Mile One Point Six

by Dom Nicholls

'Splices John le Carré and Mick Herron...[Nicholls] brings a gritty verisimilitude to his twisty, intriguing plot...exchanges are laden with menace and innuendo.' The Telegraph

'A smart espionage thriller. Great insight on tradecraft and how it is evolving in the digital age.' Tom, a former MI6 Officer

'Grips from page one. A great read, at the end of which the reader has been well and truly played.' Paul Beaver, Historian and author of The Extraordinary Life of Britain's Greatest Pilot


MI6 agents are being killed; their lives sacrificed to buy the murders of opponents to British government plans.

Who's killing the agents? And who's the traitor leading the killers to their victims?

There are no obvious answers in the changing world of espionage. These days it's so advanced you have to be old-school to survive.

Like Betsy Trenmore-Halford. Long retired from the spy game and considered worthless by society, she doesn’t seem like a threat to international security.

But she's found clues buried deep in a coded USB stick and hates bullies getting their own way. Plus, she doesn't give a stuff what society thinks.

Drawn back to her old world, can Betsy stop the slaughter before the body count spirals out of control – or will the killer catch up with her and end her espionage career forever?

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2023

Reviews

[Ronald Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

First-rate debut spy novel. Protagonist is a retired spy. Her adversaries don't know she used to be a spy and she uses Le Carre-era techniques while they are using bells and whistles of modern technology.

[Paul Lehane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readable, knowing & compelling..I read it in a day

[Scott Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this spy thriller. But, Le Carre it is not. Maybe closer to Dame Rimington’s novels. I loved the protagonist - Betsy and hope to see more of her, either looking back at her career or more of her at this age. I see the possibility of her being a Ms. Marple of the modern espionage novel. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy Mr. Nicholls’s next foray into the genre sight unseen.
This book lacks depth, setting, mood, and exploration of the psyche. If it had all that i’d rate it 5 stars. If an exciting read heavy on action and dialogue was all one needed for 5 stars then this book is it.
I do hope Mr. Nicholls keeps writing fiction. He shows wit, depth, and an admirable moral compass now and then in the book. Sadly, those traits aren’t well on display in this book. i critique this book but still encourage people to read and buy it.
Well done Mr. Nicholls!

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine that George Smiley went back to operational status; that he was a Russian defector; that he was a woman; and that Russia had penetrated the highest levels of British government. Hang on. It's quite a ride.

[Neil A Taggart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit predictable but some good tradecraft and characters

The plot seemed to meander a bit (train crash? Why?), but the characters were fun and while bits of the plot were predictable, there were still a few fun surprises.

I'd probably read a sequel.

[Mick McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another absorbing book ... read on plane trip in a day