The Righteous Spy

by Merle Nygate

Eli Amiran is Mossad's star spy runner and the man responsible for bringing unparalleled intelligence to the Israeli agency. Now, he's leading an audacious operation in the UK that feeds his ambition but threatens his conscience. The British and the Americans have intel Mossad desperately need. To force MI6 and the CIA into sharing their priceless information, Eli and his maverick colleague Rafi undertake a risky mission to trick their faking a terrorist plot on British soil. But in the world of espionage, the game is treacherous, opaque, and deadly . . . A twisting international spy novel, The Righteous Spy is an intriguing page turner that portrays a clandestine world in which moral transgressions serve higher causes. A must-read for fans of Homeland, Fauda, and The Americans, it will also appeal to readers of Charles Cumming and John le Carré .

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2018

About the author

I’m the author of The Righteous Spy, winner of the 2017 Little Brown/UEA Crime Fiction Award. It's my first espionage novel. Previously I've worked as a screenwriter and script editor working on BAFTA winning TV, New York Festival audio drama, written original sitcoms and script edited across multiple genres..

Reviews

[Budd Margolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meandering story with some good characterisation but generally slow, low intensity and disappointing ending. Not really that clevel but hope she improved with the next book?

[LM Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Righteous Spy is a first-class espionage novel that hits all the right notes. Merle Nygate delivers a story that’s tightly written, sharply paced, and full of authentic tension. What stood out most for me was how well-balanced it all felt—the writing is crisp, the characters layered and believable, and the plot moves forward with a rhythm that kept me engaged from start to finish.

The characters are especially well-drawn, with believable motivations and flaws that give the story real depth. Unlike many spy thrillers that rely solely on action, Nygate weaves in a human element that makes the stakes feel real. The ending ties everything together in a way that’s both satisfying and thought-provoking, the kind of conclusion that lingers after the last page.