What do you think?
BOX 88 #4
Icarus 17
In the newest entry in Charles Cumming’s bestselling BOX 88 series, master spy Lachlan Kite heads to Athens, Greece, after an old flame asks for help locating her missing son.
Max Radinsky thought he was living the perfect life in Athens. But when his girlfriend, Yasmine, is forced to flee the city, Max joins her on a desperate journey across Greece. What begins as an escape becomes a fight for survival as the young couple are targeted by an international manhunt. Untrained and living off their wits, they know their luck won’t last forever…
Lachlan Kite, head of covert intelligence service BOX 88, hasn’t seen his former lover, Martha Raine, for more than twenty years. But when Martha begs his help in finding her missing son, Kite has no choice but to act. What they uncover is worse than either could have imagined. Yasmine is carrying a secret which could destabilise the Middle East for a generation—and a team of merciless Israeli intelligence agents have been given orders to kill her on sight.
To save Max—and stop a global crisis—Kite and Martha must reach the young couple before their pursuers close in. A thrilling, complex tale, the depth of which is matched by its page-turning suspense, Icarus 17 once again proves Charles Cumming to be one of the greatest writers of the modern day spy novel.
Max Radinsky thought he was living the perfect life in Athens. But when his girlfriend, Yasmine, is forced to flee the city, Max joins her on a desperate journey across Greece. What begins as an escape becomes a fight for survival as the young couple are targeted by an international manhunt. Untrained and living off their wits, they know their luck won’t last forever…
Lachlan Kite, head of covert intelligence service BOX 88, hasn’t seen his former lover, Martha Raine, for more than twenty years. But when Martha begs his help in finding her missing son, Kite has no choice but to act. What they uncover is worse than either could have imagined. Yasmine is carrying a secret which could destabilise the Middle East for a generation—and a team of merciless Israeli intelligence agents have been given orders to kill her on sight.
To save Max—and stop a global crisis—Kite and Martha must reach the young couple before their pursuers close in. A thrilling, complex tale, the depth of which is matched by its page-turning suspense, Icarus 17 once again proves Charles Cumming to be one of the greatest writers of the modern day spy novel.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2026
About the author
Charles Cumming
28 books1,384 followersCharles Cumming is British writer of spy fiction. His international bestselling thrillers including A Spy By Nature, The Spanish Game, Typhoon and The Trinity Six. A former British Secret Service recruit, he is a contributing editor of The Week magazine and lives in London.
http://www.charlescumming.co.uk/
http://www.charlescumming.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 17, 2026
I gave up on Icarus 17 around chapter 17.
I can forgive a mediocre thriller. What I cannot forgive is being lectured by the author while being served historical nonsense.
Three things finally did it for me: Cumming’s bizarre suggestion that Elon Musk used his own child as an anti-sniper shield; the flat assertion that Israel is “genocidal”; and, most astonishingly, the claim that the Ustaše killed only Jews and Roma.
The last one is not a matter of political opinion. The Ustaše carried out a campaign of mass murder against Serbs as well as Jews, Roma, and others. Getting something this basic wrong while casually dispensing political judgments is quite something.
And that’s really my problem with the book. I don’t care whether Cumming is left, right, pro-Israel, anti-Israel, pro-Musk, or anti-Musk. Put politics in a spy novel if you want. But don’t turn the novel into a vehicle for contemporary ideological opinions and then expect the reader to overlook sloppy history.
I actually wanted to like this. The premise is good, and Cumming is capable of much better.
I can forgive a mediocre thriller. What I cannot forgive is being lectured by the author while being served historical nonsense.
Three things finally did it for me: Cumming’s bizarre suggestion that Elon Musk used his own child as an anti-sniper shield; the flat assertion that Israel is “genocidal”; and, most astonishingly, the claim that the Ustaše killed only Jews and Roma.
The last one is not a matter of political opinion. The Ustaše carried out a campaign of mass murder against Serbs as well as Jews, Roma, and others. Getting something this basic wrong while casually dispensing political judgments is quite something.
And that’s really my problem with the book. I don’t care whether Cumming is left, right, pro-Israel, anti-Israel, pro-Musk, or anti-Musk. Put politics in a spy novel if you want. But don’t turn the novel into a vehicle for contemporary ideological opinions and then expect the reader to overlook sloppy history.
I actually wanted to like this. The premise is good, and Cumming is capable of much better.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a disappointment in what was a great series
Max Radinsky, age 23, is an American living in Athens, figuring out his life after dropping out of Columbia University. There he has met and fallen in love with Yasmine Bizri, a beautiful young Lebanese/French woman who is close lipped about her past. That was fine with Max until her past reached out and threatened her life. The two flee Athens and do their best to drop off the grid, and Max discovers that there is more to Yasmine's story than he realized. She is on the run from her biological father, a powerful man close to the Saudi royal family, and possibly from others for more sinister reasons. There is soon a third group on their trail....Lachlan Kite, head of the covert Anglo-American intelligence group known as Box 88, and Martha Raine, Max's mother and Kite's former lover. Even though a violent attack occurred near the small Swedish town where Kite's wife and young daughter are quietly living Kite finds himself drawn to Martha and her predicament. Can Max and Yasmine, smart but by all means amateurs when it comes to disappearing in the digital age, stay alive and ahead of the thugs hired by Yasmine's father and the other group hired to kill them long enough for Kite and Martha to find them? There are more than a few secrets about to be revealed, some personal and some that could cause geopolitical upheaval in the Middle East.
Icarus 17 is the fourth outing in author Charles Cumming's Box 88 series, and having devoured the previous three (and rating each 5 ⭐️, I might add), I was terribly disappointed in this one for several reasons. I enjoyed the premise....Max's exploits have parallels to young Lockie Kite when he was first recruited into the world of intelligence...and it was interesting to bring "the one who got away" from Kite back into his life, watching as he feels a pull towards the woman he never really got over and weighs that relationship against what he has with his wife and young daughter. So what didn't I like? First, I found Max's and Yasmine's flight from Greece to Sarajevo a bit drawn out and at times repetitive, although I appreciated the settings through which they travelled. I might have given the book 4 ⭐️ if that was my only concern, but it wasn't. What I found jarring was the author's apparent need to bring the name of Donald Trump into the story, with accompanying vitriol, 18 times (with a few references to him minus his actual name a couple of additional times). That averages out to once every 27 pages or so. The mentions seldom had any real connection to the plot, they were just....there. Clearly Mr. Cumming is not a fan of the current US president, and he is entitled to his opinion, but I certainly didn't appreciate having it pop up and interrupt the narrative over and over and over again, He mentioned Netanyahu and Putin once each, and trotted out a strange rumor about Elon Musk, so I'm sensing a theme here. Not a mention of a single British PM though (and I even checked back to the previous book, which had one Trump dig but nothing else). What an absolute shame, really, to feel the need to do this...it totally ruined the book for me. To nastily invoke a controversial figure is a double edged sword....for all those who might share Mr. Cumming's disdain for DJT, there are many others who don't, and still more who just want to escape into the world of fiction. If a reader doesn't care that the author's vitriol interrupts the flow of the plot over and over again, and if they are fans of the series and/or enjoy books by John Le Carré, Len Deighton, or Robert Harris, then go ahead and pick up a copy of this (although you'll want to have read the previous books first)...otherwise, skip it. Chances are good that that is what I will do for any future novels by the author. My thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
Max Radinsky, age 23, is an American living in Athens, figuring out his life after dropping out of Columbia University. There he has met and fallen in love with Yasmine Bizri, a beautiful young Lebanese/French woman who is close lipped about her past. That was fine with Max until her past reached out and threatened her life. The two flee Athens and do their best to drop off the grid, and Max discovers that there is more to Yasmine's story than he realized. She is on the run from her biological father, a powerful man close to the Saudi royal family, and possibly from others for more sinister reasons. There is soon a third group on their trail....Lachlan Kite, head of the covert Anglo-American intelligence group known as Box 88, and Martha Raine, Max's mother and Kite's former lover. Even though a violent attack occurred near the small Swedish town where Kite's wife and young daughter are quietly living Kite finds himself drawn to Martha and her predicament. Can Max and Yasmine, smart but by all means amateurs when it comes to disappearing in the digital age, stay alive and ahead of the thugs hired by Yasmine's father and the other group hired to kill them long enough for Kite and Martha to find them? There are more than a few secrets about to be revealed, some personal and some that could cause geopolitical upheaval in the Middle East.
Icarus 17 is the fourth outing in author Charles Cumming's Box 88 series, and having devoured the previous three (and rating each 5 ⭐️, I might add), I was terribly disappointed in this one for several reasons. I enjoyed the premise....Max's exploits have parallels to young Lockie Kite when he was first recruited into the world of intelligence...and it was interesting to bring "the one who got away" from Kite back into his life, watching as he feels a pull towards the woman he never really got over and weighs that relationship against what he has with his wife and young daughter. So what didn't I like? First, I found Max's and Yasmine's flight from Greece to Sarajevo a bit drawn out and at times repetitive, although I appreciated the settings through which they travelled. I might have given the book 4 ⭐️ if that was my only concern, but it wasn't. What I found jarring was the author's apparent need to bring the name of Donald Trump into the story, with accompanying vitriol, 18 times (with a few references to him minus his actual name a couple of additional times). That averages out to once every 27 pages or so. The mentions seldom had any real connection to the plot, they were just....there. Clearly Mr. Cumming is not a fan of the current US president, and he is entitled to his opinion, but I certainly didn't appreciate having it pop up and interrupt the narrative over and over and over again, He mentioned Netanyahu and Putin once each, and trotted out a strange rumor about Elon Musk, so I'm sensing a theme here. Not a mention of a single British PM though (and I even checked back to the previous book, which had one Trump dig but nothing else). What an absolute shame, really, to feel the need to do this...it totally ruined the book for me. To nastily invoke a controversial figure is a double edged sword....for all those who might share Mr. Cumming's disdain for DJT, there are many others who don't, and still more who just want to escape into the world of fiction. If a reader doesn't care that the author's vitriol interrupts the flow of the plot over and over again, and if they are fans of the series and/or enjoy books by John Le Carré, Len Deighton, or Robert Harris, then go ahead and pick up a copy of this (although you'll want to have read the previous books first)...otherwise, skip it. Chances are good that that is what I will do for any future novels by the author. My thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
July 15, 2026
Hands down my favourite author, another brilliant addition to the Box 88 Series. I savour his books, and its another wonderfully written book. Looking forward to his next book
August 14, 2026
Interestingly the official description here does not match the actual book - it must be an earlier draft. The heroine/love interest was changed from Israeli to Saudi. Sign of the times.
Another enjoyable episode - a chase across Greece and former Yugoslavia, various family tensions, a younger generation in the spotlight - what’s not to like?
Another enjoyable episode - a chase across Greece and former Yugoslavia, various family tensions, a younger generation in the spotlight - what’s not to like?
July 23, 2026
I had really enjoyed all of the previous "Box 88" stories and was really looking forward to this one. But the author seems to have an unhealthy infatuation with President Trump, and just randomly inserts his personal opinions of hate into the story, that have exactly nothing to do with the story. It makes the author appear as a small and insecure person, rather than a best selling author. Needless to say, the overall story suffered because of this. Not sure I will even bother with any of his future novels.
July 15, 2026
This seems more a mystery story that a true espionage novel.
As the description states, Kite’s former girlfriend Martha pleas for Kite’s help to find her son Max, who has disappeared along with his girlfriend Yasmine and is no longer reachable in any way. The reasons behind their disappearance and the chase, not only by Kite & Martha but two other suspicious organizations is intriguing.
However, as Nick Masters writes in his review: “This one read a little like a logbook at times: we ran, got chased, ran again, got chased again. We looked, just missed, looked again, just missed again”.
So it was a tedious read and in the end, the final outcome did leave a number of points hanging – which undoubtedly be part of the next book in the series.
As the description states, Kite’s former girlfriend Martha pleas for Kite’s help to find her son Max, who has disappeared along with his girlfriend Yasmine and is no longer reachable in any way. The reasons behind their disappearance and the chase, not only by Kite & Martha but two other suspicious organizations is intriguing.
However, as Nick Masters writes in his review: “This one read a little like a logbook at times: we ran, got chased, ran again, got chased again. We looked, just missed, looked again, just missed again”.
So it was a tedious read and in the end, the final outcome did leave a number of points hanging – which undoubtedly be part of the next book in the series.
July 25, 2026
Boring, dull, zzzzz. On top of that, for whatever reason, the author felt compelled to interject petty political barbs and some crazy conspiracy theories throughout the narrative that had absolutely zero to do with the story. He obviously just felt the need to alienate half of his readers. Really too bad. I loved his other books. Maybe stick to your art.
July 2, 2026
4.5* Icarus 17 - Charles Cumming. Another barnstormer in the Box 88 series.
A lone gunman makes his way to a small Scandinavian town. Is it happenstance or is it planned. Lockie Kite, of Box 88, a secret Anglo-US super-agency, could well be the cipher. As the events are unravelling, Lockie is meeting his old flame Martha for lunch. Several decades on from their last meeting, Martha has good cause to meet, she needs Lockie’s help to find her son Max.
Another great fun barnstormer from one of my go-to authors. The thrills, the relationships and the peril and all top notch. It was great fun to be back with Kite and the Box 88 team. This fourth outing was a little less political than the previous book and felt a little lighter, but it was no less enjoyable.
Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC.
A lone gunman makes his way to a small Scandinavian town. Is it happenstance or is it planned. Lockie Kite, of Box 88, a secret Anglo-US super-agency, could well be the cipher. As the events are unravelling, Lockie is meeting his old flame Martha for lunch. Several decades on from their last meeting, Martha has good cause to meet, she needs Lockie’s help to find her son Max.
Another great fun barnstormer from one of my go-to authors. The thrills, the relationships and the peril and all top notch. It was great fun to be back with Kite and the Box 88 team. This fourth outing was a little less political than the previous book and felt a little lighter, but it was no less enjoyable.
Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC.
September 2, 2026
This was nothing more than a political diatribe against Trump; America; and Israel . The plot is invented to do the most criticism of the west as possible , while seemingly ignoring the context of the Middle East . I do not like Trump , but the author is fixated on him. The plot is just two people running around trying not to get caught by absurd characters. Very disappointing. Will not be reading this series or this author again.
July 21, 2026
Shocked reading "Icarus 17".I read probably 10 or 15 books of Charles Cumming and liked him,but never ever so lefty statment about USA politics: hates Trump,he stated that Mysk used his little son as a human shield(lies),writing about poor Palestinian woman and children not even mention poor Israelis woman and children slotted by Hamaz....I really want to ask:is everything OK in your GB,nothing to criticize...PM,king Goverment?Or you opportunistic asshole who afraid to criticize your own?Novrespect,Cumming,not at all
July 25, 2026
I have enjoyed all of the box 88 novels up to this one, this one dragged and dragged , it was 450 pages of them trying to find his son and girlfriend and almost get to him about a hundred times. Oh well , everyone is entitled to lay an egg now and then.
July 13, 2026
Lachlan Kite has spent years as a top agent for the covert intelligence unit known as BOX 88, which he has been heading up. Over the course of three books, Charles Cumming has produced some of the finest espionage fiction on the market, all with an ear to the ground on the important changes that are happening around the globe.
ICARUS 17 is the fourth and latest BOX 88 thriller. For the first time, the powers that be who Kite has been fighting to keep in check and out of commission for the last several years are taking the fight to him. They’re hitting him where it hurts the most by directing the attack on his own family.
The introduction provides both a great historical timeline of Kite and a much-needed index of characters. The book opens with a profound line: “America is in a death spiral!” Whether this is true or not is a matter of opinion or political preference, but it definitely plays a role in what Kite will endure throughout the course of this brutally realistic and relevant novel.
The Kites first must face a Middle Eastern assassin who, on a wild driving spree that finds him firing his weapon at several pedestrians and other drivers, eventually disembarks his vehicle to make his way on foot to their house. At the same time, Kite is meeting with his ex-girlfriend, Martha Raine, but must leave to be with his loved ones, who thankfully are unharmed.
Once Kite finally has the opportunity to reconnect with Martha, he learns why she was so insistent on seeing him. It has nothing to do with old-flame romantic sentiment. Rather, it’s a plea for help as her son, Max Radinsky, has disappeared and for over three weeks has lost touch with her and everyone he knows. The last Martha knew, he had left New York City, where he attends college, to spend time with his girlfriend, Yasmine, in Athens, Greece. Yasmine also has fallen off the map as she is not at her apartment or her job. Kite promises to do his best to help and reaches out to some of his BOX 88 contacts to do a full file work-up on Max and Yasmine so he is prepared.
Kite and Martha eventually fly to Athens and conduct their own investigation after the U.S. State Department comes up empty. It turns out that Yasmine might not be her real name, and she may have alternate identities. This is quite alarming and makes their disappearances without a trace that much more frightening.
The novel switches between the current timeline, with Kite looking for Max and Yasmine, and events of the recent past that find them being chased around the globe by some scary and deadly individuals. The hunt becomes that much more personal when one of Kite’s colleagues sees a photo of Max. His reaction to it increases the novel’s intensity and stress levels several notches and makes for a wild ride.
Charles Cumming continues to knock it out of the park with his terrific espionage stories told against the backdrop of the modern global landscape. I can only hope that he has many more BOX 88 tales up his sleeve.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
ICARUS 17 is the fourth and latest BOX 88 thriller. For the first time, the powers that be who Kite has been fighting to keep in check and out of commission for the last several years are taking the fight to him. They’re hitting him where it hurts the most by directing the attack on his own family.
The introduction provides both a great historical timeline of Kite and a much-needed index of characters. The book opens with a profound line: “America is in a death spiral!” Whether this is true or not is a matter of opinion or political preference, but it definitely plays a role in what Kite will endure throughout the course of this brutally realistic and relevant novel.
The Kites first must face a Middle Eastern assassin who, on a wild driving spree that finds him firing his weapon at several pedestrians and other drivers, eventually disembarks his vehicle to make his way on foot to their house. At the same time, Kite is meeting with his ex-girlfriend, Martha Raine, but must leave to be with his loved ones, who thankfully are unharmed.
Once Kite finally has the opportunity to reconnect with Martha, he learns why she was so insistent on seeing him. It has nothing to do with old-flame romantic sentiment. Rather, it’s a plea for help as her son, Max Radinsky, has disappeared and for over three weeks has lost touch with her and everyone he knows. The last Martha knew, he had left New York City, where he attends college, to spend time with his girlfriend, Yasmine, in Athens, Greece. Yasmine also has fallen off the map as she is not at her apartment or her job. Kite promises to do his best to help and reaches out to some of his BOX 88 contacts to do a full file work-up on Max and Yasmine so he is prepared.
Kite and Martha eventually fly to Athens and conduct their own investigation after the U.S. State Department comes up empty. It turns out that Yasmine might not be her real name, and she may have alternate identities. This is quite alarming and makes their disappearances without a trace that much more frightening.
The novel switches between the current timeline, with Kite looking for Max and Yasmine, and events of the recent past that find them being chased around the globe by some scary and deadly individuals. The hunt becomes that much more personal when one of Kite’s colleagues sees a photo of Max. His reaction to it increases the novel’s intensity and stress levels several notches and makes for a wild ride.
Charles Cumming continues to knock it out of the park with his terrific espionage stories told against the backdrop of the modern global landscape. I can only hope that he has many more BOX 88 tales up his sleeve.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
September 14, 2026
As a Greek, what I rarely have the pleasure of reading in the spy genre are books set in Greece, so, when Icarus 17 crossed my radar, I knew I wanted an advance copy. In this pacy thriller, the latest in the celebrated Box 88 series, Lachlan Kite is approached by a blast from his past, his former love, Martha Raine. Martha's son, Max, has gone missing in Athens, along with his girlfriend, Yasmine. Yasmine is carrying a secret that could destabilize the Saudi Arabian regime. This forces the pair of young lovers to constantly have to dodge assassins while traveling from Athens to Ioannina to Igoumenitsa to Corfu (and beyond). Will Lockie and Martha find them in time, or will the shadowy private intelligence organization Icarus 17 get there first?
Icarus 17 is the first book in the Box 88 series that I've read, and I utterly loved it. At first, I admit that I was skeptical about whether I'd be able to suspend disbelief when it comes to the existence of Box 88, a highly compartmented, super secret intelligence service largely free from the constraints of modern bureaucracy, but I now find the idea behind Box 88 appealing. Did I mention I love the team as family vibes?
Like I already said, the hook for me was the fact that the novel is set in Greece. The author did a great job with the setting, making it immersive and true-to-life lively. Greece and its various locations that appeared in the book were portrayed authentically and fully brought to life.
The writing style and technique were outstanding. The prose was pleasant to read and flowed beautifully. The pace was tight, breathless in some spaces and reflective in others. I found that this was the perfect balance for interspersing a high-stakes spy chase with the quiet drama of personal relationships. I loved the tone of the novel in relation to the theme of the pull of the past. I find that sometimes when a book deals with characters who must confront their past choices or who are reflecting on their past the overall feel turns depressive. Fortunately, that was not the case here. Another thing I think praise is due for in Icarus 17 is the theme of the outsourcing of intelligence. I like to think I came away more informed on the topic after reading.
When it comes to the characters, I loved them all. Lockie is the charmer to end all charmers. Martha exudes warmth and familiarity. Max and Yasmine are youthful and resourceful, but their characters feel grounded given their predicament. Their love story was everything! My only minor quibble is that I don't like where I think Isobel's storyline is going.
I can confidently say Icarus 17 has gotten me hooked on the Box 88 series now, and I'll definitely come back to the series (this time picking up the books in order) very soon.
Icarus 17 is the first book in the Box 88 series that I've read, and I utterly loved it. At first, I admit that I was skeptical about whether I'd be able to suspend disbelief when it comes to the existence of Box 88, a highly compartmented, super secret intelligence service largely free from the constraints of modern bureaucracy, but I now find the idea behind Box 88 appealing. Did I mention I love the team as family vibes?
Like I already said, the hook for me was the fact that the novel is set in Greece. The author did a great job with the setting, making it immersive and true-to-life lively. Greece and its various locations that appeared in the book were portrayed authentically and fully brought to life.
The writing style and technique were outstanding. The prose was pleasant to read and flowed beautifully. The pace was tight, breathless in some spaces and reflective in others. I found that this was the perfect balance for interspersing a high-stakes spy chase with the quiet drama of personal relationships. I loved the tone of the novel in relation to the theme of the pull of the past. I find that sometimes when a book deals with characters who must confront their past choices or who are reflecting on their past the overall feel turns depressive. Fortunately, that was not the case here. Another thing I think praise is due for in Icarus 17 is the theme of the outsourcing of intelligence. I like to think I came away more informed on the topic after reading.
When it comes to the characters, I loved them all. Lockie is the charmer to end all charmers. Martha exudes warmth and familiarity. Max and Yasmine are youthful and resourceful, but their characters feel grounded given their predicament. Their love story was everything! My only minor quibble is that I don't like where I think Isobel's storyline is going.
I can confidently say Icarus 17 has gotten me hooked on the Box 88 series now, and I'll definitely come back to the series (this time picking up the books in order) very soon.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Geez, Charles Cumming sure can write. This guy writes smart, character and plot-driven espionage stories that don’t skimp on action and suspense but still remain a step above your average thrillers. “Icarus 17” is my thirteenth(!) book by Mr. Cumming, the fourth book in the Box 88 series featuring Lachlan “Lockie” Kite, the British head of Box 88, a joint Anglo-American espionage organization for which Lockie has been working since he was recruited while at school in the 1980’s.
This time it’s personal – very personal. We start out with an attack on Lockie’s wife and child, out in the countryside of Sweden, thwarted at the last minute by a passerby, but still an unknown threat that Lockie wasn’t home to address, putting further strain on our hero. To make matters worse, he was about to sit down to dinner with Martha Raine, his former girlfriend and first real love of his life. Martha’s son, twenty-year-old Max, had run away to Greece and was now missing, and Martha was asking Lockie to help find him.
We then learn a little bit more about what happened to Max. It turns out that his girlfriend, Yasmine, was being followed by some pretty serious gangsters that were out to either kidnap her or kill her, she wasn’t sure which. But either way, Max and Yasmine go on the run, pursued by people with seemingly unlimited resources. Max soon learns the story of Yasmine’s parents, her dad being important in the Saudi family, and the fact that she witnessed something she shouldn’t have when she was in Paris, which people would go to great lengths to keep quiet.
And off we go, with Martha and Lockie trying to track the kids down before the gangsters get to them. It soon becomes clear that there are two different groups after Yasmine, one to protect her and one to kill her. Forged passports, illegal border crossings, dodgy hotels…. the chase is on through Southern Europe. Can Martha and Lockie get to Max and Yasmine before the killers do?
Another fast-paced action thriller with memorable characters and a smart plot. Although it can be read as a stand-alone novel, it shouldn’t be – knowing the history of the previous three books makes a huge difference in the emotional journey we take with the characters. And there are several surprises along the way, surprises that will really change Lockie’s life going forward into the next novel.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
This time it’s personal – very personal. We start out with an attack on Lockie’s wife and child, out in the countryside of Sweden, thwarted at the last minute by a passerby, but still an unknown threat that Lockie wasn’t home to address, putting further strain on our hero. To make matters worse, he was about to sit down to dinner with Martha Raine, his former girlfriend and first real love of his life. Martha’s son, twenty-year-old Max, had run away to Greece and was now missing, and Martha was asking Lockie to help find him.
We then learn a little bit more about what happened to Max. It turns out that his girlfriend, Yasmine, was being followed by some pretty serious gangsters that were out to either kidnap her or kill her, she wasn’t sure which. But either way, Max and Yasmine go on the run, pursued by people with seemingly unlimited resources. Max soon learns the story of Yasmine’s parents, her dad being important in the Saudi family, and the fact that she witnessed something she shouldn’t have when she was in Paris, which people would go to great lengths to keep quiet.
And off we go, with Martha and Lockie trying to track the kids down before the gangsters get to them. It soon becomes clear that there are two different groups after Yasmine, one to protect her and one to kill her. Forged passports, illegal border crossings, dodgy hotels…. the chase is on through Southern Europe. Can Martha and Lockie get to Max and Yasmine before the killers do?
Another fast-paced action thriller with memorable characters and a smart plot. Although it can be read as a stand-alone novel, it shouldn’t be – knowing the history of the previous three books makes a huge difference in the emotional journey we take with the characters. And there are several surprises along the way, surprises that will really change Lockie’s life going forward into the next novel.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
July 12, 2026
Icarus 17 is the latest in the Box 88 series of books by Charles Cumming.
It opens with a description of the real life murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a more gruesome crime than many fictional murders.
The protagonist of the book is the familiar Lachlan Kite, who is now head of the covert intelligence organisation BOX 88, and who becomes involved in a personal mission. An old flame, Martha Raine, asks him to help find her missing son, Max, who has disappeared while travelling in Greece with his girlfriend, Yasmine. What initially appears to be a straightforward search quickly expands into a multinational intelligence operation as it becomes clear that the young couple are being hunted by powerful state actors.
Running alongside this is a second crisis much closer to Kite himself. An attack near his family's home in Sweden forces him to question whether someone is targeting him personally, intertwining his professional responsibilities with threats to his wife and daughter. These parallel storylines gradually converge, without seeming forced.
As the chase moves across Greece and the Balkans, Max and Yasmine are forced to survive with little training while Kite and Martha race to reach them first. Beneath the pursuit lies a much larger geopolitical secret involving the Middle East, intelligence services and competing national interests.
Cumming continues to mature as a writer. It is a complex book, with several countries and time lines. This is espionage writing in the serious British style. So there are elements of Le Carre, but it is important to note that it is not derivative, it feels much more contemporary than cold-war Le Carre and less preachy than the later works.
Rather than endless girls, gadgets and shoot-outs, the novel focuses on intelligence work, tradecraft, diplomacy and political calculation. I like that style, it works for me, even if there is some extended exposition of geo-politics in parts of the book – a trade mark Cummingism that I find slightly intrusive. But looking at other reviews, no one else does!
If you haven’t read the previous BOX 88 novels, I think you could read this as a stand alone novel, but I would probably not recommend it if you have the opportunity to read one of the others first. If you are familiar with one or more of the earlier books the emotional stakes will be more apparent.
Cumming is as good as anyone writing spy fiction for the thinking reader today. Recommended!
It opens with a description of the real life murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a more gruesome crime than many fictional murders.
The protagonist of the book is the familiar Lachlan Kite, who is now head of the covert intelligence organisation BOX 88, and who becomes involved in a personal mission. An old flame, Martha Raine, asks him to help find her missing son, Max, who has disappeared while travelling in Greece with his girlfriend, Yasmine. What initially appears to be a straightforward search quickly expands into a multinational intelligence operation as it becomes clear that the young couple are being hunted by powerful state actors.
Running alongside this is a second crisis much closer to Kite himself. An attack near his family's home in Sweden forces him to question whether someone is targeting him personally, intertwining his professional responsibilities with threats to his wife and daughter. These parallel storylines gradually converge, without seeming forced.
As the chase moves across Greece and the Balkans, Max and Yasmine are forced to survive with little training while Kite and Martha race to reach them first. Beneath the pursuit lies a much larger geopolitical secret involving the Middle East, intelligence services and competing national interests.
Cumming continues to mature as a writer. It is a complex book, with several countries and time lines. This is espionage writing in the serious British style. So there are elements of Le Carre, but it is important to note that it is not derivative, it feels much more contemporary than cold-war Le Carre and less preachy than the later works.
Rather than endless girls, gadgets and shoot-outs, the novel focuses on intelligence work, tradecraft, diplomacy and political calculation. I like that style, it works for me, even if there is some extended exposition of geo-politics in parts of the book – a trade mark Cummingism that I find slightly intrusive. But looking at other reviews, no one else does!
If you haven’t read the previous BOX 88 novels, I think you could read this as a stand alone novel, but I would probably not recommend it if you have the opportunity to read one of the others first. If you are familiar with one or more of the earlier books the emotional stakes will be more apparent.
Cumming is as good as anyone writing spy fiction for the thinking reader today. Recommended!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Box 88 (Lachlan Kite) #4
As usual Lachlan’s life is a busy one, but when his friend and ex partner Martha Raine asks for help, he is prepared to drop everything. Her son Max Radinsky and his girlfriend Yasmine Bizri have gone missing in Athens, where the couple have been living. Martha has failed to get the proper help to track them down and Lachlan can use all of Box 88’s resources in order to help. Who exactly is Yasmine? It seems she is the reason that the pair have disappeared and the more Lachlan uncovers the more the evidence demonstrates what huge danger they are in. Yasmine and now Max, have devastating information that could rip apart the Middle East, if Lachlan is to save them from the agencies tracking them down, he has to box clever..
This one starts with a real bang and it becomes personal for Lachlan, so he’s super invested in the outcome and all roads seem to lead to Saudi Arabia. This is another great addition to an excellent espionage series with a towering, well-connected plot that takes the reader on a journey from Istanbul via Sweden, the United Kingdom, Greece and its islands, Albania and Bosnia and let’s not forget there’s an Israeli connection. It’s an exciting, fast moving plot with plenty going on at all points on this chase with Lachlan using all resources available to try to help Max and Yasmine. There are numerous set backs, the young couple have to be resourceful as the danger they are in mounts.
It’s very intelligently written with an air of authority and I’m absolutely there for the various swipes the author takes too, he pulls no punches – I’ll say no more! It builds to a really good ending and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Charles Cumming has been referred to as the successor to John le Carré and I would totally agree with that. I can’t think of any other current author that writes a spy thriller as well as he does.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, Hemlock Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
As usual Lachlan’s life is a busy one, but when his friend and ex partner Martha Raine asks for help, he is prepared to drop everything. Her son Max Radinsky and his girlfriend Yasmine Bizri have gone missing in Athens, where the couple have been living. Martha has failed to get the proper help to track them down and Lachlan can use all of Box 88’s resources in order to help. Who exactly is Yasmine? It seems she is the reason that the pair have disappeared and the more Lachlan uncovers the more the evidence demonstrates what huge danger they are in. Yasmine and now Max, have devastating information that could rip apart the Middle East, if Lachlan is to save them from the agencies tracking them down, he has to box clever..
This one starts with a real bang and it becomes personal for Lachlan, so he’s super invested in the outcome and all roads seem to lead to Saudi Arabia. This is another great addition to an excellent espionage series with a towering, well-connected plot that takes the reader on a journey from Istanbul via Sweden, the United Kingdom, Greece and its islands, Albania and Bosnia and let’s not forget there’s an Israeli connection. It’s an exciting, fast moving plot with plenty going on at all points on this chase with Lachlan using all resources available to try to help Max and Yasmine. There are numerous set backs, the young couple have to be resourceful as the danger they are in mounts.
It’s very intelligently written with an air of authority and I’m absolutely there for the various swipes the author takes too, he pulls no punches – I’ll say no more! It builds to a really good ending and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Charles Cumming has been referred to as the successor to John le Carré and I would totally agree with that. I can’t think of any other current author that writes a spy thriller as well as he does.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, Hemlock Press for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lachlan Kite is back - and this time it's personal.
"Icarus 17" opens some months after the events of "Kennedy 35". Lockie and his family are still in Stockholm, trying to live a normal life. But two events conspire to frustrate their attempts. First, a lone shooter attempts to kill his wife and child, and ex-girlfriend Martha turns up begging him to help find her missing son, Max. He and his girlfriend, Yasmine were in Athens, but suddenly vanished without trace. The police have given up, so Lockie, with his skills and connections, is her last resort.
The story immediately moves in to high gear, as Lockie and Martha travel across Europe and the Mediterranean in search of Max and his girlfriend. Against the odds, they have succeeded in disappearing, in a world where biometric passports, data trails, and CCTV stalk our every move. Using the resources of BOX 88, Lockie is able to slowly piece together the events which led to Max's disappearance, and soon discovers that there are other, less friendly people, also trying hard to find him and his girlfriend. The chase is on, as Max and Jasmine stay one step ahead of their pursuers, not knowing help is closing in.
As fans of Charles Cummings' books will expect, the story moves along at a fair old pace. This book is different from the earlier BOX novels, since this time, it's personal. But that doesn't mean it's any less gripping. Along the way, we get to see Lockie and Martha feeling out their relationship after a twenty-year absence. We also witness the strain his life continues to place on his relationship with his wife and daughter. The reader might wonder how Lockie can call on the resources of BOX to track Max, uncover details of third parties, and generally help in a European-wide manhunt, all without being his motives being questioned, but that doesn't get in the way of a great story.
Fans of the series so far won't be disappointed, and the ending is suitably open, that further adventures of Lachlan Kite are possible. Highly recommended.
"Icarus 17" opens some months after the events of "Kennedy 35". Lockie and his family are still in Stockholm, trying to live a normal life. But two events conspire to frustrate their attempts. First, a lone shooter attempts to kill his wife and child, and ex-girlfriend Martha turns up begging him to help find her missing son, Max. He and his girlfriend, Yasmine were in Athens, but suddenly vanished without trace. The police have given up, so Lockie, with his skills and connections, is her last resort.
The story immediately moves in to high gear, as Lockie and Martha travel across Europe and the Mediterranean in search of Max and his girlfriend. Against the odds, they have succeeded in disappearing, in a world where biometric passports, data trails, and CCTV stalk our every move. Using the resources of BOX 88, Lockie is able to slowly piece together the events which led to Max's disappearance, and soon discovers that there are other, less friendly people, also trying hard to find him and his girlfriend. The chase is on, as Max and Jasmine stay one step ahead of their pursuers, not knowing help is closing in.
As fans of Charles Cummings' books will expect, the story moves along at a fair old pace. This book is different from the earlier BOX novels, since this time, it's personal. But that doesn't mean it's any less gripping. Along the way, we get to see Lockie and Martha feeling out their relationship after a twenty-year absence. We also witness the strain his life continues to place on his relationship with his wife and daughter. The reader might wonder how Lockie can call on the resources of BOX to track Max, uncover details of third parties, and generally help in a European-wide manhunt, all without being his motives being questioned, but that doesn't get in the way of a great story.
Fans of the series so far won't be disappointed, and the ending is suitably open, that further adventures of Lachlan Kite are possible. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2026
‘America is in a death spiral.’
That's the opening paragraph to Icarus 17.
Icarus 17 begins with one of the most horrifying acts in recent history and then takes us on a blockbuster tour of Greece and surrounding areas as Kite [and I’ll quote from the blurb here] “travels to Athens to help an old flame find her missing son, who is on the run with his girlfriend carrying a secret that could destabilize the Middle East, putting them in the crosshairs of multiple intelligence agencies.”
If you’ve read the previous three BOX 88 books (and you should), you know there is no doubt the old flame is Martha Raine. While Kite finds himself back in touch with Martha, he is still trying to solidify his marriage to Isobel Paulson that is straining from the professional demands of BOX 88. Cara Janaway, the former MI5 officer and now BOX 88 officer, is helping Kite in the early days of his search for Martha’s son, when she makes a discovery that turns the entire story on its head.
Cumming finds a refreshing way to continue the “young Lockie/adult Lachlan” duel plot line from the first three stories and continues to impress us with a tale of innocence and professional. He shares a few things with Helen MacIness: a vibrant sense of place, real characters with personal lives that mix and don’t mix with their professional lives, and, like MacInnes, he writes about issues occurring in the present. (And in doing so, he is not shy about sharing his politics.)
In addition to London and New York, the office locations for BOX 88, Cumming takes us to the South of France, Dubai; Voronezh; Senegal; Sweden, Greece, Albania, and Sarajevo and demonstrates a depth of knowledge that did not come from a three-day vacation. The reader is treated to a level of verisimilitude not casually found in a travel book or from scanning the net. There is no doubt Cumming has been there and done that.
Icarus 17 is Charles Cumming in peak form. There is no question that Cumming is one of the top writers of espionage fiction currently and of all time, and the BOX 88 series of books is why.
That's the opening paragraph to Icarus 17.
Icarus 17 begins with one of the most horrifying acts in recent history and then takes us on a blockbuster tour of Greece and surrounding areas as Kite [and I’ll quote from the blurb here] “travels to Athens to help an old flame find her missing son, who is on the run with his girlfriend carrying a secret that could destabilize the Middle East, putting them in the crosshairs of multiple intelligence agencies.”
If you’ve read the previous three BOX 88 books (and you should), you know there is no doubt the old flame is Martha Raine. While Kite finds himself back in touch with Martha, he is still trying to solidify his marriage to Isobel Paulson that is straining from the professional demands of BOX 88. Cara Janaway, the former MI5 officer and now BOX 88 officer, is helping Kite in the early days of his search for Martha’s son, when she makes a discovery that turns the entire story on its head.
Cumming finds a refreshing way to continue the “young Lockie/adult Lachlan” duel plot line from the first three stories and continues to impress us with a tale of innocence and professional. He shares a few things with Helen MacIness: a vibrant sense of place, real characters with personal lives that mix and don’t mix with their professional lives, and, like MacInnes, he writes about issues occurring in the present. (And in doing so, he is not shy about sharing his politics.)
In addition to London and New York, the office locations for BOX 88, Cumming takes us to the South of France, Dubai; Voronezh; Senegal; Sweden, Greece, Albania, and Sarajevo and demonstrates a depth of knowledge that did not come from a three-day vacation. The reader is treated to a level of verisimilitude not casually found in a travel book or from scanning the net. There is no doubt Cumming has been there and done that.
Icarus 17 is Charles Cumming in peak form. There is no question that Cumming is one of the top writers of espionage fiction currently and of all time, and the BOX 88 series of books is why.
September 26, 2026
Tedious, illogical story, and excessive political grandstanding.
I enjoyed very much the previous Box 88 stories. I choose spy thrillers because I want a good story with suspense and spycraft. I don't care about the author's political leanings, and it's fine if the characters have political opinions.
In Icarus 17, the story in a nutshell is two people believe they are being chased by assassins. They evade, then move to another location, are almost caught, escape, and move on. Ad nauseum. I began to wish they'd be killed so the story would be over and I could go on to another book.
Even worse, the author states as fact certain internet memes such as, Elon Musk using his child as a "human shield". We are supposed to believe that a jarhead grunt at a US Embassy is concerned with supporting a reported favorable view of Saudi Arabia by the US Administration and so denies access to the embassy of someone who needs help but has information detrimental to the Saudi Arabian government. The US and the US President are denigrated repeatedly, and the US is said to be in a death spiral. This is not just one character's opinion, it is repeated by several characters and one character that supports the US president is said to be a terrible person.
This is in sharp contrast to an excellent novel by Mick Herron, who likely holds negative opinion of the US president, but he keeps the fact out of the narrative, though one of his main characters, Jackson Lamb, speaks out negatively. It's in keeping with his personality, so not distracting and often hilarious.
In Icarus 17, the negative political views don't make sense, and have little to nothing to do with the story or the development of the characters, so the novel reads more as agitprop than a spy thriller.
I don't know whether there will be another Box 88 novel, but there will not be one for this reviewer to read.
I enjoyed very much the previous Box 88 stories. I choose spy thrillers because I want a good story with suspense and spycraft. I don't care about the author's political leanings, and it's fine if the characters have political opinions.
In Icarus 17, the story in a nutshell is two people believe they are being chased by assassins. They evade, then move to another location, are almost caught, escape, and move on. Ad nauseum. I began to wish they'd be killed so the story would be over and I could go on to another book.
Even worse, the author states as fact certain internet memes such as, Elon Musk using his child as a "human shield". We are supposed to believe that a jarhead grunt at a US Embassy is concerned with supporting a reported favorable view of Saudi Arabia by the US Administration and so denies access to the embassy of someone who needs help but has information detrimental to the Saudi Arabian government. The US and the US President are denigrated repeatedly, and the US is said to be in a death spiral. This is not just one character's opinion, it is repeated by several characters and one character that supports the US president is said to be a terrible person.
This is in sharp contrast to an excellent novel by Mick Herron, who likely holds negative opinion of the US president, but he keeps the fact out of the narrative, though one of his main characters, Jackson Lamb, speaks out negatively. It's in keeping with his personality, so not distracting and often hilarious.
In Icarus 17, the negative political views don't make sense, and have little to nothing to do with the story or the development of the characters, so the novel reads more as agitprop than a spy thriller.
I don't know whether there will be another Box 88 novel, but there will not be one for this reviewer to read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Charles Cumming has been a favorite espionage author of mine for many years (Alec Milius series, Thomas Kell series, numerous standalones). His latest and fourth novel in the Box 88 series could be one of his best – Icarus 17. This thriller is a bit different spy novel in that it is personal for our hero, Lachlan Kite, head of the covert intelligence service, Box 88.
His former lover, Martha Raine, who he hasn’t seen for 20 years, is asking for a favor -- help finding her missing 20-year-old son, Max, who has disappeared from Athens. At first it seems like a simple enough trace to make; until it become apparent that two other intelligence agencies are also hunting Max and his girlfriend, Yasmine. Apparently, Yasmine is hiding a secret which could destabilize the Middle East…
The story is basically an international manhunt as the novel goes back and forth between the Max and Yasmine story and the Lachlan and Martha story. Unfortunately, the young couple is untrained and only living off their wits, and one of the intelligence agencies want them dead ASAP.
The novel is not just a detailed, intelligent espionage saga, but it also dwells wonderfully into the character’s historys and motivations. The reader travels through Greece, into Albania and Bosnia. It is the total package thriller novel. I am looking forward to #5 in the Box 88 series.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.
Icarus 17 will be published on July 7, 2026.
His former lover, Martha Raine, who he hasn’t seen for 20 years, is asking for a favor -- help finding her missing 20-year-old son, Max, who has disappeared from Athens. At first it seems like a simple enough trace to make; until it become apparent that two other intelligence agencies are also hunting Max and his girlfriend, Yasmine. Apparently, Yasmine is hiding a secret which could destabilize the Middle East…
The story is basically an international manhunt as the novel goes back and forth between the Max and Yasmine story and the Lachlan and Martha story. Unfortunately, the young couple is untrained and only living off their wits, and one of the intelligence agencies want them dead ASAP.
The novel is not just a detailed, intelligent espionage saga, but it also dwells wonderfully into the character’s historys and motivations. The reader travels through Greece, into Albania and Bosnia. It is the total package thriller novel. I am looking forward to #5 in the Box 88 series.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.
Icarus 17 will be published on July 7, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the fourth story in Charles Cumming’s fine Box 88 series. I gave the book the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, Sweden, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Sarajevo
Characters: Lachlan Kite, experienced intelligence agent, his wife, Isobel, former colleague and ex-lover, Martha Raines, Raines’ son, Max Radinsky and his girlfriend, Yasmine Bizri, plus an extensive international cast of allies and enemies
Overview of plot: Max and Yasmine have disappeared and Martha seeks help from her old flame, Lochlan, who has infinite resources within the Box 88 organization. They begin the search in Athens and continue through northern Greece to the Greek Isles and up the Adriatic coast, understanding along the way that there are others also looking for the couple with an historic, sinister reason. The chase becomes complex with the standard nip-and-tuck closed calls, escapes, and coincidences, all leading to a rather quick conclusion.
Recommendation: 3 stars
Extras:. It is not necessary to have read the first three books in the series but it is highly recommended since they are all good, actually even better, stories and the characters’ histories are clearly explained. At times, this book seemed like more of a travelogue than a suspenseful hide-and-seek chase. It is complex, with organizations having shifting motivations, requiring attention and, possibly, a scorecard. The abrupt finish leaves no doubt that there is more to come in the Box 88 series.
Thanx to NetGalley and The Mysterious Press for the opportunity to provide this candid review
Setting: Present day, Sweden, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Sarajevo
Characters: Lachlan Kite, experienced intelligence agent, his wife, Isobel, former colleague and ex-lover, Martha Raines, Raines’ son, Max Radinsky and his girlfriend, Yasmine Bizri, plus an extensive international cast of allies and enemies
Overview of plot: Max and Yasmine have disappeared and Martha seeks help from her old flame, Lochlan, who has infinite resources within the Box 88 organization. They begin the search in Athens and continue through northern Greece to the Greek Isles and up the Adriatic coast, understanding along the way that there are others also looking for the couple with an historic, sinister reason. The chase becomes complex with the standard nip-and-tuck closed calls, escapes, and coincidences, all leading to a rather quick conclusion.
Recommendation: 3 stars
Extras:. It is not necessary to have read the first three books in the series but it is highly recommended since they are all good, actually even better, stories and the characters’ histories are clearly explained. At times, this book seemed like more of a travelogue than a suspenseful hide-and-seek chase. It is complex, with organizations having shifting motivations, requiring attention and, possibly, a scorecard. The abrupt finish leaves no doubt that there is more to come in the Box 88 series.
Thanx to NetGalley and The Mysterious Press for the opportunity to provide this candid review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve followed Charles Cummings’s Lalchlan Kite espionage series since the beginning and all books have been well plotted and compelling reads.
Icarus 17 is all of this and more!
Lockie’s wife and young child are now living in Sweden whilst he is still travelling a lot working for the secret spy agency, Box 88, the subject of book one in the series.
He is now running it and has numerous people working for him.
When his ex, Martha whom he has not seen for many years, contacts him, he is curious.
However she has a problem; her son, Max has disappeared on a gap year and is living completely off grid with his girlfriend somewhere in Greece.
Unable to refuse Martha for whom he still seems to have feelings, Lockie sets off to find Max with the help of his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Max and Yasmine are being pursued by some rather nasty people as they race across Greece and the Balkans- a kind of dangerous “Race Across The World”!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest instalment in the series, particularly as it introduced a more personal element to the pursuit.
It was the sort of book that was hard to put down - I liked both the descriptions of Max and Yasmine’s flight and Lockie’s desperate efforts to find and help the young couple.
The ending was interesting and definitely set the scene for another book in the series. Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long before it appears!!
I’m a great fan of spy thrillers and Charles Cummings has created a wonderful character in the form of Lachlan “Lockie” Kite!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
Icarus 17 is all of this and more!
Lockie’s wife and young child are now living in Sweden whilst he is still travelling a lot working for the secret spy agency, Box 88, the subject of book one in the series.
He is now running it and has numerous people working for him.
When his ex, Martha whom he has not seen for many years, contacts him, he is curious.
However she has a problem; her son, Max has disappeared on a gap year and is living completely off grid with his girlfriend somewhere in Greece.
Unable to refuse Martha for whom he still seems to have feelings, Lockie sets off to find Max with the help of his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Max and Yasmine are being pursued by some rather nasty people as they race across Greece and the Balkans- a kind of dangerous “Race Across The World”!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest instalment in the series, particularly as it introduced a more personal element to the pursuit.
It was the sort of book that was hard to put down - I liked both the descriptions of Max and Yasmine’s flight and Lockie’s desperate efforts to find and help the young couple.
The ending was interesting and definitely set the scene for another book in the series. Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long before it appears!!
I’m a great fan of spy thrillers and Charles Cummings has created a wonderful character in the form of Lachlan “Lockie” Kite!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.
August 25, 2026
Another high quality outing from CC! Tense and suspenseful and for a surprising bonus, Martha, his first love, is back! Lockie is married to Isobel of course and they live in Sweden. They have little Ingrid who is described as two years old in one place, although her birthday party is said to be for a group of 5-year-olds, so that isn’t really clear. Maybe I misread something.
A little bit of a soap opera plot line gets this one going. If espionage means spying on one country on behalf of another country and influencing geopolitical events to benefit the first one, or some variation thereof, this book does not really qualify. It’s personal this time. Martha’s son and his girlfriend are missing in Greece. In fact they have completely vanished for three weeks and so Martha comes to Lockie and Box 88 for help. Well, who wouldn’t? He uses all the resources of this shadowy powerful organization to help locate the young man, even though the Saudis and the Israelis are a couple of steps ahead of him. And those people want to kill the twenty-something pair. But why?
It's complicated.
For his part, young Max Radinsky displays poise and quick thinking on the run. He’s like a younger version of Lockie! CC is always excellent at a good chase and the ins and outs of buses and trains and passports and tradecraft keep the heart pounding. That’s why I never miss one of his books, although it’s difficult to jump into the Box 88 universe after many months of silence. Thanks, CC, for the timeline at the beginning.
A quick read and a good one!
A little bit of a soap opera plot line gets this one going. If espionage means spying on one country on behalf of another country and influencing geopolitical events to benefit the first one, or some variation thereof, this book does not really qualify. It’s personal this time. Martha’s son and his girlfriend are missing in Greece. In fact they have completely vanished for three weeks and so Martha comes to Lockie and Box 88 for help. Well, who wouldn’t? He uses all the resources of this shadowy powerful organization to help locate the young man, even though the Saudis and the Israelis are a couple of steps ahead of him. And those people want to kill the twenty-something pair. But why?
It's complicated.
For his part, young Max Radinsky displays poise and quick thinking on the run. He’s like a younger version of Lockie! CC is always excellent at a good chase and the ins and outs of buses and trains and passports and tradecraft keep the heart pounding. That’s why I never miss one of his books, although it’s difficult to jump into the Box 88 universe after many months of silence. Thanks, CC, for the timeline at the beginning.
A quick read and a good one!
July 9, 2026
This book was a tremendous disappointment. I looked forward to it since the minute I finished Kennedy 35, but I did not enjoy reading it.
SPOILER ALERT
My main problems with Icarus 17 are that I found the plot to be both less interesting and less believable than the plots of Cumming's previous books (all of which, not just the three previous ones in the Box 88 series, I've read and liked) and that I strongly disliked Yasmine. The three earlier books in this series followed a great formula: simultaneous development of a challenge in Lockie's present with a parallel challenge in his past. This one broke with that formula and spent the whole damned book on present-day Lockie and present-day Martha. Unfortunately, the present-day versions of these two people (at least in this book) are much less attractive than the younger versions.
Martha's son Max is also a disappointment. His desire to leave Columbia during the tsunami of Israel hatred that engulfed it after Oct 7, 2023, is understandable, but I'd have respected his choice a lot more if he'd done something a bit more challenging with his post-Columbia life than hang out in Greece, clubbing and drinking with random, not very impressive friends. His willingness to risk his life for Yasmine left me cold. At least Lockie's life-threatening adventures when he was a 20-something had a higher purpose.
I'd love to hear what other people who liked the first three in this series think of this latest one.
SPOILER ALERT
My main problems with Icarus 17 are that I found the plot to be both less interesting and less believable than the plots of Cumming's previous books (all of which, not just the three previous ones in the Box 88 series, I've read and liked) and that I strongly disliked Yasmine. The three earlier books in this series followed a great formula: simultaneous development of a challenge in Lockie's present with a parallel challenge in his past. This one broke with that formula and spent the whole damned book on present-day Lockie and present-day Martha. Unfortunately, the present-day versions of these two people (at least in this book) are much less attractive than the younger versions.
Martha's son Max is also a disappointment. His desire to leave Columbia during the tsunami of Israel hatred that engulfed it after Oct 7, 2023, is understandable, but I'd have respected his choice a lot more if he'd done something a bit more challenging with his post-Columbia life than hang out in Greece, clubbing and drinking with random, not very impressive friends. His willingness to risk his life for Yasmine left me cold. At least Lockie's life-threatening adventures when he was a 20-something had a higher purpose.
I'd love to hear what other people who liked the first three in this series think of this latest one.
July 20, 2026
Another great book read and enjoyed. An ex partner of Lockie, Martha, asked for his help as her son has gone missing. Martha is on her own, her marriage failing. Max, her son, left America for Greece having dropped out of university due to the drama in his parents lives. Whilst there he meets Yasmine and they become a couple. He is quite an open book but Yasmine is an enigma keeping her life to herself with the promise of one day opening up. Lockie using the resources of BOX 88 and people he knows to find out what happened to the couple. Lockie and Martha travel to Athens to piece together the movements of Max and Yasmine. This leads them on a trail which they did not expect and found out why Jasmine is keeping her life a secret. They are trying to hide from people who wish Jasmine dead. They decide to ditch anything that can be traced including their passports etc. With the help of BOX 88 and sources around the world Lockie and Martha get a bigger picture of what is happening and become extremely worried about the safety of the young couple. The story moves at a fast pace and takes you across Europe with “baddies” at every turn. The other twist is that his family are in Stockholm. He finds out that there is a shooter near his family – are these events connected. He is torn as to where his loyalties lie. This is a must read and is very exciting. Gripping from page 1 until the end
July 27, 2026
Keenly plotted and relentlessly gripping, Lachlan Kite returns as Box 88 are called into action after an old friend asks for help locating her missing son. With Max and his girlfriend on the run through Athens, hunted by unseen forces, the search quickly unravels into a dangerous web of secrets stretching deep into the Middle East.
Charles Cumming once again demonstrates why he is one of the finest contemporary espionage writers. This is a deviously layered thriller where shifting loyalties, political intrigue, and hidden agendas combine to create a story that gathers momentum from the very first page. The pacing is superb, propelling the narrative forward while never sacrificing the intelligence or complexity that defines the series.
Perhaps the biggest success of this instalment is Lachlan Kite himself. Here he feels more grounded and believable than ever before. Rather than existing as a James Bond archetype, he has evolved into a seasoned intelligence officer whose experience, judgement, and quiet confidence make him an even more compelling protagonist. That development adds genuine emotional weight alongside the high-stakes action.
Everything comes together remarkably well. The plotting is intricate without becoming convoluted, the writing is sharp and assured, and the tension rarely relents. From its gripping opening to its immensely satisfying conclusion, this is espionage fiction at its very best. Comfortably the strongest novel in the Box 88 series to date.
Charles Cumming once again demonstrates why he is one of the finest contemporary espionage writers. This is a deviously layered thriller where shifting loyalties, political intrigue, and hidden agendas combine to create a story that gathers momentum from the very first page. The pacing is superb, propelling the narrative forward while never sacrificing the intelligence or complexity that defines the series.
Perhaps the biggest success of this instalment is Lachlan Kite himself. Here he feels more grounded and believable than ever before. Rather than existing as a James Bond archetype, he has evolved into a seasoned intelligence officer whose experience, judgement, and quiet confidence make him an even more compelling protagonist. That development adds genuine emotional weight alongside the high-stakes action.
Everything comes together remarkably well. The plotting is intricate without becoming convoluted, the writing is sharp and assured, and the tension rarely relents. From its gripping opening to its immensely satisfying conclusion, this is espionage fiction at its very best. Comfortably the strongest novel in the Box 88 series to date.
August 1, 2026
A smart fast-paced spy novel with character development beyond the titular character! While I'm here for Kite, an aging spy with managerial skills who manages to do thrilling stuff, I think Cummings succeeds at taking on the challenge of writing a gen-z character in the context of geopolitics (and university politics). This well-developed character so happens to be Martha's son, Max, who has gotten himself in a bit of a bind, but seems pretty intuitively capable at tradecraft. (As an aside, you can NOT read this books out of order!) Cummings paints eloquent animate pictures of people and places constantly in motion. I especially appreciated Sarajevo in contrast to Sweden. I'm convinced that Cummings travels the routes his characters do to research his books. That must be fun. It just reads with such vibrant effortless realism. I often think I should've been a spy, but I'm too anxious.
Anyway, this moves a Jason Bourne speed with George Smiley wit. And yet, we get some literary themes laundered into the fun. For example, can we we prevent ourselves from becoming our fathers? Are our children our avatars? Will Box survive DOGE (lol)?
Minor critique: the ending was fast. Felt like maybe the editor cut 20 pages. I await the next in the series. MANY unanswered questions. I wonder if we've misunderstood Isobel, for example.
Cumming's pacing is impeccable. The complexity, ambiguity and contradiction effortless.
Anyway, this moves a Jason Bourne speed with George Smiley wit. And yet, we get some literary themes laundered into the fun. For example, can we we prevent ourselves from becoming our fathers? Are our children our avatars? Will Box survive DOGE (lol)?
Minor critique: the ending was fast. Felt like maybe the editor cut 20 pages. I await the next in the series. MANY unanswered questions. I wonder if we've misunderstood Isobel, for example.
Cumming's pacing is impeccable. The complexity, ambiguity and contradiction effortless.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The fourth novel in the Lachlan Kite series: Charles Cummings delivers another very readable tale. In ICARUS 17 Lachlan is contacted by Martha Raine, his one-time lover whom he hasn’t seen in over twenty years. Her son is missing, last seen with Yasmine, his girlfriend, in Athens and she is desperate to find him. At the same time, Lachlan learns that his wife and daughter may well be under threat in Sweden. Convincing himself that his business with Martha will be over swiftly, he instructs a BOX 88 colleague to set the tracking down of Max in motion. And when she does so, it becomes clear to Lachlan that he needs to be fully involved.
Early in the novel we learn why Max and Yasmine are on the run; the latter is privy to highly inflammatory information. Whilst some of the travelling, planning and hiding becomes a little repetitive in the narrative sections focusing on Max and Yasmine, Cummings skilfully creates vivid pictures of Athens, Corfu and the Balkans whilst alerting readers to the geopolitical situations at play as the young couple desperately try to escape their ruthless pursuers. As ever, after a satisfying conclusion, the author leaves us wondering what will happen next.
My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK Hemlock Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Early in the novel we learn why Max and Yasmine are on the run; the latter is privy to highly inflammatory information. Whilst some of the travelling, planning and hiding becomes a little repetitive in the narrative sections focusing on Max and Yasmine, Cummings skilfully creates vivid pictures of Athens, Corfu and the Balkans whilst alerting readers to the geopolitical situations at play as the young couple desperately try to escape their ruthless pursuers. As ever, after a satisfying conclusion, the author leaves us wondering what will happen next.
My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollinsUK Hemlock Press for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
July 30, 2026
This is another excellent instalment of this series. It’s pacy and exciting and as with every other Charles Cumming’s novel, it’s really, really well written.
I have a very specific and slightly odd point about the book that I can’t stop thinking about. There is one really obscure line in it which completely threw me early on and for some reason I can’t get out my head, and I wanted to see if by any chance anyone else had been confused by it!
I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent, and I noticed the narrator had given Lachlan a slightly stronger Scottish accent than previous narrations. Didn’t care either way, still great narration. Then at some point early on someone actually says to Lachlan “your Scottish accent has got stronger” and he replies something along the lines of, “yes, it has”. And for some reason when I heard it I literally laughed out loud. It was such a weird thing to have in the text. Then I started thinking it might be sowing the seed of some obscure but significant plot point - so i spent the rest of the story waiting for the point where a slightly stronger Scottish accent would save the day, or something. Anyway, not a spoiler to say, that it is not a plot point!
Anyway, I’d love to hear if anyone else spotted this, or if I’ve given it far more thought than it deserved!!
I have a very specific and slightly odd point about the book that I can’t stop thinking about. There is one really obscure line in it which completely threw me early on and for some reason I can’t get out my head, and I wanted to see if by any chance anyone else had been confused by it!
I listened to the audiobook, which was excellent, and I noticed the narrator had given Lachlan a slightly stronger Scottish accent than previous narrations. Didn’t care either way, still great narration. Then at some point early on someone actually says to Lachlan “your Scottish accent has got stronger” and he replies something along the lines of, “yes, it has”. And for some reason when I heard it I literally laughed out loud. It was such a weird thing to have in the text. Then I started thinking it might be sowing the seed of some obscure but significant plot point - so i spent the rest of the story waiting for the point where a slightly stronger Scottish accent would save the day, or something. Anyway, not a spoiler to say, that it is not a plot point!
Anyway, I’d love to hear if anyone else spotted this, or if I’ve given it far more thought than it deserved!!
July 6, 2026
I’ve forgotten much of the detail of the plot of Charles Cumming's previous books in this series but that didn’t stop me from being able to engage fully with this one so I think you’d be able to read and enjoy ICARUS 17 if you’re new to the world of BOX 88. This time, Saudi heavies are hunting for their boss’s daughter who was witness to an act which must be kept quiet. She just happens to be living with a young American, son of one Martha Raine, former love of BOX 88’s Lachlan Kite. It's this mix of the personal and the professional that raises the stakes and makes for exciting reading.
Cumming’s screenwriting chops are in evidence: he cuts from one scene to the other, keeping the tension high, and is not afraid of throwing one more spanner in the works either. We get the thrill of the chase and are shown how difficult it is to lie low, sneak around and stay ahead of pursuers in today's connected world. Given the gestation and publication schedule of a novel, ICARUS 17 is remarkably up to date - there’s even mention of Operation Epic Fury. If you like your hero noble and flawed but in a normal human way then Kite is your man. The ending sets up what might come next for him, so stay tuned.
Thanks to Harper Collins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
Cumming’s screenwriting chops are in evidence: he cuts from one scene to the other, keeping the tension high, and is not afraid of throwing one more spanner in the works either. We get the thrill of the chase and are shown how difficult it is to lie low, sneak around and stay ahead of pursuers in today's connected world. Given the gestation and publication schedule of a novel, ICARUS 17 is remarkably up to date - there’s even mention of Operation Epic Fury. If you like your hero noble and flawed but in a normal human way then Kite is your man. The ending sets up what might come next for him, so stay tuned.
Thanks to Harper Collins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.
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