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Oxford Spy Ring #1
A Spy Alone
'This is first class' The Times 'A stunning debut' Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time ‘A marvellously confident debut, sharply observed and exceptionally well written’ Charles Cumming, author of Box 88 Everyone knows about the Cambridge Spies from the Fifties, identified and broken up after passing national secrets to the Soviets for years. But no spy ring was ever unearthed at Oxford. Because one never existed? Or because it was never found…? 2022: Former spy Simon Sharman is eking out a living in the private sector. When a commission to delve into the financial dealings of a mysterious Russian oligarch comes across his desk, he jumps at the chance. But as Simon investigates, worrying patterns begin to emerge. His subject made regular trips to Oxford, but for no apparent reason. There are payments from offshore accounts that suddenly just… stop. Has he found what none of his former colleagues believed possible, a Russian spy ring now nestled at the heart of the British Establishment? Or is he just another paranoid ex-spook left out in the cold, obsessed with redemption? From Oxford’s hallowed quadrangles to brush contacts on Hampstead Heath, agent-running in Vienna and mysterious meetings in Prague, A Spy Alone is a gripping international thriller and a searing portrait of modern Britain in the age of cynical populism. Perfect for readers of Charles Cumming, Mick Herron and John le Carré. 'Beaumont ... catches the zeitgeist of (le Carré) .... He conveys all the world of espionage with relish, in its murky motives and surveillance techniques and the book races along and makes for a stunning debut' Maxim Jakubowski , Crime Time 'A clever, thrilling spy story that brings the feel of Eric Ambler's shadowy political intrigues right into today's world' Jeremy Duns , author of Free Agent ‘ A Spy Alone is as intricate as it is absorbing, as fantastically entertaining as it is disturbingly plausible, and is delivered with the confidence of a writer who knows how to handle the highest stakes’ Tim Glister , author of Red Corona ‘Beaumont’s debut novel has such a ring of authenticity about it that it reads like an inside job... The story is gripping and the characters are all well drawn. Highly recommended’ Alex Gerlis , author of the Wolf Pack series ‘Propulsive, authentic and eye-opening, A Spy Alone is clearly written by someone with first-hand experience of the secret world’ James Wolff , author of How to Betray Your Country ‘Tense, compelling and remarkably timely... Shades of some of the greats of spy fiction – it might even be better than Charles Cumming’ Dominick Donald , author of Breathe ‘Beaumont takes the intrigue, atmosphere and subterfuge of the Cambridge Spies and brings it bang up to date with a what-if tale of an Oxford spy ring at the service of modern-day populist politicians and malevolent regimes. A chilling story that feels all too plausible today, written with extraordinary insight’ Chris Lloyd , author of The Unwanted Dead ‘Authentic and compelling – Beaumont captures the intertwined worlds of Oxford and espionage with the keen eye of the insider’ Tom Fletcher , author of The Ambassador ‘This book is timely. It’s a well-written and atmospheric tale of espionage. But it hits hard at some of the real issues facing Britain and the world today’ Dan Kaszeta , author of A History of Nerve Agents
1 pages, Audio CD
Published July 30, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
September 8, 2024
Our protagonist, a disillusioned former spy, has such a weight of psychological baggage, I did wonder how they managed to walk the street let alone uncover the nefarious plot of a foreign power to undermine the establishment. The author, mind, has it seems to me decided the establishment is already in tatters more as a result of Brexit, public schools and the Tory government and does want the reader to be under no illusion regarding Britain’s downfall.
How such an unnecessarily over complicated trudge through 367 pages can be hailed as a groundbreaking novel, I can but wonder. Did the publisher find time to chat over lunch with friends in mainstream media prior to publication? Was it Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Goebbels that both said, ‘Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth’?
The publisher, when interviewed by The Guardian, stated, “the corporate goal is to bring the tools of traditional publishing: proofreading, editing, and working closely with authors together.” The Guardian, I’m certain, holds the same views as to why Britain is in the doldrums. With regard to proofreading and editing, I would suggest the publisher focus more on those tools than its own political ideology. The book is littered with so many errors that I, too, became as disillusioned as the main character. I quote from a review:
“I gave up when our very dull hero took an ‘enervating swim’. I had already been disturbed by two ‘glamourous’ and one ‘steeling something’. If the publisher cannot be bothered proof-reading, I am not prepared to bother reading. This was on Kindle. It was pretty dull anyway."
I cannot overstate how mind-numbing this read became.
How such an unnecessarily over complicated trudge through 367 pages can be hailed as a groundbreaking novel, I can but wonder. Did the publisher find time to chat over lunch with friends in mainstream media prior to publication? Was it Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Goebbels that both said, ‘Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth’?
The publisher, when interviewed by The Guardian, stated, “the corporate goal is to bring the tools of traditional publishing: proofreading, editing, and working closely with authors together.” The Guardian, I’m certain, holds the same views as to why Britain is in the doldrums. With regard to proofreading and editing, I would suggest the publisher focus more on those tools than its own political ideology. The book is littered with so many errors that I, too, became as disillusioned as the main character. I quote from a review:
“I gave up when our very dull hero took an ‘enervating swim’. I had already been disturbed by two ‘glamourous’ and one ‘steeling something’. If the publisher cannot be bothered proof-reading, I am not prepared to bother reading. This was on Kindle. It was pretty dull anyway."
I cannot overstate how mind-numbing this read became.
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October 17, 2024Продовжуємо spooky місяць жовтень, читаючи про найстрашніше! Цього разу - шпигунський трилер про те, як російські агенти інфільтрують політичні, культурні й безпекові інституції західних країн на всіх рівнях.
Головний герой, Саймон Шарман, - колишній шпигун і перманентний невдаха, який намагається сяк-так заробити собі на хліб як приватний детектив (виходить поганенько, але в нього взагалі все виходить не дуже - здається, найуспішніша його андеркавер операція, так би мовити, була ще в студентські роки, коли він кілька років прикидався євреєм, бо це його хоч якось вирізняло на тлі натовпу). Коли йому приходить замовлення перевірити портфоліо російського олігарха на предмет "чи можна Оксфорду приймати такі пожертви, чи олігарх зараз загримить під санкції у зв'язку з війною Росії проти України, й Оксфорду буде сильно невдобно", він хапається за цю можливість - начебто прямолінійне замовлення, швидкі і легкі гроші, все супер. Але роботу, як і ремонт, треба вміти зупинити вчасно - а Саймон не вміє, й тому те, що здавалося простим замовленням, раптом виявляється дверима до реально стрьомних відкриттів: про кембриджську шестірку ми знаємо, бо вони продовбалися, а чому не знаємо про подібні оксфордські групи? тому, що їх не було - чи тому, що вони не продовбалися і вже стали частиною істеблішменту? Читається жвавенько і верибельно, наче новини читаєш, і навіть фінальні монологи лиходіїв, на жаль, звучать реалістично.
Зворушливо, що книжка присвячена "To the people of Ukraine, as they continue their fight for freedom". Сюжет наступного тому відбуватиметься в Україні, чекаю.
Автор, кажуть, "worked undercover as an MI6 operative in war zones, on diplomatic missions and in international business", тож про якісь технічні аспекти, можливо, пише зі знанням справи - з іншого боку, Роберта Ґелбрайта до того, як аутнули авторство Ролінґ, теж маркетували ветерана, тож усі такі біографічні дані я тепер take with a grain of salt.
Головний герой, Саймон Шарман, - колишній шпигун і перманентний невдаха, який намагається сяк-так заробити собі на хліб як приватний детектив (виходить поганенько, але в нього взагалі все виходить не дуже - здається, найуспішніша його андеркавер операція, так би мовити, була ще в студентські роки, коли він кілька років прикидався євреєм, бо це його хоч якось вирізняло на тлі натовпу). Коли йому приходить замовлення перевірити портфоліо російського олігарха на предмет "чи можна Оксфорду приймати такі пожертви, чи олігарх зараз загримить під санкції у зв'язку з війною Росії проти України, й Оксфорду буде сильно невдобно", він хапається за цю можливість - начебто прямолінійне замовлення, швидкі і легкі гроші, все супер. Але роботу, як і ремонт, треба вміти зупинити вчасно - а Саймон не вміє, й тому те, що здавалося простим замовленням, раптом виявляється дверима до реально стрьомних відкриттів: про кембриджську шестірку ми знаємо, бо вони продовбалися, а чому не знаємо про подібні оксфордські групи? тому, що їх не було - чи тому, що вони не продовбалися і вже стали частиною істеблішменту? Читається жвавенько і верибельно, наче новини читаєш, і навіть фінальні монологи лиходіїв, на жаль, звучать реалістично.
Зворушливо, що книжка присвячена "To the people of Ukraine, as they continue their fight for freedom". Сюжет наступного тому відбуватиметься в Україні, чекаю.
Автор, кажуть, "worked undercover as an MI6 operative in war zones, on diplomatic missions and in international business", тож про якісь технічні аспекти, можливо, пише зі знанням справи - з іншого боку, Роберта Ґелбрайта до того, як аутнули авторство Ролінґ, теж маркетували ветерана, тож усі такі біографічні дані я тепер take with a grain of salt.
October 12, 2023
‘Ware the warlords of our modern times!
Slow start to what becomes a rather compelling story of international intrigue, based mainly on Russian oligarch connections.
Simon Sharmon is our key player, an ex Oxford man, ex intelligence officer who’s operating freelance now.
An acquaintance, Marcus Peebles, employs Simon to look into a mid level oligarch Georgy Sidorov, with reference to an endowerment to Sharmon’s Oxford College, especially at this time of the war in Ukraine.
The action switches between Simon’s Oxford student days, the late nineties and early 2000’s to the mid 2000’s—from Ukraine and Crimea, to the present.
By the end I’m feeling totally paranoid, haunted by the vision of a net of various intelligence agents and investigators from a variety of countries crisscrossing the United Kingdom like one of those diagrams of millions of interconnecting internet webs. Only to my mind they’re spiders webs spinning out of control in the underbelly of our world. Grrr! But who or what’s at the center?
Brexit comes in for a drubbing. Apparently forces were at work to make it happen, leaving Europe vulnerable and open to being ravaged by the Russian Bear. Or is it just the oligarchs and powerful corporations hiding their activities behind various shell companies? If I wasn’t paranoid before with the rise of populism, the spread of international drug lords, human trafficking, the craziness of Putin and his cronies, Britain isolating itself—then I am now. I could be wearing an al foil hat soon!
The question of was there an Oxford spy ring to equal the Cambridge fifties one of Blunt et.al. resonates and Simon’s investigations uncover so much more. Simon’s digging opens up a minefield of boggling possibilities.
An exciting thriller, seemly all too accurate, that left me breathless in its magnitude.
The fact that it’s written by an ex intelligence officer sends cold shivers down my spine.
Beaumont’s certainly up there with my favorite spy writers. The mind games of Le Carré are recalled.
A Canelo ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Slow start to what becomes a rather compelling story of international intrigue, based mainly on Russian oligarch connections.
Simon Sharmon is our key player, an ex Oxford man, ex intelligence officer who’s operating freelance now.
An acquaintance, Marcus Peebles, employs Simon to look into a mid level oligarch Georgy Sidorov, with reference to an endowerment to Sharmon’s Oxford College, especially at this time of the war in Ukraine.
The action switches between Simon’s Oxford student days, the late nineties and early 2000’s to the mid 2000’s—from Ukraine and Crimea, to the present.
By the end I’m feeling totally paranoid, haunted by the vision of a net of various intelligence agents and investigators from a variety of countries crisscrossing the United Kingdom like one of those diagrams of millions of interconnecting internet webs. Only to my mind they’re spiders webs spinning out of control in the underbelly of our world. Grrr! But who or what’s at the center?
Brexit comes in for a drubbing. Apparently forces were at work to make it happen, leaving Europe vulnerable and open to being ravaged by the Russian Bear. Or is it just the oligarchs and powerful corporations hiding their activities behind various shell companies? If I wasn’t paranoid before with the rise of populism, the spread of international drug lords, human trafficking, the craziness of Putin and his cronies, Britain isolating itself—then I am now. I could be wearing an al foil hat soon!
The question of was there an Oxford spy ring to equal the Cambridge fifties one of Blunt et.al. resonates and Simon’s investigations uncover so much more. Simon’s digging opens up a minefield of boggling possibilities.
An exciting thriller, seemly all too accurate, that left me breathless in its magnitude.
The fact that it’s written by an ex intelligence officer sends cold shivers down my spine.
Beaumont’s certainly up there with my favorite spy writers. The mind games of Le Carré are recalled.
A Canelo ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
March 15, 2024
This was an impulse purchase because it was a cheap price on Kobo, had plenty of great ratings here on Goodreads and I wanted to read something completely different from what I have been reading lately. I do seem to be in a minority about this one, but I felt it a little scattered, jumping all over in timelines and a main character that was a bit flat.
January 3, 2024
One of those wonderful works of spy fiction written by an authentic intelligence officer; it's a tight story, with superb exposition, realistic characters, building tension, and exciting action. And so very good at including real tradecraft. I believe this is his first book; if so, he truly nailed it, and has produced a worthy Spy Thriller.
March 7, 2025
Cracker of a read. Unfortunately the last part lining us up for the next book was a tad disappointing. But don’t get me wrong I enjoyed it overall. Bit of a John Buchan Thirty-Nine Steps feel at times.
Simon Sharman a former spy is now freelancing in the private sector. He uncovers a conspiracy going back to his days as an Oxford undergraduate similar to the one at Cambridge.
There is plenty of action, love interest and references to Brexit and the Ukraine. In fact quite apt reading at this time.
References also to Pret A Manger, a food chain I like. But my favourite duck wraps not mentioned- I digress.
‘…populist-nationalist equals pro-Russian.’
‘Crimea is Russian. Always was, always will be. And if we’re really being honest. Ukraine isn’t a thing.’ They’re just Russians with a soft spot for the Nazi’s’
‘But the yanks find it easy to have a go at one of the world’s smallest countries.’ Reminded me of recent JD Vance comments.
Yes a good read and I will hunt out the next book.
Simon Sharman a former spy is now freelancing in the private sector. He uncovers a conspiracy going back to his days as an Oxford undergraduate similar to the one at Cambridge.
There is plenty of action, love interest and references to Brexit and the Ukraine. In fact quite apt reading at this time.
References also to Pret A Manger, a food chain I like. But my favourite duck wraps not mentioned- I digress.
‘…populist-nationalist equals pro-Russian.’
‘Crimea is Russian. Always was, always will be. And if we’re really being honest. Ukraine isn’t a thing.’ They’re just Russians with a soft spot for the Nazi’s’
‘But the yanks find it easy to have a go at one of the world’s smallest countries.’ Reminded me of recent JD Vance comments.
Yes a good read and I will hunt out the next book.
January 3, 2024
I've been lucky enough to read so many excellent books over the past couple of years that only giving a book 3 stars feels a bit like a poor review. It isn't. This is a good book, and a good debut, but I found it lacking something I can't really put my finger on.
A few things spring to mind, which perhaps collectively explain why this isn't a four or five star book.
Sharman seems a little erratic and impulsive, and you don't feel like you've really got to know him very well. Although he is at times in great danger, there are other moments where you expect a little more danger that never materialises. I thought a mention of a priest hole in a big old house was leading to it being used to hide a man on the run, but no. Sharman also isn't in any real danger for at least the last third of the book, which reduces the dramatic tension a little. The antagonists are all lumped together, and even Gough isn't sketched in too much detail beyond being an egomaniac Dominic Cummins type.
Perhaps, in the end, I just didn't care enough about anyone in this book. Beaumont has thrown a lot of good stuff in here, but maybe too much.
Worth a read and I'll certainly be interested to see what Beaumont produces next.
A few things spring to mind, which perhaps collectively explain why this isn't a four or five star book.
Sharman seems a little erratic and impulsive, and you don't feel like you've really got to know him very well. Although he is at times in great danger, there are other moments where you expect a little more danger that never materialises. I thought a mention of a priest hole in a big old house was leading to it being used to hide a man on the run, but no. Sharman also isn't in any real danger for at least the last third of the book, which reduces the dramatic tension a little. The antagonists are all lumped together, and even Gough isn't sketched in too much detail beyond being an egomaniac Dominic Cummins type.
Perhaps, in the end, I just didn't care enough about anyone in this book. Beaumont has thrown a lot of good stuff in here, but maybe too much.
Worth a read and I'll certainly be interested to see what Beaumont produces next.
September 22, 2023
I really enjoyed this espionage thriller, and I’m glad I took a chance on it when I spotted it on NetGalley recently.
As the synopsis states it’s about Simon Sharman a former spy, now working in the financial sector who gets caught up in what could be a Russian spy ring in Oxford.
It was partly set in Oxford, which I loved as one of my sisters used to live there and I knew it quite well back in the 80s and 90s. It took me to a few other European locations as well, which really added to my enjoyment of the story.
I liked Simon right for the start, and enjoyed following him on his deep delve into the murky world of the British government with possible links to Russian Oligarchs. At times it felt like I was reading news headlines as the war in Ukraine is mentioned, as well a Prime Minster with a secretive special advisor!
As Simon got closer to finding out the truth I really didn’t know who to trust, and really didn’t know how it was going to end, considering it’s book one in a new series. I needn’t have worried though as the ending was perfect with a good lead into the next book.
Definitely recommended if you enjoy realistic espionage thrillers.
Thanks so much to Canelo and NetGalley for my digital copy via the NetGalley app.
As the synopsis states it’s about Simon Sharman a former spy, now working in the financial sector who gets caught up in what could be a Russian spy ring in Oxford.
It was partly set in Oxford, which I loved as one of my sisters used to live there and I knew it quite well back in the 80s and 90s. It took me to a few other European locations as well, which really added to my enjoyment of the story.
I liked Simon right for the start, and enjoyed following him on his deep delve into the murky world of the British government with possible links to Russian Oligarchs. At times it felt like I was reading news headlines as the war in Ukraine is mentioned, as well a Prime Minster with a secretive special advisor!
As Simon got closer to finding out the truth I really didn’t know who to trust, and really didn’t know how it was going to end, considering it’s book one in a new series. I needn’t have worried though as the ending was perfect with a good lead into the next book.
Definitely recommended if you enjoy realistic espionage thrillers.
Thanks so much to Canelo and NetGalley for my digital copy via the NetGalley app.
January 31, 2025
A very nicely executed spy novel with a highly realistic central story of high-level Russian penetration of the UK society and government by an Oxford spy ring. The setting is right after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so a lot of the issues mentioned in the novel are very current and the story is believable - in fact, I would be highly surprised if similar events are not taking place in the UK and elsewhere in the world. The author's previous experience as an intelligence operative is evident throughout the novel; and his observations about the British society are very interesting. Highly recommended to any fan of espionage fiction.
In case the author is reading this: I truly enjoyed this novel and your research on various details and your description of spycraft is impeccable. There is a small mistake in the book: a Glock, or any other modern striker-fired pistol, does not "click" in the situation you described in the scene. In striker-fired pistols you can not pull the trigger in such a situation - the trigger is not movable until it is reset by cocking the slide to chamber a round.
In case the author is reading this: I truly enjoyed this novel and your research on various details and your description of spycraft is impeccable. There is a small mistake in the book: a Glock, or any other modern striker-fired pistol, does not "click" in the situation you described in the scene. In striker-fired pistols you can not pull the trigger in such a situation - the trigger is not movable until it is reset by cocking the slide to chamber a round.
November 29, 2023
The new Le Carre?
This is - just like the last few Bond films - another example of how far the world has moved away from the George Smiley era. Everything evolves around money and power and anarchy, because we live in e in a world ruled by social media and diss or miss information.
Just a brilliant read and a new name enters the canon of spy literature.
This is - just like the last few Bond films - another example of how far the world has moved away from the George Smiley era. Everything evolves around money and power and anarchy, because we live in e in a world ruled by social media and diss or miss information.
Just a brilliant read and a new name enters the canon of spy literature.
July 5, 2025
This is more of a 2.5 stars for me. I just don’t get the hype. The characters are pretty hollow and they spend an inordinate amount of time explaining the plot and the motivations of other equally thin characters to each other. Yes - the action is non stop, but it’s also as implausible as the main character’s yearning for a brilliant and beautiful but alluringly aloof multilingual academic. Kind of like an ingenious conspiracy theory disguised as a thriller!
August 6, 2024
Simon Sharman is an Oxford University graduate and former MI6 operative whose career with the UK intelligence service simply didn't pan out as he'd expected. When A Spy Alone opens he's barely eking out a living as a private investigator with few connections and nothing in the bank.
Which is why he gladly, even eagerly, takes a commission to investigate the finances of a second tier Russian oligarch who had been a donor to Oxford. Sharman sees it as a lucrative opportunity for a long term project.
Instead he stumbles on a variety of inconsistencies that point to the possibility of a Russian espionage ring operating out of Oxford, similar to the famous Cambridge five. But the Oxford group involves people he knew and studied with during his time at the university.
The story starts fast and speeds up as it goes along. It's a rollercoaster thrill ride that kept me on edge till the end.
Charles Beaumont is apparently a pseudonym for someone who was actually an MI6 operative for a time. Not only did the details feel right, but his observations about modern day UK politics and society were depressingly on target I thought. This is Beaumont's first book. As long as he's writing espionage thrillers I'm on board.
Which is why he gladly, even eagerly, takes a commission to investigate the finances of a second tier Russian oligarch who had been a donor to Oxford. Sharman sees it as a lucrative opportunity for a long term project.
Instead he stumbles on a variety of inconsistencies that point to the possibility of a Russian espionage ring operating out of Oxford, similar to the famous Cambridge five. But the Oxford group involves people he knew and studied with during his time at the university.
The story starts fast and speeds up as it goes along. It's a rollercoaster thrill ride that kept me on edge till the end.
Charles Beaumont is apparently a pseudonym for someone who was actually an MI6 operative for a time. Not only did the details feel right, but his observations about modern day UK politics and society were depressingly on target I thought. This is Beaumont's first book. As long as he's writing espionage thrillers I'm on board.
October 2, 2023
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
Simon, a former spy, is employed to investigate a Russian oligarch who apparently wants to make a substantial donation to an Oxford college, but in doing so, he uncovers evidence that a Russian spy ring may have been active at Oxford for decades. I enjoyed this and read it quickly, although there was quite a lot of complex information about Russia and Ukraine and economics and politics and history (sometimes helpfully explained by one character to another) and some of this went a bit over my head.
I thought the author did a good job of keeping the reader unsure of who Simon could trust. I loved the parts set in Oxford and the mention of my old college, and enjoyed all the spycraft - I'm always going to look at the shoes of people I think might be following me from now on. I found it flowed much better once the flashbacks were over and we were settled in 2022. I didn't really buy into the attraction Simon and Sarah were apparently feeling for one another and I found the ending depressing, although I am sure it was realistic.
Simon, a former spy, is employed to investigate a Russian oligarch who apparently wants to make a substantial donation to an Oxford college, but in doing so, he uncovers evidence that a Russian spy ring may have been active at Oxford for decades. I enjoyed this and read it quickly, although there was quite a lot of complex information about Russia and Ukraine and economics and politics and history (sometimes helpfully explained by one character to another) and some of this went a bit over my head.
I thought the author did a good job of keeping the reader unsure of who Simon could trust. I loved the parts set in Oxford and the mention of my old college, and enjoyed all the spycraft - I'm always going to look at the shoes of people I think might be following me from now on. I found it flowed much better once the flashbacks were over and we were settled in 2022. I didn't really buy into the attraction Simon and Sarah were apparently feeling for one another and I found the ending depressing, although I am sure it was realistic.
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September 1, 2024extremely good ride. been a while since i read a spy novel and damn is it good to be back. sort of fun to read a spy novel that deals w Russia in the present (w absolutely NO disrespect to my first true thriller love, the cold war spy novel).
March 30, 2025
4.5
Really enjoyed. Very topical and fun fast paced spy book. Convinced I’m 100 now that I am grinding through spy novels. Only beef is this felt like a stand alone that got turned into a series at about 75% through but excited the second book is out already!
Really enjoyed. Very topical and fun fast paced spy book. Convinced I’m 100 now that I am grinding through spy novels. Only beef is this felt like a stand alone that got turned into a series at about 75% through but excited the second book is out already!
May 21, 2024
I enjoyed the book but I did keep picking it up and putting it down, reading something else, then coming back to it. I'm not sure why as it's well-written and obviously feels very authentic.
August 16, 2024
Simon Sharman is an ex-spy trying to make a living in the private sector. He is invited to undertake work investigating a Russian oligarch who is seeking a make a very large donation to an Oxford College. Simon is an Oxford alumnus and jumps at the chance to do the work. However, what he uncovers indicates an active Russian spy ring stretching back over many years.
It sounds a bit corny, but this is a very good contemporary spy novel, that moves at pace and covers many themes embedded within post-Brexit Britain. The UK’s lax regulation of financial services, money laundering and welcoming attitude to Russian influence and money are brought under scrutiny.
Highly recommended and very enjoyable.
It sounds a bit corny, but this is a very good contemporary spy novel, that moves at pace and covers many themes embedded within post-Brexit Britain. The UK’s lax regulation of financial services, money laundering and welcoming attitude to Russian influence and money are brought under scrutiny.
Highly recommended and very enjoyable.
September 16, 2025
DNF. Half-way through, yet another name cropped up and yet another destination! This is where I abandoned it. I don't have anything against a vast cast but it seems to me illogical that a name appears and the spy travels again. Like all the James Bond and other adventure films - nobody does any research!
The book posits a fascinating problem: we all know about the Cambridge Five but what happened in Oxford? A sort of answer may be hidden in the second half of the novel but alas, I got bored before.
The book posits a fascinating problem: we all know about the Cambridge Five but what happened in Oxford? A sort of answer may be hidden in the second half of the novel but alas, I got bored before.
June 1, 2025
Pew pew
July 30, 2024
A good old fashioned spy thriller. The author obviously knows this territory well. He has an engaging turn of phrase. Good plot which kept me guessing. Stylistically not dissimilar to Slow Horses. Well worth reading if you enjoy this genre.
July 26, 2024
Modern spy thriller that runs out of steam towards the end.
Set in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine and located in Oxford there was a lot to like about this debut novel.
Slightly cliched in that the main character Simon is an embittered ex spook who feels underappreciated for his achievements whilst in the secret service.
When he thinks he's uncovered a Russian spy ring controlling British politics maybe it's a chance to get the credit and recognition he feels he was overlooked for previously. Or is he just paranoid?
A good engrossing thriller let down by the weak ending I felt.
Set in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of the Ukraine and located in Oxford there was a lot to like about this debut novel.
Slightly cliched in that the main character Simon is an embittered ex spook who feels underappreciated for his achievements whilst in the secret service.
When he thinks he's uncovered a Russian spy ring controlling British politics maybe it's a chance to get the credit and recognition he feels he was overlooked for previously. Or is he just paranoid?
A good engrossing thriller let down by the weak ending I felt.
February 16, 2024
So I found the first 50 odd pages particularly slow - important to the story though.
I felt the book could have done with a stronger editing at there was considerable text that, for me, did not add to the story, mood or character.
I found the end disappointing. I was expecting to be surprised but the book pretty much followed a straight (and therefore I think mundane) path. It also feels that the author could be setting us up for a sequel.
I felt the book could have done with a stronger editing at there was considerable text that, for me, did not add to the story, mood or character.
I found the end disappointing. I was expecting to be surprised but the book pretty much followed a straight (and therefore I think mundane) path. It also feels that the author could be setting us up for a sequel.
August 31, 2024
This book was bad. Attempt at a spy drama but the action felt like it had been shoehorned in afterwards in the hope of being turned into a film, and the corporate intrigue was poorly informed and dull. Writing was pretty crap too.
"Suddenly, pathetically fallacious, the wind drops, knowing he has reached an epiphany. He is trying to save Britain, but from whom? Why? From itself. Because, in spite of everything, he has a deep, unrequited love for his country." 🤢🤮
"Suddenly, pathetically fallacious, the wind drops, knowing he has reached an epiphany. He is trying to save Britain, but from whom? Why? From itself. Because, in spite of everything, he has a deep, unrequited love for his country." 🤢🤮
January 21, 2024
I thank the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book. This was very much my cup of tea!. Lots of interesting characters, lots of tradecraft and a very clever plot. I will follow this author and look forward to more of the same.
January 24, 2024
I only managed 20% of it as it keeps jumping locations and dates which I cannot be bothered with.
September 10, 2025
Author Charles Beaumont is a former MI-6 operative who uses a pseudonym and disguises his voice and appearance in all public interviews. He uses the name Charles Beaumont, which was also used as a pseudonym by Charles Leroy Nutt (1929-1967), an author of weird sci-fi books and lots of episodes of The Twilight Zone, which he often based on Ray Bradbury themes and in which he collaborated with a group of authors such as Rod Serling himself. Nobody knows his name today, and he's been dead for more than half a century. I'd say that our ex-MI6 man. made a stellar choice to disguise a secret behind another secret.
This book is our Charles Beaumont's first, as far as I know. His aim was to update our understanding of how modern spies work, and what they are now working on. It is a warning of what our world has become since the 1950's spy v. spy paradigm, where one state actor battled counterparts from other states ideologically opposed to them in order to uncover their secrets and plans and protect their "way of life." . There were rules and tradecraft and sometimes friendships developed between individual adversaries in the game.
In 2025, according to Beaumont, mobsters, crooked politicians, influencers and billionaire businessmen combine with the sole purpose of making more money than anyone has ever seen, thus depriving everyone else on the planet of their fair share of the wealth that belongs to all of us, depriving the masses of the quality of life they have fairly earned. The conspiracy of the greedy divert tax money paid by citizens, raw resources reaped and processed by workers, and as much of the profits from the work of others as they can steal, hiding their transactions around the globe by mans of shell corporations, tax dodges and so on. Sounds only too familiar.
To pique the readers' interest further, there are some old-fashioned bad guys who kill and maim. The ex-MI6 good guy, Simon Sharman, discovers an unexpected link between the known bad guys and previously unsuspected recruitment of Oxford undergrads into the international greed cartel. The Oxford students were identified and vetted, then helped to reach high places in every walk of life.
It was a satisfying mystery with a good ending and lots of opportunities to compare his story with the horrors we live with now. I liked this book very much, and have ordered the next one.
This book is our Charles Beaumont's first, as far as I know. His aim was to update our understanding of how modern spies work, and what they are now working on. It is a warning of what our world has become since the 1950's spy v. spy paradigm, where one state actor battled counterparts from other states ideologically opposed to them in order to uncover their secrets and plans and protect their "way of life." . There were rules and tradecraft and sometimes friendships developed between individual adversaries in the game.
In 2025, according to Beaumont, mobsters, crooked politicians, influencers and billionaire businessmen combine with the sole purpose of making more money than anyone has ever seen, thus depriving everyone else on the planet of their fair share of the wealth that belongs to all of us, depriving the masses of the quality of life they have fairly earned. The conspiracy of the greedy divert tax money paid by citizens, raw resources reaped and processed by workers, and as much of the profits from the work of others as they can steal, hiding their transactions around the globe by mans of shell corporations, tax dodges and so on. Sounds only too familiar.
To pique the readers' interest further, there are some old-fashioned bad guys who kill and maim. The ex-MI6 good guy, Simon Sharman, discovers an unexpected link between the known bad guys and previously unsuspected recruitment of Oxford undergrads into the international greed cartel. The Oxford students were identified and vetted, then helped to reach high places in every walk of life.
It was a satisfying mystery with a good ending and lots of opportunities to compare his story with the horrors we live with now. I liked this book very much, and have ordered the next one.
December 10, 2025
A fine spy story, full of interesting characters and situations, with a pretty accurate reflection of the situation of the world today.
The private sector hasn’t been very kind to ex-intelligence officer Simon Sharmon, so when an old colleague throws him some work to look into a minor Russian oligarch Simon jumps at the opportunity to keep his business afloat. The oligarch is looking to donate some money to Oxford University, Simon’s old stomping grounds, and the university wants to make sure that the donor is legit, nothing too shady or illegal. But as Simon starts digging into the target’s past, he realizes that his memories/history of his time (and friends) at Oxford might be relevant to what the information is beginning to show, that this may be the tip of a hidden Russian spy ring at the university. And since those students are now in positions of power, how far will they go to keep their secrets hidden? And how hard can Simon push, and whom can he trust?
The book started slow, especially with all of the flashbacks to Simon’s university days, but then ramped up quite quickly. It is very evident that Charles Beaumont knows what he’s talking about when it comes to spycraft and the life of an agent in the field. Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
The private sector hasn’t been very kind to ex-intelligence officer Simon Sharmon, so when an old colleague throws him some work to look into a minor Russian oligarch Simon jumps at the opportunity to keep his business afloat. The oligarch is looking to donate some money to Oxford University, Simon’s old stomping grounds, and the university wants to make sure that the donor is legit, nothing too shady or illegal. But as Simon starts digging into the target’s past, he realizes that his memories/history of his time (and friends) at Oxford might be relevant to what the information is beginning to show, that this may be the tip of a hidden Russian spy ring at the university. And since those students are now in positions of power, how far will they go to keep their secrets hidden? And how hard can Simon push, and whom can he trust?
The book started slow, especially with all of the flashbacks to Simon’s university days, but then ramped up quite quickly. It is very evident that Charles Beaumont knows what he’s talking about when it comes to spycraft and the life of an agent in the field. Looking forward to the continuation of the series.
September 23, 2024
This, Charles Beaumont’s first novel, is brilliant. Beaumont (not his real name, of course), used to be an MI6 field officer, and it shows. The story concerns Simon Sharman, an ex-MI6 agent who does private work but isn’t very successful: he has no money, a small flat in Kilburn and an assistant/PA who is brilliant but he can barely afford to keep on the books, and who he almost always sees only online.
Sharman is offered a research job by a former colleague, another ex-MI6 man who has built a large and rich company supplying data to businesses, and others. This leads to a more complex situation involving national security, danger, dodgy dealings, treachery and death. I won’t give the plot away; suffice to say that I believe Messrs Le Carré, Deighton, Forsyth, Seymour and Harris would be proud to welcome Mr Beaumont to their exalted ranks. I hope he writes some more.
Sharman is offered a research job by a former colleague, another ex-MI6 man who has built a large and rich company supplying data to businesses, and others. This leads to a more complex situation involving national security, danger, dodgy dealings, treachery and death. I won’t give the plot away; suffice to say that I believe Messrs Le Carré, Deighton, Forsyth, Seymour and Harris would be proud to welcome Mr Beaumont to their exalted ranks. I hope he writes some more.
October 17, 2023
Review: I enjoyed this novel's pace. There was never a dull moment in the land of espionage. The author is obviously way liberal and waves the Ukraine flag around as a premise for all things Russian/Evil. Might have spent some time going over all the proxy wars in our collective history as conditional evidence.
The continuity errors were consistent especially with regards to firearms. The author does a great job recognizing a Glock's functionality. However, when Simon is shot at in Oxford, he retrieves the loaded gun (one in chamber) as he had dropped it from a roof, waiting for the discharge that never came. In other words, it is still loaded. As he is chased through the woods, he remembers that he "hasn't cocked it". He would not need to, as he never unloaded it.
I liked the new spin on the euro crossroads of money laundering and the inherent corruption in governments. The "this is the new spy game, and no one is playing the old one" is pretty spot on. No one gives a shjt anymore if they are discovered, only mildly annoyed.
I hope Si makes another appearance.
The continuity errors were consistent especially with regards to firearms. The author does a great job recognizing a Glock's functionality. However, when Simon is shot at in Oxford, he retrieves the loaded gun (one in chamber) as he had dropped it from a roof, waiting for the discharge that never came. In other words, it is still loaded. As he is chased through the woods, he remembers that he "hasn't cocked it". He would not need to, as he never unloaded it.
I liked the new spin on the euro crossroads of money laundering and the inherent corruption in governments. The "this is the new spy game, and no one is playing the old one" is pretty spot on. No one gives a shjt anymore if they are discovered, only mildly annoyed.
I hope Si makes another appearance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2024
This is a very enjoyable book that gives a different perspective to ‘the spying game’. It maintains a good pace and tension throughout and kept me hooked in. However the ending is a little contrived and perhaps stretches credibility somewhat. This book promises a lot, achieves much, but somehow, and I cannot quite nail why, just fails to qualify for 5 stars. But if the author produces another book (and tge endung left this possibility open) I shall definitely read it.
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