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Will Flemyng #3
The Spy Across the Water
From one of our most treasured BBC broadcasters, The Spy Across the Water is the third instalment in James Naughtie's brilliant spy series, woven around three brothers bound together through espionage.
We live with our history, but it can kill us.
Faces from the past appear from nowhere at a family funeral, and Will Flemyng, spy-turned-ambassador, is drawn into twin mysteries that threaten everything he holds dear.
From Washington, he's pitched back into the Troubles in Northern Ireland and an explosive secret hidden deep in the most dangerous but fulfilling friendship he has known.
And while he confronts shadowy adversaries in American streets, and looks for solace at home in the Scottish Highlands, he discovers that his government's most precious Cold War agent is in mortal danger and needs his help to survive.
In an electric story of courage and betrayal, Flemyng learns the truth that his life has left him a man with many friends, but still alone.
'A thoughtful and detailed novel of statecraft and spycraft, recommended for fans of le Carré' Ian Rankin
Praise for James
'As convincing as any of John le Carré's' Independent
'Beautifully written, deftly plotted, skilfully paced, imaginatively conceived' Robert Littell
'An involved and beautifully plotted spy story' Allan Massie
'Hugely gripping and atmospheric' Mail on Sunday
'Complex and psychologically detailed' Charles Cumming
'A tour de force' Kate Mosse
We live with our history, but it can kill us.
Faces from the past appear from nowhere at a family funeral, and Will Flemyng, spy-turned-ambassador, is drawn into twin mysteries that threaten everything he holds dear.
From Washington, he's pitched back into the Troubles in Northern Ireland and an explosive secret hidden deep in the most dangerous but fulfilling friendship he has known.
And while he confronts shadowy adversaries in American streets, and looks for solace at home in the Scottish Highlands, he discovers that his government's most precious Cold War agent is in mortal danger and needs his help to survive.
In an electric story of courage and betrayal, Flemyng learns the truth that his life has left him a man with many friends, but still alone.
'A thoughtful and detailed novel of statecraft and spycraft, recommended for fans of le Carré' Ian Rankin
Praise for James
'As convincing as any of John le Carré's' Independent
'Beautifully written, deftly plotted, skilfully paced, imaginatively conceived' Robert Littell
'An involved and beautifully plotted spy story' Allan Massie
'Hugely gripping and atmospheric' Mail on Sunday
'Complex and psychologically detailed' Charles Cumming
'A tour de force' Kate Mosse
- GenresFiction
432 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 27, 2023
I love a great espionage and political thriller and this book qualifies. If I could it would be 3.5 stars.
Story was good but I thought it was too much to combine the 1985 anglo-Irish agreement with the Gordievsky story.
Story was good but I thought it was too much to combine the 1985 anglo-Irish agreement with the Gordievsky story.
November 22, 2023
Interesting spy novel based around the troubles was abit slow going though
March 16, 2023
The Spy Across the Water is the third instalment in James Naughtie’s spy series featuring the three Flemyng brothers – Will, Abel and Mungo. In fact, we’re down to two brothers now which is not a spoiler because Abel’s funeral is the opening scene in the book. However, the circumstances, if not the place, of Abel’s death are still a mystery, something Will is determined to discover more about. When he does it forms one of the threads of an intricately woven tapestry that is the hallmark of all good spy thrillers.
Set in 1985, the story is fiction (as the author points out in the Foreword) but the historical events which form the background to it are real, namely the tentative and secret discussions between the British and Irish governments aimed at reaching a settlement to the conflict in Northern Ireland, the so-called Troubles. The tensions between those in the Republican movement willing to consider a negotiated settlement and those who are determined to continue the armed struggle are incorporated into the storyline as Will’s past intelligence role and the connections he made during that period come back to haunt him.
I’m not quite sure how I managed to miss the earlier books in the series because this sort of spy thriller is right up my street. The fact I hadn’t read the previous two books didn’t stop me enjoying this one although tantalising references to events in the earlier books – Paris in the summer of 1968, a puzzling death and an affair that destroyed one of Will’s colleagues – made me wish I’d discovered the series at its beginning.
The comparison to the novels of John le Carré is spot on, particularly when it comes to the storyline involving the possibility that the identity of a Soviet agent working for the British, who has been supplying intelligence material that is ‘gold dust’, has been discovered by the Americans, possibly by a mole at the heart of US intelligence. We’re in real Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy territory here with Will Flemyng’s protege, Patrick Keane, fulfilling the Peter Guillam role in that book. And if we’re looking for more comparisons there’s James Jesus Angleton (a real life figure), convinced there’s a conspiracy around every corner, who made me think of Control’s feverish search for the identity of the Circus mole in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. As a former comrade of Will’s recalls, ‘He was getting more and more obssessive about penetration – disappearing into his files for weeks on end, the blinds down in his eyrie and no one allowed near.’
I liked how Will, secretive by nature as well as the possessor of secrets, feeds Keane just enough snippets of information so that Keane has to figure things out for himself. Keane also does the legwork and takes the risks that Will no longer can because of his role as Ambassador, although you get the impression he’d quite like to if the chance arose. The team is completed by Lucy, one of the few people who can read Will’s moods and second guess his next move. If I’m being picky I’d have liked a bigger role for her than preparing papers, organising flights and booking hotel rooms. And I’d love to know more about Will’s relationship with his wife and children who at this point are back in London.
Some of my favourite parts of the book were those set in Altnabuie, the Flemyng family home in Perthshire, Scotland currently occupied by Will’s older brother, Mungo. I loved the descriptions of Mungo’s daily tramps and the local scenery which (sorry, another comparison coming) reminded me of the writing of John Buchan, also a Perthshire man. ‘The tapestry had light and shade, the dark foliage of the pines and spruce in the wood standing out against the vivid greens and yellows on the hillside. The water on the loch was swept with sun, then blackened again when the lines of light disappeared.’ When Mungo’s peaceful life appears threatened, Will has even more incentive to get to the bottom of things and to find the link between a number of seemingly unconnected events, a link that tantalisingly eludes him for quite a while.
The Spy Across the Water is a terrific spy thriller whose intricate plot will keep you on your toes. You get the clear sense the author’s experience as a BBC correspondent has helped the story’s feeling of authenticity, especially the detail of Washington political manouverings and rivalries. But it’s also a story of friendship against the odds and the compromises that have to be made between duty and personal relationships.
Set in 1985, the story is fiction (as the author points out in the Foreword) but the historical events which form the background to it are real, namely the tentative and secret discussions between the British and Irish governments aimed at reaching a settlement to the conflict in Northern Ireland, the so-called Troubles. The tensions between those in the Republican movement willing to consider a negotiated settlement and those who are determined to continue the armed struggle are incorporated into the storyline as Will’s past intelligence role and the connections he made during that period come back to haunt him.
I’m not quite sure how I managed to miss the earlier books in the series because this sort of spy thriller is right up my street. The fact I hadn’t read the previous two books didn’t stop me enjoying this one although tantalising references to events in the earlier books – Paris in the summer of 1968, a puzzling death and an affair that destroyed one of Will’s colleagues – made me wish I’d discovered the series at its beginning.
The comparison to the novels of John le Carré is spot on, particularly when it comes to the storyline involving the possibility that the identity of a Soviet agent working for the British, who has been supplying intelligence material that is ‘gold dust’, has been discovered by the Americans, possibly by a mole at the heart of US intelligence. We’re in real Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy territory here with Will Flemyng’s protege, Patrick Keane, fulfilling the Peter Guillam role in that book. And if we’re looking for more comparisons there’s James Jesus Angleton (a real life figure), convinced there’s a conspiracy around every corner, who made me think of Control’s feverish search for the identity of the Circus mole in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. As a former comrade of Will’s recalls, ‘He was getting more and more obssessive about penetration – disappearing into his files for weeks on end, the blinds down in his eyrie and no one allowed near.’
I liked how Will, secretive by nature as well as the possessor of secrets, feeds Keane just enough snippets of information so that Keane has to figure things out for himself. Keane also does the legwork and takes the risks that Will no longer can because of his role as Ambassador, although you get the impression he’d quite like to if the chance arose. The team is completed by Lucy, one of the few people who can read Will’s moods and second guess his next move. If I’m being picky I’d have liked a bigger role for her than preparing papers, organising flights and booking hotel rooms. And I’d love to know more about Will’s relationship with his wife and children who at this point are back in London.
Some of my favourite parts of the book were those set in Altnabuie, the Flemyng family home in Perthshire, Scotland currently occupied by Will’s older brother, Mungo. I loved the descriptions of Mungo’s daily tramps and the local scenery which (sorry, another comparison coming) reminded me of the writing of John Buchan, also a Perthshire man. ‘The tapestry had light and shade, the dark foliage of the pines and spruce in the wood standing out against the vivid greens and yellows on the hillside. The water on the loch was swept with sun, then blackened again when the lines of light disappeared.’ When Mungo’s peaceful life appears threatened, Will has even more incentive to get to the bottom of things and to find the link between a number of seemingly unconnected events, a link that tantalisingly eludes him for quite a while.
The Spy Across the Water is a terrific spy thriller whose intricate plot will keep you on your toes. You get the clear sense the author’s experience as a BBC correspondent has helped the story’s feeling of authenticity, especially the detail of Washington political manouverings and rivalries. But it’s also a story of friendship against the odds and the compromises that have to be made between duty and personal relationships.
March 19, 2023
A fairly hum-drum spy story set largely in Ireland with connections in England and America. Well-enough written but somewhat dry and unexciting.
July 23, 2023
I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and found it at times confusing.
March 16, 2024
The Spy Across the Water is a complex political thriller set in 1985. As such, it is ‘almost’ historical fiction, my ‘go to genre.’
Not so much a fast-paced spy thriller, this is instead a slow and somewhat dense read, following Flemyng and also others of his associates as they uncover a web of secrets surrounding his youngest brother’s murder, and other events which are about to culminate. There is a great deal of obfuscation. Our main character knows everything, or at least, nearly everything, but details are only fed slowly to the reader. Key names and details are not given, which, while adding to the conspiracy, also managed to confuse me on more than one occasion.
The author has adopted a somewhat ‘quirky’ writing style – there is much conversation, and equally, much summarising of some elements of the same discussions. I found it jolted me from the narrative, and often just as things were getting interesting.
The narrative slowly sucked me in as the web of lies and politicking reaches another level. It recreates a real sense of the ‘time,’ ‘place’ and the snail-like speed of passing information to those who need to know, while doing away with our more modern apparatus of mobile phones, allowing the sharing of intelligence to be immediate.
An intriguing novel of ‘what-ifs’ and ‘might have beens’ deeply embedded in the era of heightened tensions as the Soviet Union draws to an end, while matters in Ireland ‘could’ be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone. This is a novel that will appeal to fans of ‘old school’ spy stories.
Not so much a fast-paced spy thriller, this is instead a slow and somewhat dense read, following Flemyng and also others of his associates as they uncover a web of secrets surrounding his youngest brother’s murder, and other events which are about to culminate. There is a great deal of obfuscation. Our main character knows everything, or at least, nearly everything, but details are only fed slowly to the reader. Key names and details are not given, which, while adding to the conspiracy, also managed to confuse me on more than one occasion.
The author has adopted a somewhat ‘quirky’ writing style – there is much conversation, and equally, much summarising of some elements of the same discussions. I found it jolted me from the narrative, and often just as things were getting interesting.
The narrative slowly sucked me in as the web of lies and politicking reaches another level. It recreates a real sense of the ‘time,’ ‘place’ and the snail-like speed of passing information to those who need to know, while doing away with our more modern apparatus of mobile phones, allowing the sharing of intelligence to be immediate.
An intriguing novel of ‘what-ifs’ and ‘might have beens’ deeply embedded in the era of heightened tensions as the Soviet Union draws to an end, while matters in Ireland ‘could’ be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone. This is a novel that will appeal to fans of ‘old school’ spy stories.
December 28, 2024
Good, not great - ending was slightly soft
March 30, 2023
Spy thriller set 1980s USA and SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
The Spy Across The Water is an intelligent and complex spy thriller. It is, in many ways, reminiscent of John le Carré. The book is the third in the Will Flemyng spy series by Naughtie – the others are Paris Spring set in 1968 and The Madness of July set in the 1970s. All are very well worth reading.
In The Spy Across The Water, Flemyng is now the British Ambassador in Washington. He has moved up in the diplomatic world, but has not completely severed his intelligence links. He learns that his brother, Abel, has been found shot dead in a less than salubrious part of Chicago. Abel worked for a section of US intelligence and, although the brothers were in many ways close, they saw each other but rarely and – for obvious reasons – could not discuss their work in any depth when they did. Will did not know what Abel had been involved in, or why he had been murdered. At the funeral Will encountered two faces from his past… that surprised, and worried, him.
He is dragged back in his mind to a time years previously working as an MI5 officer in Northern Island. It was a time of double agents and intrigue. Were past connections surfacing in Chicago as the Irish American community there went about their business of fund raising and shipping arms to Belfast? Would one of his very oldest friends – a senior IRA double agent with whom he had, perhaps strangely, built a relationship of trust and mutual affection – be about to reappear after many years?
At the same time a parallel story is developing. There is highly placed British double agent operating in Moscow. He sends back valuable cold war intelligence – some of which is shared with Washington. Washington, though, gets both greedy and leaky. US intelligence works out the name of the person concerned in the hope they too can exploit him. And they also get leaky. The name of the agent circulates in Washington where Russia is hiring spies for money (as opposed to ideology) and there are fears that Moscow, too, will soon identify the person. Will Flemyng is one of very few people associated with UK intelligence who knows the name of the person and is in a position to facilitate an extraction as necessary
There is a third Flemyng brother, Mungo, who lives on the family estate in the quite beautiful Highlands of Scotland where all the boys were brought up. He is an historian and knows a little (not any real detail) about the lives of Will and Abel. The estate provides an ideal location for clandestine meetings. The peace and quiet of a walk around the loch or up into the hills is in stark contrast to an earlier adrenaline powered gun chase through the streets of Chicago. The change of pace and location works really well. You can really tell that Naughtie loves his native Scotland. He is a BBC radio correspondent and presenter who has spent several decades travelling the world as a journalist. He writes with authority both on international espionage and diplomacy – and also on the Scottish countryside that is so dear to him.
The Spy Across The Water is a work of fiction. But it could very well be fact. References to events of the time (for example the Kim Philby spy exposé, and its impact on the intelligence services) add to the illusion.
The Spy Across The Water is a beautifully crafted, and very worthwhile work.
The Spy Across The Water is an intelligent and complex spy thriller. It is, in many ways, reminiscent of John le Carré. The book is the third in the Will Flemyng spy series by Naughtie – the others are Paris Spring set in 1968 and The Madness of July set in the 1970s. All are very well worth reading.
In The Spy Across The Water, Flemyng is now the British Ambassador in Washington. He has moved up in the diplomatic world, but has not completely severed his intelligence links. He learns that his brother, Abel, has been found shot dead in a less than salubrious part of Chicago. Abel worked for a section of US intelligence and, although the brothers were in many ways close, they saw each other but rarely and – for obvious reasons – could not discuss their work in any depth when they did. Will did not know what Abel had been involved in, or why he had been murdered. At the funeral Will encountered two faces from his past… that surprised, and worried, him.
He is dragged back in his mind to a time years previously working as an MI5 officer in Northern Island. It was a time of double agents and intrigue. Were past connections surfacing in Chicago as the Irish American community there went about their business of fund raising and shipping arms to Belfast? Would one of his very oldest friends – a senior IRA double agent with whom he had, perhaps strangely, built a relationship of trust and mutual affection – be about to reappear after many years?
At the same time a parallel story is developing. There is highly placed British double agent operating in Moscow. He sends back valuable cold war intelligence – some of which is shared with Washington. Washington, though, gets both greedy and leaky. US intelligence works out the name of the person concerned in the hope they too can exploit him. And they also get leaky. The name of the agent circulates in Washington where Russia is hiring spies for money (as opposed to ideology) and there are fears that Moscow, too, will soon identify the person. Will Flemyng is one of very few people associated with UK intelligence who knows the name of the person and is in a position to facilitate an extraction as necessary
There is a third Flemyng brother, Mungo, who lives on the family estate in the quite beautiful Highlands of Scotland where all the boys were brought up. He is an historian and knows a little (not any real detail) about the lives of Will and Abel. The estate provides an ideal location for clandestine meetings. The peace and quiet of a walk around the loch or up into the hills is in stark contrast to an earlier adrenaline powered gun chase through the streets of Chicago. The change of pace and location works really well. You can really tell that Naughtie loves his native Scotland. He is a BBC radio correspondent and presenter who has spent several decades travelling the world as a journalist. He writes with authority both on international espionage and diplomacy – and also on the Scottish countryside that is so dear to him.
The Spy Across The Water is a work of fiction. But it could very well be fact. References to events of the time (for example the Kim Philby spy exposé, and its impact on the intelligence services) add to the illusion.
The Spy Across The Water is a beautifully crafted, and very worthwhile work.
June 30, 2024
None of us in Oundle Crime had read any of the books in this series, so we read The Spy Across the Water as a standalone novel. It’s an old-fashioned spy story which, to a reader of modern espionage novels, makes it feel glacially slow at times. But there’s just something about it that makes you carry on reading.
Will Flemyng trained as a spy and then worked for MI6 before becoming a foreign office minister. Now it’s the 1980s, the world is an uneasy place, and he’s British Ambassador in Washington DC, focused on the possibility of an agreement between the British and Irish governments to stop the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the big political changes underway in Russia. The novel begins with the funeral (in America) of Flemyng’s younger brother, Abel, who had been shot dead on the streets of Chicago, apparently just an unlucky, innocent bystander who got mixed up in a gang meet.
At the funeral Flemyng sees two quite unexpected faces from his own past and wonders if Abel’s death wasn’t the random accident it seemed. So he starts to try and work out why Abel was in Chicago and how he knew (if, indeed, he did know) the two men who had appeared out of the blue. He works closely with two young colleagues from his embassy – his personal secretary, Lucy Padstowe, and his newly-appointed acting head of station, Patrick Keane. In essence this novel is a story of treachery, friendship and bravery.
Our verdict
On the surface, nothing much happens in the first half of the book. Tiny pieces of background – characters, events and locations – are inserted into the narrative, so you have to really concentrate to work out what’s happening. Think of doing a jigsaw puzzle with 1,000 small pieces and only a pencil sketch of the finished picture.
We didn’t all love The Spy Across the Water and one of our group said she’d only continued reading because she refused to be defeated by it. The book is described as a thriller but all of us agreed it was hardly that, and maybe ‘political intrigue’ was a better description. The plot has enough story-strands to keep things interesting, and although there are no red herrings you do feel you’re getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of some fairly momentous happenings.
When we discussed the book at our meeting we decided the story is character-led, with Flemyng and Keane being particularly believable. As the pace picks up in the final third of the book and the different pieces start to mesh together, it’s tense without being knuckle-whitening. But still you read on, because by this time you’ve grown to like the characters and the story pulls you forward. In fact, many of us found the book surprisingly hard to put down. And while we might not seek out the preceding two novels, all of us will probably follow the series as it moves forward.
In summary, our book group was fairly evenly split between those who loved The Spy Across the Water and those who didn’t. But we all agreed the book has something, and that’s reflected in our score of 4 Stars.
Review by: Oundle Crime
Oundle Crime thanks Aries Fiction/Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read The Spy Across the Water. We are voluntarily giving an honest review.
Will Flemyng trained as a spy and then worked for MI6 before becoming a foreign office minister. Now it’s the 1980s, the world is an uneasy place, and he’s British Ambassador in Washington DC, focused on the possibility of an agreement between the British and Irish governments to stop the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the big political changes underway in Russia. The novel begins with the funeral (in America) of Flemyng’s younger brother, Abel, who had been shot dead on the streets of Chicago, apparently just an unlucky, innocent bystander who got mixed up in a gang meet.
At the funeral Flemyng sees two quite unexpected faces from his own past and wonders if Abel’s death wasn’t the random accident it seemed. So he starts to try and work out why Abel was in Chicago and how he knew (if, indeed, he did know) the two men who had appeared out of the blue. He works closely with two young colleagues from his embassy – his personal secretary, Lucy Padstowe, and his newly-appointed acting head of station, Patrick Keane. In essence this novel is a story of treachery, friendship and bravery.
Our verdict
On the surface, nothing much happens in the first half of the book. Tiny pieces of background – characters, events and locations – are inserted into the narrative, so you have to really concentrate to work out what’s happening. Think of doing a jigsaw puzzle with 1,000 small pieces and only a pencil sketch of the finished picture.
We didn’t all love The Spy Across the Water and one of our group said she’d only continued reading because she refused to be defeated by it. The book is described as a thriller but all of us agreed it was hardly that, and maybe ‘political intrigue’ was a better description. The plot has enough story-strands to keep things interesting, and although there are no red herrings you do feel you’re getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of some fairly momentous happenings.
When we discussed the book at our meeting we decided the story is character-led, with Flemyng and Keane being particularly believable. As the pace picks up in the final third of the book and the different pieces start to mesh together, it’s tense without being knuckle-whitening. But still you read on, because by this time you’ve grown to like the characters and the story pulls you forward. In fact, many of us found the book surprisingly hard to put down. And while we might not seek out the preceding two novels, all of us will probably follow the series as it moves forward.
In summary, our book group was fairly evenly split between those who loved The Spy Across the Water and those who didn’t. But we all agreed the book has something, and that’s reflected in our score of 4 Stars.
Review by: Oundle Crime
Oundle Crime thanks Aries Fiction/Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read The Spy Across the Water. We are voluntarily giving an honest review.
March 13, 2023
I am a reader who enjoys a broad genre of books. I can read anything from historical fiction all the way to fantasy. This is a spy thriller that drew me in with the synopsis. The fact it was written by James Naughtie too was another reason I just needed to read A Spy Across The Water.
The third book in The Will Flemyng Thrillers series. I wasn't aware of this when I started reading and can happily say it can be read as a standalone. Although, I have to say I can't guarantee you won't want to read the others after you have finished this book!! I know I do!
A superbly written thriller by such a credible writer. James Naughtie weaves a tale that I could tell that it was based on real happenings. It was that authentic. I was whisked to America where Will Flemyng, an ex-spy, is now an ambassador in Washington D.C. His youngest brother Abel has been shot and killed in Chicago. Will is at his funeral, not just as a grieving brother but also to attempt to discover more information about his brothers death. Then he sees someone there who could have more information.
The story took me from America to the Highlands of Scotland. Which were so vividly described that I could almost see them! A thrilling plot with tons of tension that built as the story unfolded. I was totally by Will's side all the way through.
A spy thriller that doesn't just bring tension, suspense, and a thrilling story. It also has characters so believable that I could get invested in them, particularly Will. As the pages sped by and I got closer to the final chapter, I knew I would actually miss Will Flemyings world.
This is a book that totally immersed me. It is a little complex, but I had no problems keeping up with characters and timelimes. I did have times when the suspense racked up to the point that I found myself almost on the edge of my seat. I love a book that does this to me! I have already looked for the other two books that come before this one. A Spy Across The Water is a must-read for any spy thriller fan.
Thanks to Aries Fiction for the gifted copy of the book to write my honest review.
The third book in The Will Flemyng Thrillers series. I wasn't aware of this when I started reading and can happily say it can be read as a standalone. Although, I have to say I can't guarantee you won't want to read the others after you have finished this book!! I know I do!
A superbly written thriller by such a credible writer. James Naughtie weaves a tale that I could tell that it was based on real happenings. It was that authentic. I was whisked to America where Will Flemyng, an ex-spy, is now an ambassador in Washington D.C. His youngest brother Abel has been shot and killed in Chicago. Will is at his funeral, not just as a grieving brother but also to attempt to discover more information about his brothers death. Then he sees someone there who could have more information.
The story took me from America to the Highlands of Scotland. Which were so vividly described that I could almost see them! A thrilling plot with tons of tension that built as the story unfolded. I was totally by Will's side all the way through.
A spy thriller that doesn't just bring tension, suspense, and a thrilling story. It also has characters so believable that I could get invested in them, particularly Will. As the pages sped by and I got closer to the final chapter, I knew I would actually miss Will Flemyings world.
This is a book that totally immersed me. It is a little complex, but I had no problems keeping up with characters and timelimes. I did have times when the suspense racked up to the point that I found myself almost on the edge of my seat. I love a book that does this to me! I have already looked for the other two books that come before this one. A Spy Across The Water is a must-read for any spy thriller fan.
Thanks to Aries Fiction for the gifted copy of the book to write my honest review.
March 14, 2023
The Spy Across the Water is the latest novel written by James Naughtie, and the third book following Will Flemyng's adventures. Ex-spy and ambassador in Washington DC, our story starts with the funeral of his brother Abel, who was killed in strange circumstances. Will is there not only to say goodbye, but to gather more information about how he died and who killed him.
After seeing somebody he might know at the funeral, Will starts to think about if that person might have extra information. To add complexity to the situation, as an ex-spy, Will can't start seeing eyes everywhere, and there is a rumour that the name of an important informant in Moscow has been leaked, something that would put that person in danger.
What we have is a really complex thriller, a story that will require most of our concentration, as there are several details that reveal more than you think at first. While saying this, I also have to admit that this book is super hooking, as once the story picked up, I found myself unable to put down this novel, especially once the story splits into several threads.If Will's situation was complex, it only becomes even more complex, especially once he has to send Keane to Chicago, in order to meet an informant that could tell him more about Abel's death; and in Scottland, his other brother, Mungo, gets attacked as a sort of warning, putting even more pressure over the ambassador.
The historical situation is embodied in a perfect way, becoming an excellent reflection of how tense were those times. While all of those characters are just part of Naughtie's imagination, this novel could pass as historical fiction, due to how accurate is in some details.
Personally, I find The Spy Across the Water an excellent novel, with a plot that engages you from the first page, and takes you for a ride until the end. If you like spy-thriller stories, in the style of LeCarré, do yourself a favour and pick this book.
After seeing somebody he might know at the funeral, Will starts to think about if that person might have extra information. To add complexity to the situation, as an ex-spy, Will can't start seeing eyes everywhere, and there is a rumour that the name of an important informant in Moscow has been leaked, something that would put that person in danger.
What we have is a really complex thriller, a story that will require most of our concentration, as there are several details that reveal more than you think at first. While saying this, I also have to admit that this book is super hooking, as once the story picked up, I found myself unable to put down this novel, especially once the story splits into several threads.If Will's situation was complex, it only becomes even more complex, especially once he has to send Keane to Chicago, in order to meet an informant that could tell him more about Abel's death; and in Scottland, his other brother, Mungo, gets attacked as a sort of warning, putting even more pressure over the ambassador.
The historical situation is embodied in a perfect way, becoming an excellent reflection of how tense were those times. While all of those characters are just part of Naughtie's imagination, this novel could pass as historical fiction, due to how accurate is in some details.
Personally, I find The Spy Across the Water an excellent novel, with a plot that engages you from the first page, and takes you for a ride until the end. If you like spy-thriller stories, in the style of LeCarré, do yourself a favour and pick this book.
March 14, 2024
I received an advanced review copy of this, to review for a book tour for Rachel's Random Resources.
This is a spy thriller, part of the Will Flemyng series. Admittedly, I don't read many books like this, but it sounded excellent, and sometimes a new genre is an exciting challenge for an avid reader.
The first few pages alone made an impression on me, and it wasn't long before I decided that I really liked this book. I felt an immediate connection to Flemyng as a protagonist. Often, when you feel a connection to a character as a reader, you want to know more about them, and I had a desire to get to know Flemyng better, perhaps through whatever he experienced throughout this book while I was reading.
I think that sometimes, when you start to read a book, what you are looking for is an atmosphere. If the atmosphere is right, you are hooked, and that was what happened with this book. I don't think this is the type of book that would usually be read in one sitting, but more likely to be enjoyed a little at a time, when you can commit time to reading. If you can do that, it will likely be a treat.
As a reader, I experience something that I call book hunger. I would say that if you are hungry for a wholesome read, this book is an excellent choice to sink your teeth into.
Thank you to the publishers, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.
This is a spy thriller, part of the Will Flemyng series. Admittedly, I don't read many books like this, but it sounded excellent, and sometimes a new genre is an exciting challenge for an avid reader.
The first few pages alone made an impression on me, and it wasn't long before I decided that I really liked this book. I felt an immediate connection to Flemyng as a protagonist. Often, when you feel a connection to a character as a reader, you want to know more about them, and I had a desire to get to know Flemyng better, perhaps through whatever he experienced throughout this book while I was reading.
I think that sometimes, when you start to read a book, what you are looking for is an atmosphere. If the atmosphere is right, you are hooked, and that was what happened with this book. I don't think this is the type of book that would usually be read in one sitting, but more likely to be enjoyed a little at a time, when you can commit time to reading. If you can do that, it will likely be a treat.
As a reader, I experience something that I call book hunger. I would say that if you are hungry for a wholesome read, this book is an excellent choice to sink your teeth into.
Thank you to the publishers, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.
September 3, 2023
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
‘The Spy Across the Water’ by James Naughtie
———————————————————————
And the review is here! So honoured that I’m the first stop on the @headofzeus blog tour for James Naughtie’s newest novel “The Spy Across The Water”
Let me tell you, the book, and the series too is so worth it. In fact, although I’m only reviewing the third in the series, the concept gripped me so much so that I just had to read books one and two!
Where I find series usually become weaker as the go on with authors running out of aspects to develop about their characters, Naughtie’s third instalment was absolute genius and I enjoyed it more that both books previous.
It felt as the Naughtie’s writing style and prose just exploded in this novel and I get much more fulfilled by this novel. To give you an idea of what the reading experience is, Naughtie develops characters with similar charm to those of Dan Brown’s and his plot is of a similar pace to the TV series “Designated Survivor”. The perfect mix of a mystery and political thriller, thus novel was right up my alley!
While I find some mysteries seemed dumbed down for ‘reader enjoyment’, I found “The Spy Across the Water” to be pleasantly challenging and opaque in its ending. It was a true journey to read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Let me know if you’ve read any of Naughtie’s books!
‘The Spy Across the Water’ by James Naughtie
———————————————————————
And the review is here! So honoured that I’m the first stop on the @headofzeus blog tour for James Naughtie’s newest novel “The Spy Across The Water”
Let me tell you, the book, and the series too is so worth it. In fact, although I’m only reviewing the third in the series, the concept gripped me so much so that I just had to read books one and two!
Where I find series usually become weaker as the go on with authors running out of aspects to develop about their characters, Naughtie’s third instalment was absolute genius and I enjoyed it more that both books previous.
It felt as the Naughtie’s writing style and prose just exploded in this novel and I get much more fulfilled by this novel. To give you an idea of what the reading experience is, Naughtie develops characters with similar charm to those of Dan Brown’s and his plot is of a similar pace to the TV series “Designated Survivor”. The perfect mix of a mystery and political thriller, thus novel was right up my alley!
While I find some mysteries seemed dumbed down for ‘reader enjoyment’, I found “The Spy Across the Water” to be pleasantly challenging and opaque in its ending. It was a true journey to read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Let me know if you’ve read any of Naughtie’s books!
April 21, 2024
The Spy Across the Water is book three in a series of spy stories, and the first I’ve read by this author. The book opens with a funeral, and we soon learn that the dead man is Ambassador Will Flemyng’s brother. Flemyng’s usual working life in the Washington embassy is thrown into further turmoil when another family tragedy forces him to consider his past, his friendships, and the future. As you’d expect from James Naughtie, the writing is precise and clever, though I found the pace a little slow at times, and some of the scenes a tad dialogue heavy. The hero also seemed to relish going off on tangents, taking the long way round to tell what could have been a simpler story. The Scottish scenes were more dramatic and drew me in, with vivid descriptions of the landscape. Further on, I must admit I did get a bit lost in the plot and had to re-read some sections to work out what was happening. As spy stories go, I’d put this in with the likes of Le Carre, who also tended to make things more complicated than they needed to me. But otherwise, an interesting and thought-provoking read.
February 28, 2023
I was unsure what to expect as I had found the two previous books in the series unnecessarily opaque (see reviews on Goodreads). This was a considerable improvement. Based on real scenarios Naughtie weaves plots and intrigues that are all too credible. I found it hard not to imagine Alec Guiness as Flemyng. He takes no prisoners and the weakness and foibles of politicians in both London and Washington are ruthlessly exposed.
The atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish highlands are a delight and add much to the enjoyment of the book.
I wasn’t quite sure about the extent of emotional involvement described between the principals. Perhaps the message is that spies are real people like the rest of us.
The atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish highlands are a delight and add much to the enjoyment of the book.
I wasn’t quite sure about the extent of emotional involvement described between the principals. Perhaps the message is that spies are real people like the rest of us.
March 13, 2023
I am a fan of Mr. Naughtie's spy/espionage novels. I find them to be well written, unique in plotting, and reflect an author who has background in his subject matter. Though this is a stand-alone novel, I would recommend reading his previous novels on this same story line. Familiarity with his previous books will enhance the reading of The Spy Across the Water. One observation, in this most recent offering, I did find that some of the family relationship issues took up a little too much space, and really did not contribute a great deal to the story. Never-the-less, my positive opinion has not changed re-Mr. Naughtie's work.
July 10, 2024
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book from Coundon library book club. Although I wasn't familiar with the author it's the kind of novel I enjoy when on holiday and a spy across the water proved to be a good holiday read.
Although I later found it was part of a series I don't think there is a problem reading it as a stand alone. The characters are given sufficient background so you can understand them, although some appeared superfluous to the story. I found it to be an easy but engaging read especially while on a sunlounger. I'd thoroughly recommend it and will be taking the other books in the trilogy with me next time we go on holiday.
Although I later found it was part of a series I don't think there is a problem reading it as a stand alone. The characters are given sufficient background so you can understand them, although some appeared superfluous to the story. I found it to be an easy but engaging read especially while on a sunlounger. I'd thoroughly recommend it and will be taking the other books in the trilogy with me next time we go on holiday.
January 9, 2023
I am not a big fan of spy novels but this book caught my attention. This is the third of a series but can be read without reading the first two. The two Flemyng brothers are reunited after the mysterious death of the youngest sibling in a cross fire in Chicago. The oldest brother, an Ambassador in Washington, seeks to find the answers as to who killed his brother with the assistance of his staff and his brother living in the Highlands of Scotland. (I loved the descriptions of that area). A thriller with lots of plot twists, the book will keep you on edge until you are finished
March 22, 2023
If you like a good spy thriller then look no further, this author certainly knows what he is talking about. Set around 1985 after the bombing of The Grand Hotel in Brighton by the IRA. And just as Mikhail Gorbachev is in Moscow, a spy has got a good vantage point in Russia to report back to the British embassy in Washington DC but is he safe. Rumour has it that the name of the spy has been leaked. Do they pull him out or wait a little longer? How reliable is the informant.
Will Flemyng is an ex spy who is now an Ambassador in Washington DC. As the story begins he is at the funeral of his youngest brother Abel who had been shot in Chicago. Will is not only there for the funeral he also wants more information as to how he was killed and by whom. Working with him closely are Patrick Keane and secretary Lucy Pardowe. At the funeral Will sees someone he knows, and the reason he believes he is there is because he may have information.
The plot is very complex and needs a great deal of concentration, as there are secret conversations in person, via the telephone, everything is meticulously planned, every meeting, every call. Not only is Will trying to find out what happened to Abel but he gets a call from the family home in Scotland to say his older brother Mungo and his friend have been attacked by two Irish men. They hadn’t gone there to kill them, they had gone on a fishing excursion as they were asking questions about Will. Is someone digging up his past? Whatever this isn’t good.
Keane is sent to Chicago to work undercover and see if he can get information about Abel’s death, he has been given a contact by Will, someone he trusts. But tells Keane to not ask too many questions. How will Keane do? Will they realise he is after information?
I found this a complex read, needing full attention, as the story flits back and forth between characters and cities. It is well written and readers of spy fiction will love it for some reason I just couldn’t seem to engage. I did read it to the end though. As I got further in the pace picked up a little which drew me in a bit more.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #HofZ_Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
Will Flemyng is an ex spy who is now an Ambassador in Washington DC. As the story begins he is at the funeral of his youngest brother Abel who had been shot in Chicago. Will is not only there for the funeral he also wants more information as to how he was killed and by whom. Working with him closely are Patrick Keane and secretary Lucy Pardowe. At the funeral Will sees someone he knows, and the reason he believes he is there is because he may have information.
The plot is very complex and needs a great deal of concentration, as there are secret conversations in person, via the telephone, everything is meticulously planned, every meeting, every call. Not only is Will trying to find out what happened to Abel but he gets a call from the family home in Scotland to say his older brother Mungo and his friend have been attacked by two Irish men. They hadn’t gone there to kill them, they had gone on a fishing excursion as they were asking questions about Will. Is someone digging up his past? Whatever this isn’t good.
Keane is sent to Chicago to work undercover and see if he can get information about Abel’s death, he has been given a contact by Will, someone he trusts. But tells Keane to not ask too many questions. How will Keane do? Will they realise he is after information?
I found this a complex read, needing full attention, as the story flits back and forth between characters and cities. It is well written and readers of spy fiction will love it for some reason I just couldn’t seem to engage. I did read it to the end though. As I got further in the pace picked up a little which drew me in a bit more.
I would like to thank #netgalley and #HofZ_Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.
July 2, 2024
Engrossingw spy novel with just enough fabrication to make it so. Liked the narrator. I hope the author’s next novel is as described and like this one — entertaining. 2nd reading. Background story is of true events.
January 18, 2023
A beautifully paced and very well written spy thriller.
Echoes of le Carré in the plotting and charectorisation.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Echoes of le Carré in the plotting and charectorisation.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
October 30, 2023
Very well written, sucking you in. Feels like it was writtern by Naughtie and the he gets the Highlands down to t T..... Washington also feels very authentic.
January 9, 2024
Too slow and overly extraneous details. Gave up at 37% on Kindle.
May 17, 2025
Interesting layout of diplomacy and espionage set against the Troubles of Northern Ireland
A page-turner.
A page-turner.
February 28, 2023
I was unsure what to expect as I had found the two previous books in the series unnecessarily opaque (see reviews on Goodreads). This was a considerable improvement. Based on real scenarios Naughtie weaves plots and intrigues that are all too credible. I found it hard not to imagine Alec Guiness as Flemyng. He takes no prisoners and the weakness and foibles of politicians in both London and Washington are ruthlessly exposed.
The atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish highlands are a delight and add much to the enjoyment of the book.
I wasn’t quite sure about the extent of emotional involvement described between the principals. Perhaps the message is that spies are real people like the rest of us.
The atmospheric descriptions of the Scottish highlands are a delight and add much to the enjoyment of the book.
I wasn’t quite sure about the extent of emotional involvement described between the principals. Perhaps the message is that spies are real people like the rest of us.
March 26, 2023
To start with one of the best spy novels I have read in recent times, a read where you need to take your time to soak up each word so that nothing is missed, an intelligent read with a quality to match the great spy writers of the past
Whilst this is the third in the series, following on from the highly acclaimed The Madness of July and Paris Spring it does easily read as a standalone.
It is a read which in essence is all about character, however, combine this with a multifaceted plot line which had me hooked from the get go, there is a fluidity about the plot which keeps the story moving along seamlessly. the twists are sometimes subtle which adds an extra dimension to the suspense
The whole feel and tone of the book is superbly character driven, Flemying appears to be a complex character, with his past, a keeper of secrets, his background and reputation comes across as important factors, an operator able to move in any circles of life, a man in charge, also not afraid to make the big decisions, you get the impression as you read that it is all about the thrill of the chase, I also got the impression that to some degree Flemying is living his past through that of Patrick Keane
Throughout there is a pervading underlying sense of tension which cuts right through the book as you read which gives a real feel of drama and suspense
Like any great spy novel you are given just enough doubt cast on the characters and the way they are written and portrayed so that your never quite sure about each and their motives.
The plot follows Will looking into his past as he searches for clues as to his brothers death, it is a superbly detailed and intricate plot line with an undercurrent of psychological tension surrounding Ireland at the time, there is a subtely to it which had me intrigued as to there it would lead.
The book is peppered with characters who can be related to and are of their time, you can paint a mental image of each and the lifes they lead, a life where danger is never far away
Another area which the author really brought across for me was a real sense of location and of place and time with its descriptive narrative, a wonderful protrayal of the 1980s. Another impression that comes strongly across are Flemyings heritage and Scottish roots, there are some wonderfully written scenes which draws you into the landscape
The book built up as I read it with a terrific air of suspense, mystery and intrigue as it reached its ending
A definite standout read from an author who is at the top of their game in the spy genre
Whilst this is the third in the series, following on from the highly acclaimed The Madness of July and Paris Spring it does easily read as a standalone.
It is a read which in essence is all about character, however, combine this with a multifaceted plot line which had me hooked from the get go, there is a fluidity about the plot which keeps the story moving along seamlessly. the twists are sometimes subtle which adds an extra dimension to the suspense
The whole feel and tone of the book is superbly character driven, Flemying appears to be a complex character, with his past, a keeper of secrets, his background and reputation comes across as important factors, an operator able to move in any circles of life, a man in charge, also not afraid to make the big decisions, you get the impression as you read that it is all about the thrill of the chase, I also got the impression that to some degree Flemying is living his past through that of Patrick Keane
Throughout there is a pervading underlying sense of tension which cuts right through the book as you read which gives a real feel of drama and suspense
Like any great spy novel you are given just enough doubt cast on the characters and the way they are written and portrayed so that your never quite sure about each and their motives.
The plot follows Will looking into his past as he searches for clues as to his brothers death, it is a superbly detailed and intricate plot line with an undercurrent of psychological tension surrounding Ireland at the time, there is a subtely to it which had me intrigued as to there it would lead.
The book is peppered with characters who can be related to and are of their time, you can paint a mental image of each and the lifes they lead, a life where danger is never far away
Another area which the author really brought across for me was a real sense of location and of place and time with its descriptive narrative, a wonderful protrayal of the 1980s. Another impression that comes strongly across are Flemyings heritage and Scottish roots, there are some wonderfully written scenes which draws you into the landscape
The book built up as I read it with a terrific air of suspense, mystery and intrigue as it reached its ending
A definite standout read from an author who is at the top of their game in the spy genre
June 4, 2024
Some books grip, some books need to be let go and some slowly burn into a flame that demands more attention. This series has much potential for bigger things.
It seemed far-fetched to combine the 1985 Anglo-Irish agreement with the Gordievsky story. The backdrop of the real tentative and secret discussions between the British and Irish governments seem as real today as yesterday. At times the words were a little matter-of-fact and at others, as if the writer did not wish to tread in toes or add deeper emotion to a controversial and relevant piece of modern history. The characters were a tad convoluted and did not have enough draw or appeal, however, the setting and time certainly gave a classic Cold War feel to the story. Crafted in the mold of John le Carré, this third sitting of Will Flemyng, isn’t a bad way to experience prose styled in a varied and engaging manner.
It seemed far-fetched to combine the 1985 Anglo-Irish agreement with the Gordievsky story. The backdrop of the real tentative and secret discussions between the British and Irish governments seem as real today as yesterday. At times the words were a little matter-of-fact and at others, as if the writer did not wish to tread in toes or add deeper emotion to a controversial and relevant piece of modern history. The characters were a tad convoluted and did not have enough draw or appeal, however, the setting and time certainly gave a classic Cold War feel to the story. Crafted in the mold of John le Carré, this third sitting of Will Flemyng, isn’t a bad way to experience prose styled in a varied and engaging manner.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews