The English Spy

by Donald Smith

This tale of intrigue and betrayal goes to the heart of events surrounding the Treaty of Union in 1707. Daniel Foe (better known as Defoe), sent to Scotland to sway opinion towards Union, reports to his English spymaster. But Edinburgh is already a hotbed of counter-plots and nascent rebellion. Foe's encounters with a landlady who is not what she seems, and with a beautiful Jacobite agent, lead him to become a novelist, against his better instincts.

Genres: British Literature, 21st Century, Novels

173 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Please see: Donald Smith

Dr. Donald Smith is a storyteller, novelist, playwright and performance poet. He was born in Glasgow to an Irish mother and was brought up in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling. He is a founding member of the Scottish Storytelling Forum and of Edinburgh's Guid Crack Club, and is Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre at The Netherbow. He chaired the Committee that established the National Theatre of Scotland and became a founding Director.

Smith completed a Ph.D. thesis on Naomi Mitchison at the University of Edinburgh. He is the author of numerous books, including a novel set in Edinburgh at the time of Robert Burns, Between Ourselves (Luath, 2008), God, the Poet & the Devil: Robert Burns and Religion (Saint Andrew Press, 2008), and the collection of poetry, A Long Stride Shortens the Road: Poems of Scotland (Luath, 2004).

Reviews

[Mairi Byatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning read, I learnt so much, but not so keen on ‘The Spy’! Will not be reading his books with such an open mind in future! And Robinson Crusoe was my favourite book as a child.
Brilliant read, highly recommended!