
This book was gifted me by HarperCollins. The release date is August 1, 2011.
I have the opportunity to receive loads of books for reviews, but only pick a few to actually get, as I can't read them all. I surprised myself when I decided to get this one as I have never actually read a spy novel, or any novel in this sort of genre. What caught my eye, initially, was the fact that the author, Matthew Dunn, was an actual MI6 field officer, which I thought was really cool. (I have watched every single episode of MI6 (or Spooks rather), as well as Alias, so, yeah). I felt that his books would then be kind of realistic, since he conducted like seventy missions he should know what he is writing about. Aside from that I had no idea what the book was about or what to expect.
I picked up the book and read it in one day. Which is quite a feat, because it is rather large, over four-hundred pages, and a lot of description. I don't generally care for description, but for this kind of writing it was most definitely important for the feel of things. It felt like I was reading an awesome spy movie, which I thoroughly enjoy. Each step of the mystery was explained, but in a most interesting way. I can honestly say I did not get bored while reading any of this book.
That was one of my biggest worries, whether or not I would find the story interesting, if it would be compelling, realistic, keep me sucked in...lucky for me it delivered!
Will Cochran is the man, actually the one and only Spartan. He's like the best of the best as far as covert ops and killing people and such. He basically answers to no one, as long as he gets the job done, like saving thousands of people from terrorist attacks and stuff. He does what he has to do along the way to complete his mission, he can not fail, he will not! He's the freakin' Spartan!
Anyway, the story is seriously intricate with twists and turns. I was not expecting so many, and was genuinely surprised how everything came together so very nicely, I mean no questions left unanswered in the end. That's a congrats to the author on a story well woven.
I developed tears in certain parts, I developed a pounding heart more than once, I developed shock at a very shock worthy moment, amazement throughout, and shock again.
I'm actually really surprised I even liked this books so much and totally up for reading another like it (hopefully more about Spartan?!), because I generally read things with romance, even if it's just a secondary part of the story. This really didn't have much of that. Although, that is the one sticking point I had with this book. Not the lack of romance, but the minor part where there actually was some. It wasn't all that great, and I didn't like the girl from the beginning....it all just felt kind of weak, although I understood the point...for development of character and other things which will not be stated. But these parts of the books were so few, that it didn't really effect my overall take.
Seriously, this book was awesome. I'm going to go play Call of Duty: Black Ops and pretend I'm a spy now...for serious.
This book was gifted me by HarperCollins. The release date is August 1, 2011.
I have the opportunity to receive loads of books for reviews, but only pick a few to actually get, as I can't read them all. I surprised myself when I decided to get this one as I have never actually read a spy novel, or any novel in this sort of genre. What caught my eye, initially, was the fact that the author, Matthew Dunn, was an actual MI6 field officer, which I thought was really cool. (I have watched every single episode of MI6 (or Spooks rather), as well as Alias, so, yeah). I felt that his books would then be kind of realistic, since he conducted like seventy missions he should know what he is writing about. Aside from that I had no idea what the book was about or what to expect.
I picked up the book and read it in one day. Which is quite a feat, because it is rather large, over four-hundred pages, and a lot of description. I don't generally care for description, but for this kind of writing it was most definitely important for the feel of things. It felt like I was reading an awesome spy movie, which I thoroughly enjoy. Each step of the mystery was explained, but in a most interesting way. I can honestly say I did not get bored while reading any of this book.
That was one of my biggest worries, whether or not I would find the story interesting, if it would be compelling, realistic, keep me sucked in...lucky for me it delivered!
Will Cochran is the man, actually the one and only Spartan. He's like the best of the best as far as covert ops and killing people and such. He basically answers to no one, as long as he gets the job done, like saving thousands of people from terrorist attacks and stuff. He does what he has to do along the way to complete his mission, he can not fail, he will not! He's the freakin' Spartan!
Anyway, the story is seriously intricate with twists and turns. I was not expecting so many, and was genuinely surprised how everything came together so very nicely, I mean no questions left unanswered in the end. That's a congrats to the author on a story well woven.
I developed tears in certain parts, I developed a pounding heart more than once, I developed shock at a very shock worthy moment, amazement throughout, and shock again.
I'm actually really surprised I even liked this books so much and totally up for reading another like it (hopefully more about Spartan?!), because I generally read things with romance, even if it's just a secondary part of the story. This really didn't have much of that. Although, that is the one sticking point I had with this book. Not the lack of romance, but the minor part where there actually was some. It wasn't all that great, and I didn't like the girl from the beginning....it all just felt kind of weak, although I understood the point...for development of character and other things which will not be stated. But these parts of the books were so few, that it didn't really effect my overall take.
Seriously, this book was awesome. I'm going to go play Call of Duty: Black Ops and pretend I'm a spy now...for serious.
March 4, 2013
There is nothing quite like a story about a spy to end all spies being written by … a former spy himself. Matthew Dunn, a former field intelligence officer for Britain’s famous MI6, left the intelligence and security worlds in order to jump, feet first, into the world of literature. And he’s conquered that world as thoroughly as he conquered his former career.
I had the opportunity to interview Matthew Dunn about his debut novel released 9 August 2011, SPYCATCHER. I picked up the book, the night before the interview, and thought I would read one or two chapters, and then cash it in for the night. I turned the last page at 2:00 a.m. I’m a busy woman, I don’t let anything get in the way of the few hours of sleep I get a night, but I could not put SPYCATCHER, now available in both hardcover and Kindle, down.
When asked about the character of intelligence officers, Matthew Dunn, who holds the highest security clearance in Britain, replied, “Intelligence officers are lone wolves. It’s vital that they don’t make themselves visible. One can’t get the best intelligence by using a sledgehammer approach. To that extent, there are no “superior forces or big guns” when you’re in the field. Your country’s army, navy, and air force are the inferior forces that are liable to get it wrong. And that means you can’t trust or use them. But if you mess up and get caught, you will die.” (Jeff Deever Interview with Dunn on Amazon.com)
And a lone wolf is exactly what Will Cochrane is … he also happens to be the Spartan, the only one to survive a brutal training. While the Spartan exists, no other can hold the title, which makes Cochrane a one of-a-kind, hard to control kind of spy. In spite of that, he is the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized possession, and the one they call when all is lost. Once given a mission, his focus is single to the goal of accomplishing that mission, and anything in his way is liable to be destroyed, quietly and efficiently.
Tasked with finding the Iranian mastermind behind multiple terrorist attacks, Cochrane races across Europe and the Middle East, and finally to America in his determination to stop a terrorist attack in America. Cochrane’s single weakness is the softness he has for the weaker people of the world. Women, children, innocents … even his assets, he’ll do anything to protect. This weakness, which is also his greatest strength, could cost him everything.
Dunn, takes us through the cagey twists and turns of the shadow world of international intelligence, the cultivating of assets, and the danger of working under the radar in nations besides one’s own. When Dunn revealed the bad guy, the one besides the evil Iranian mastermind, I literally dropped the book. I can usually guess the outcome of a book within the second or third chapter, but not so with Spycatcher. Matthew Dunn is a master at suspense with an engaging, intriguing writing style. I believe we have a potential New York Times Bestseller on our hands here.
So if page-turning, breath-stealing action is your cup of tea, and it is mine, you’ll want this book in your home library to enjoy over and over.
I had the opportunity to interview Matthew Dunn about his debut novel released 9 August 2011, SPYCATCHER. I picked up the book, the night before the interview, and thought I would read one or two chapters, and then cash it in for the night. I turned the last page at 2:00 a.m. I’m a busy woman, I don’t let anything get in the way of the few hours of sleep I get a night, but I could not put SPYCATCHER, now available in both hardcover and Kindle, down.
When asked about the character of intelligence officers, Matthew Dunn, who holds the highest security clearance in Britain, replied, “Intelligence officers are lone wolves. It’s vital that they don’t make themselves visible. One can’t get the best intelligence by using a sledgehammer approach. To that extent, there are no “superior forces or big guns” when you’re in the field. Your country’s army, navy, and air force are the inferior forces that are liable to get it wrong. And that means you can’t trust or use them. But if you mess up and get caught, you will die.” (Jeff Deever Interview with Dunn on Amazon.com)
And a lone wolf is exactly what Will Cochrane is … he also happens to be the Spartan, the only one to survive a brutal training. While the Spartan exists, no other can hold the title, which makes Cochrane a one of-a-kind, hard to control kind of spy. In spite of that, he is the CIA’s and MI6’s most prized possession, and the one they call when all is lost. Once given a mission, his focus is single to the goal of accomplishing that mission, and anything in his way is liable to be destroyed, quietly and efficiently.
Tasked with finding the Iranian mastermind behind multiple terrorist attacks, Cochrane races across Europe and the Middle East, and finally to America in his determination to stop a terrorist attack in America. Cochrane’s single weakness is the softness he has for the weaker people of the world. Women, children, innocents … even his assets, he’ll do anything to protect. This weakness, which is also his greatest strength, could cost him everything.
Dunn, takes us through the cagey twists and turns of the shadow world of international intelligence, the cultivating of assets, and the danger of working under the radar in nations besides one’s own. When Dunn revealed the bad guy, the one besides the evil Iranian mastermind, I literally dropped the book. I can usually guess the outcome of a book within the second or third chapter, but not so with Spycatcher. Matthew Dunn is a master at suspense with an engaging, intriguing writing style. I believe we have a potential New York Times Bestseller on our hands here.
So if page-turning, breath-stealing action is your cup of tea, and it is mine, you’ll want this book in your home library to enjoy over and over.
March 20, 2016
I do not like to be too critical, especially of first novels, but I'm afraid I thought this was very disappointing. The biographical details make it plain that the author was a skilled and successful MI6 officer. Sadly, he is not a skilled author and Spartan is clunkily-written, full of absurd characters doing implausible things and in the end tedious, over-long and forgettable.
The protagonist is Will Cochrane, supposedly MI6's sole ultra-secret super-spy, the "only one of his generation to have survived the brutal training," who is given a mission to prevent an Iranian intelligence officer from launching a devastating attack on the West. In an attempt to create a modern-day James Bond, the author seems to have created a fantasy of someone he would like to have been, and it's just ludicrous, I'm afraid. For example, Cochrane is shot three times in the stomach, has a bit of basic surgery, goes sraight back to work and a few days later is scaling the outside of a three-storey building without so much as a twinge. He is, we keep being told, utterly deadly and completely ruthless but also stunningly kind-hearted, empathetic and noble. His handsomeness goes without saying. And so on. And, naturally, the mission becomes highly personal in oh-so-many ways. Now, I am all in favour of slightly silly spy stories (I enjoy Spooks very much, for example, so my credentials in this area are pretty good) but there really are limits and this exceeds all of them.
The prose and storytelling are horribly clunky, and much of the dialogue is simply dreadful. People spend a lot of time telling each other things they already know in stilted language, or saying things like "I need you to do what you do best and what no-one else is capable of. This will be your toughest and most critical mission. You must succeed despite the odds against your doing so," and "I fear what effect this will have on your already ruthless psyche." (Did I mention that he's ruthless?) There's an awful lot of this sort of terrible dialogue. The narrative is a little better written but it's still stilted, implausible and prone to cliché. For example, people smile while their eyes remain cold and penetrating, and at one point Will observes someone and in that one glance he "saw the man's humour, his deviousness, his business-sharp intellect, and his wisdom. He also saw hope and sorrow in the man's eyes." Well, of course he did - who wouldn't? The book is full of this sort of stuff. And as for the potential lovers expressing the powerful chemisry between them with lines like "You have hesitation in your eyes. Are you wary of my intentions toward you now?" "No, because I can control any such intentions"...
Enough. I am sorry to be so critical, but I genuinely think this is a very poor book. The publishers claim that it is "nerve-shredding and stunningly authentic." It isn't. If you want a book on a similar theme which fits that description try Gerald Seymour's A Deniable Death instead
The protagonist is Will Cochrane, supposedly MI6's sole ultra-secret super-spy, the "only one of his generation to have survived the brutal training," who is given a mission to prevent an Iranian intelligence officer from launching a devastating attack on the West. In an attempt to create a modern-day James Bond, the author seems to have created a fantasy of someone he would like to have been, and it's just ludicrous, I'm afraid. For example, Cochrane is shot three times in the stomach, has a bit of basic surgery, goes sraight back to work and a few days later is scaling the outside of a three-storey building without so much as a twinge. He is, we keep being told, utterly deadly and completely ruthless but also stunningly kind-hearted, empathetic and noble. His handsomeness goes without saying. And so on. And, naturally, the mission becomes highly personal in oh-so-many ways. Now, I am all in favour of slightly silly spy stories (I enjoy Spooks very much, for example, so my credentials in this area are pretty good) but there really are limits and this exceeds all of them.
The prose and storytelling are horribly clunky, and much of the dialogue is simply dreadful. People spend a lot of time telling each other things they already know in stilted language, or saying things like "I need you to do what you do best and what no-one else is capable of. This will be your toughest and most critical mission. You must succeed despite the odds against your doing so," and "I fear what effect this will have on your already ruthless psyche." (Did I mention that he's ruthless?) There's an awful lot of this sort of terrible dialogue. The narrative is a little better written but it's still stilted, implausible and prone to cliché. For example, people smile while their eyes remain cold and penetrating, and at one point Will observes someone and in that one glance he "saw the man's humour, his deviousness, his business-sharp intellect, and his wisdom. He also saw hope and sorrow in the man's eyes." Well, of course he did - who wouldn't? The book is full of this sort of stuff. And as for the potential lovers expressing the powerful chemisry between them with lines like "You have hesitation in your eyes. Are you wary of my intentions toward you now?" "No, because I can control any such intentions"...
Enough. I am sorry to be so critical, but I genuinely think this is a very poor book. The publishers claim that it is "nerve-shredding and stunningly authentic." It isn't. If you want a book on a similar theme which fits that description try Gerald Seymour's A Deniable Death instead
December 28, 2023
So, the great Lee Child rated this as "one of the year's best thriller debuts. Highly recommended" with its "real been-there done-that authenticity"
The author can certainly lay claim to the authenticity, having himself been an MI6 field operative for five years. But I'm surprised his editors let this one go to print as it stands.
Characters spend too much time explaining to one another what's going on, or telling each other the back stories, talking to one another in a way that's totally unrealistic and contrived.
And they spend too much time pointing at one another (this gets really irritating and is totally irrelevant) or drumming their fingers on their legs or tables. Hardly a page goes by without some drumming or pointing. It gets very distracting for the reader. There are many other stylistic tics.
Dunn tries to present the hero Will Cochrane as a paragon of empathy for the innocent and angry retribution for the guilty with his own troubled past, which is gradually (and clunkily) revealed. But this "hero" just doesn't work. He's no James Bond or a Jack Reacher. He's a mess of formulaic conflicted-character-by-numbers writing.
The story itself was interesting, and the perceived authenticity due to the author's background was a hook. On paper, this probably looked like a great idea. But in print, it isn't.
Good luck to the author, but he's not been well-served by his editor (was there one?) who has let him get away with such poor writing. And not well-served by the hubristic adulation of Lee Child (did he actually read the book or just read the press release?)
You can't just follow a recipe to come up with a good book. Having the experience is helpful, but you've still got to write well. As a first draft, this would be promising. There's something there. But this isn't it.
However, I found it strangely compelling. It helped when I realised I didn't need to read every word of the fascinatingly tedious writing.
The author can certainly lay claim to the authenticity, having himself been an MI6 field operative for five years. But I'm surprised his editors let this one go to print as it stands.
Characters spend too much time explaining to one another what's going on, or telling each other the back stories, talking to one another in a way that's totally unrealistic and contrived.
And they spend too much time pointing at one another (this gets really irritating and is totally irrelevant) or drumming their fingers on their legs or tables. Hardly a page goes by without some drumming or pointing. It gets very distracting for the reader. There are many other stylistic tics.
Dunn tries to present the hero Will Cochrane as a paragon of empathy for the innocent and angry retribution for the guilty with his own troubled past, which is gradually (and clunkily) revealed. But this "hero" just doesn't work. He's no James Bond or a Jack Reacher. He's a mess of formulaic conflicted-character-by-numbers writing.
The story itself was interesting, and the perceived authenticity due to the author's background was a hook. On paper, this probably looked like a great idea. But in print, it isn't.
Good luck to the author, but he's not been well-served by his editor (was there one?) who has let him get away with such poor writing. And not well-served by the hubristic adulation of Lee Child (did he actually read the book or just read the press release?)
You can't just follow a recipe to come up with a good book. Having the experience is helpful, but you've still got to write well. As a first draft, this would be promising. There's something there. But this isn't it.
However, I found it strangely compelling. It helped when I realised I didn't need to read every word of the fascinatingly tedious writing.
September 20, 2012
From a real spy, I definitely expected much better. This is a very good action novel. The protagonist is a tough cookie. But though he has been stated as a formidable adversary, somewhere down the line he falls short of being "formidable".
So what did I expect from a real spy? I expected intelligence, counter-intelligence and then some more. What I expected was layers and layers and layers of deception and misinformation. I expected a the sowcasing of the various processes of the intelligence game - the collection of data, the collation of it all and the transmission. Spycraft is not about action, its about mind-games and the analysis of information and millions of decisions based on sheer judgement. This is where I remember a movie that has re-defined the genre of spy thrillers and has stood out from the James Bond version of a spy. The movie is "Spy Game" starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Now THAT'S the game of intelligence.
Well, this book starts off at a breath-taking pace. The momentum drops somewhere in the middle and I happened to have predicted the twist of the tale. Does that make me a Spy Material or does it simply make me an intelligent reader of the genre?
All said and done, this is a book I did like (keeping aside all my know-it-all attiutude). And a special mention goes to the Assault Incidents in the book. Mr. Dunn has pulled it off amazingly. Every assault described is like Opera - not a tune out of place and all instruments blazing off in perfect synchronicity. I quite liked the surveillance techniques too which are very intelligent.
Overall, I did enjoy reading it. It was just that I was expecting so much more from Mr. Dunn - after all he is a Real Life Spy. But then again, he DID sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement when he retired. So, he is, therefore, forgiven and I shall definitely pick up his next book - "The Sentinel".
So what did I expect from a real spy? I expected intelligence, counter-intelligence and then some more. What I expected was layers and layers and layers of deception and misinformation. I expected a the sowcasing of the various processes of the intelligence game - the collection of data, the collation of it all and the transmission. Spycraft is not about action, its about mind-games and the analysis of information and millions of decisions based on sheer judgement. This is where I remember a movie that has re-defined the genre of spy thrillers and has stood out from the James Bond version of a spy. The movie is "Spy Game" starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Now THAT'S the game of intelligence.
Well, this book starts off at a breath-taking pace. The momentum drops somewhere in the middle and I happened to have predicted the twist of the tale. Does that make me a Spy Material or does it simply make me an intelligent reader of the genre?
All said and done, this is a book I did like (keeping aside all my know-it-all attiutude). And a special mention goes to the Assault Incidents in the book. Mr. Dunn has pulled it off amazingly. Every assault described is like Opera - not a tune out of place and all instruments blazing off in perfect synchronicity. I quite liked the surveillance techniques too which are very intelligent.
Overall, I did enjoy reading it. It was just that I was expecting so much more from Mr. Dunn - after all he is a Real Life Spy. But then again, he DID sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement when he retired. So, he is, therefore, forgiven and I shall definitely pick up his next book - "The Sentinel".
August 19, 2016
I don't know why I sometimes dig in my heels and feel like I have to finish a book after I've figured out that I really am not enjoying it. That would make sense if I had to read it for an English class, but it made no sense here. It wasn't too bad until somewhere in the middle or maybe two thirds done when our hero gets to New York state with his team and ends up swimming across a lake during a heavy snowstorm and then engaging in a gun battle with what seems like innumerable Iranian terrorists. Another of his team swims across the same lake with his rifle on his back to a position where he can act as a sniper.
The bad part about a downloadable audiobook is that each track is the same as a whole CD. That meant I couldn't just back up a few short tracks and see if I'd missed the provision for keeping his gun and ammo dry during his swim and whether he was wearing clothing that would make all of this possible. Since no one else who reviewed this book commented on this, I obviously missed it.
Whether that was a problem or not I figured I also missed the part where our hero Cochrane was Superman's twin who came to earth along with his brother. Not too many men can have holes shot in their stomach and heal as fast as Cochrane does. Nor do too many men get on a plane the day after receiving a somewhat serious head wound and a day or two later engage in all the derring-do Cochrane engages in during the battle with the Iranian terrorists. Most people would not be capable of much after engaging in a gun battle, running up part of a mountain and having clothes freeze and thaw on them twice.
To be fair, there are some interesting twists in the plot.
The bad part about a downloadable audiobook is that each track is the same as a whole CD. That meant I couldn't just back up a few short tracks and see if I'd missed the provision for keeping his gun and ammo dry during his swim and whether he was wearing clothing that would make all of this possible. Since no one else who reviewed this book commented on this, I obviously missed it.
Whether that was a problem or not I figured I also missed the part where our hero Cochrane was Superman's twin who came to earth along with his brother. Not too many men can have holes shot in their stomach and heal as fast as Cochrane does. Nor do too many men get on a plane the day after receiving a somewhat serious head wound and a day or two later engage in all the derring-do Cochrane engages in during the battle with the Iranian terrorists. Most people would not be capable of much after engaging in a gun battle, running up part of a mountain and having clothes freeze and thaw on them twice.
To be fair, there are some interesting twists in the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2011
The latest novel from Matthew Dunn, Spycatcher, has so many details and expertise of scenarios that you automatically begin to see yourself as the main character. Will Cochrane is a super elite MI6 agent code named Spartan, who goes out to seek his father’s killer who has plotted to strike against the US or the UK. This plot sends him and his crew on a hunt for Meggido, a mastermind behind many of Iran’s terrorist plots to bring down the west.
Little does Will know that this mission is perhaps the most perilous mission that he and his crew will face. Will’s pick of the finest trained operative’s may never see the end of this mission. Does Will have what it takes to bring Meggido down, or will he succumb to his most deadly nemesis to date? Spycatcher is a never ending twist of action, mystery, and never ending action that you will not want to put the book down from the moment you open the cover!
I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I have to give this book a 5 out of 5 stars for the storyline that sounds like it came out of experience rather than imagination! A must read for all of the military, mystery, and spy junkies! Thank you Matthew for such an exhilarating ride while reading! Thank you Matthew Dunn for Spycatcher!
Little does Will know that this mission is perhaps the most perilous mission that he and his crew will face. Will’s pick of the finest trained operative’s may never see the end of this mission. Does Will have what it takes to bring Meggido down, or will he succumb to his most deadly nemesis to date? Spycatcher is a never ending twist of action, mystery, and never ending action that you will not want to put the book down from the moment you open the cover!
I received this book compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I have to give this book a 5 out of 5 stars for the storyline that sounds like it came out of experience rather than imagination! A must read for all of the military, mystery, and spy junkies! Thank you Matthew for such an exhilarating ride while reading! Thank you Matthew Dunn for Spycatcher!
August 10, 2011
Spycatcher is your typical spy thriller. Will Cochrane is an MI6 agent with seemingly superhuman powers, sent to take down the Iranian terrorist, Megiddo, who’s threatening an attack on either Britain or the United States. Will is basically a rugged James Bond (ironically, both are MI6 agents). At first I felt that the author was trying too hard to mimic Bond in his character, but later realized that Matthew Dunn was a real MI6 agent. After that, my interest shifted from the book to the author because, frankly, the book wasn’t all that good. Will Cochrane is constantly withstanding life-threatening injuries and returning to the chase the next day “a little stiff”. I realize it’s a work of fiction, but I expected it to be more realistic, especially when it’s written by a former MI6 agent. Will’s impossible resilience also ruined the suspense. I soon realized that he could be decapitated and still show up for work the next day; I certainly never wondered if he would make it out alive. All things considered, Spycatcher is decent if you’re looking for mindless action. If you require a bit more realism to satisfy your palate, I’d pass this up.
Reviewedby Brittany for Book Sake.
Reviewedby Brittany for Book Sake.
December 19, 2011
I'm kind of on a mission to read more spy fiction right now, and this one crossed my path. Accordingn to the publisher's copy about this, Matthew Dunn was a spy himself, and I noticed another reviewer here saying that in person, Mr. Dunn is a very persuasive individual.
I'd say that it's an okay first effort. Dunn does have control of a rather complicated plot, and makes it all come out right. One of the elements that was meant to be a surprise was not that surprising, but in general it was a twisty tale, and I did want to continue to the end to see what happened. The writing seemed a bit wooden and clunky, though competent enough to get the job done. But the whole thing seemed rather stereotyped and unnuanced. The depth of character was zero. The characters were superheroes or supervillains, and I don't actually understand why Dunn would write this, because although the copy says he was an impressive spy, no one is as impressive as his protagonist, or as bad ass as his villain.
I have to say that I wish Dunn had used his own real experience more in this novel, rather than making up another fairly boring superman.
I'd say that it's an okay first effort. Dunn does have control of a rather complicated plot, and makes it all come out right. One of the elements that was meant to be a surprise was not that surprising, but in general it was a twisty tale, and I did want to continue to the end to see what happened. The writing seemed a bit wooden and clunky, though competent enough to get the job done. But the whole thing seemed rather stereotyped and unnuanced. The depth of character was zero. The characters were superheroes or supervillains, and I don't actually understand why Dunn would write this, because although the copy says he was an impressive spy, no one is as impressive as his protagonist, or as bad ass as his villain.
I have to say that I wish Dunn had used his own real experience more in this novel, rather than making up another fairly boring superman.
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