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Solomon Vine #1
My Name Is Nobody
A breathless, gripping must-read for fans of Terry Hayes' I Am Pilgrim and James Swallow's Nomad
'I know a secret. A secret that changes everything . . .'
Solomon Vine was the best of his generation, a spy on a fast track to the top. But when a prisoner is shot in unexplained circumstances, and on his watch, only suspension and exile beckon.
Three months later, in Istanbul, MI6's Head of Station is violently abducted from his home. With the Service in lockdown, uncertain of who can be trusted, thoughts turn to the missing man's oldest friend: Solomon Vine.
Officially suspended, Vine can operate outside the chain of command to uncover the truth. But his investigation soon reveals that the disappearance heralds something much darker. And that there's much more at stake than the life of a single spy . . .
My Name is Nobody is a sophisticated, pacey and accomplished debut novel by 26-year-old rising star Matthew Richardson. Appealing to fans of the TV series Homeland and The Night Manager - as well as, Charles Cumming and Robert Harris - this is a gripping, multi-layered and assured debut thriller that drips with an insider's knowledge of London's corridors of power.
'Compelling, intense and sharply authentic' - James Swallow, bestselling author of Nomad
'I dare you to find a first novel as self-assured, impeccably researched and beautifully rendered . . . Richardson paints a portrait of espionage that calls to mind early le Carré' - Gregg Hurwitz, No. 1 bestselling author of Orphan X
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
398 people are currently reading
843 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Richardson
64 books109 followersMatthew Richardson was born in 1990 and graduated with a First in English from Durham University in 2011. He then went on to postgraduate research at Merton College, Oxford, specialising in intellectual history. He was a freelance journalist, a speechwriter and a researcher in Westminster while also starting work on his debut novel, My Name is Nobody. In the summer of 2015, at the age of 24, Matthew Richardson was signed by Penguin in a six-figure pre-empt deal.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarians note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
November 6, 2017
This is a great multilayered and twisted tale for those who love spies and espionage stories. The author brings his experience of the Intelligence Agencies and politics into this cracking tale of deception, betrayal, riddles, and double agents. Solomon Vine is a rising star in MI6, destined for the higher ranks. Then it all goes to hell in a handcart when a suspect he is interrogating ends up dead. It is not clear who carried out the deed or why. The upshot of this has Vine suspended, he finds himself shunned and thrust into the wilderness. Sometime later, Vine's friend and colleague, Gabriel Wilde, Head of Station in Instanbul is abducted. The Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee in Parliament, Cosmo Newton, meets Vine and asks him to discreetly look into what happened in a covert, off the books operation. Vine, operating under the radar, finds himself in a world interwoven with spooks and politics, conspiracies, duplicity, secrets, where the truth is nebulous and absolutely nobody can be trusted.
Gabriel Wilde sends Vine a copy of The Odyssey with a cryptic riddle. As Vine struggles to get to the bottom of the riddle, and other messages, he finds himself in Cheltenham, Oxbridge and London frantically trying to prevent a forthcoming tragedy being planned. Cosmo Newton is murdered for the secrets he knew and Vine knows that he is being set up. Richardson expertly connects the disparate strands in the narrative, to give us a authentic, thrilling, fast paced story of non stop suspense, twists and tension. It is intense and well plotted, without the over reliance on IT that is associated with the modern day security services. Soloman has to rely on his own wits and intelligence, as in classic spy novels, to unravel the nightmare threatening the nation. However, the issues reflect those of our contemporary society and world. A fantastic read if you enjoy espionage and spies. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Gabriel Wilde sends Vine a copy of The Odyssey with a cryptic riddle. As Vine struggles to get to the bottom of the riddle, and other messages, he finds himself in Cheltenham, Oxbridge and London frantically trying to prevent a forthcoming tragedy being planned. Cosmo Newton is murdered for the secrets he knew and Vine knows that he is being set up. Richardson expertly connects the disparate strands in the narrative, to give us a authentic, thrilling, fast paced story of non stop suspense, twists and tension. It is intense and well plotted, without the over reliance on IT that is associated with the modern day security services. Soloman has to rely on his own wits and intelligence, as in classic spy novels, to unravel the nightmare threatening the nation. However, the issues reflect those of our contemporary society and world. A fantastic read if you enjoy espionage and spies. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
July 14, 2017
My Name is Nobody is a excellent twisty spy thriller, highly addictive with some genuinely terrific characters and an ending that is unexpected – which obviously made me love it as the unexpected is rare for me.
Solomon Vine is out of the loop and on suspension after something goes horribly wrong in Istanbul – the start of the book is fast paced and brilliantly drawn out to hook you in – but when a colleague is abducted and it becomes obvious that something nefarious is afoot, he is the one best placed to find out what’s what. Matthew Richardson then proceeds to take us on a thrill ride of a journey to the eventual outcome, setting the scene all the way with some beautifully done descriptive prose, multi layered character arcs and a keen observational eye for taut plotting.
The further I got into the novel the more involved and fascinated I was – I loved the old school feel that the author brought to what is a very modern tale of the problems faced by the intelligence services and the political landscape Solomon Vine is working within (and outside of) is cleverly insightful. It was refreshing that the main character didn’t rely on high end tech to get to the truth but was more of a Holmes type character solving an enigmatic riddle, at the same time modern reality bites – astute writing, inventive storytelling.
Basically just really really good. If you love a good spy thriller then My Name is Nobody is for you.
Recommended.
.
Solomon Vine is out of the loop and on suspension after something goes horribly wrong in Istanbul – the start of the book is fast paced and brilliantly drawn out to hook you in – but when a colleague is abducted and it becomes obvious that something nefarious is afoot, he is the one best placed to find out what’s what. Matthew Richardson then proceeds to take us on a thrill ride of a journey to the eventual outcome, setting the scene all the way with some beautifully done descriptive prose, multi layered character arcs and a keen observational eye for taut plotting.
The further I got into the novel the more involved and fascinated I was – I loved the old school feel that the author brought to what is a very modern tale of the problems faced by the intelligence services and the political landscape Solomon Vine is working within (and outside of) is cleverly insightful. It was refreshing that the main character didn’t rely on high end tech to get to the truth but was more of a Holmes type character solving an enigmatic riddle, at the same time modern reality bites – astute writing, inventive storytelling.
Basically just really really good. If you love a good spy thriller then My Name is Nobody is for you.
Recommended.
.
February 13, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin uk, Michael Joseph and Matthew Richardson for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On Goodreads from today under Karen Whittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
I challenged myself this year to read books that are not usually my style. One of the other challenges on the 2017 reading challenge was to read a spy type books and so I thought this book fitted the bill perfectly.
It is a high intense, edge of your seat, fast moving, twisty turny, ride of a book. I haven't read anything from this author before and I always like to try new authors and like this one I found another writing style that I liked.
This is a good book and I think that anyone who likes spy, thrillers will emensly enjoy this book. I only gave it three stars as it didn't completly grab me. As I felt my mind wondering a lot while reading this book. That said I found it rather satisfying once I managed to get into it.
Happy reading everyone
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance reader copy of this book.
You can find my review on both Goodreads and Amazon. On Goodreads from today under Karen Whittard and on Amazon under k.e.whittard from publication date.
I challenged myself this year to read books that are not usually my style. One of the other challenges on the 2017 reading challenge was to read a spy type books and so I thought this book fitted the bill perfectly.
It is a high intense, edge of your seat, fast moving, twisty turny, ride of a book. I haven't read anything from this author before and I always like to try new authors and like this one I found another writing style that I liked.
This is a good book and I think that anyone who likes spy, thrillers will emensly enjoy this book. I only gave it three stars as it didn't completly grab me. As I felt my mind wondering a lot while reading this book. That said I found it rather satisfying once I managed to get into it.
Happy reading everyone
March 28, 2018
Author Matthew Richardson's debut novel is quite literally a masterpiece of suspense! Reading it is like playing three dimensional chess while furiously turning the pages. Without recapping the plot, this exceptionally entertaining 21st century spy thriller will stun you with it's complexity, style and pace. Very highly recommended.
June 22, 2017
The intrigue of the old-school cipher trumps 21st century cyber in My Name is Nobody, which offers a timely, wholly relevant peek behind the scenes of security challenges affecting the world at large, and events much closer to home. Complex action thrillers are all well and good but it was refreshing to see a strong storyline combining classic methods to confront a contemporary menace.
Government operators are caught up in the covert Parliamentary machine acquiring intelligence, reacting to impossible situations, and fending off early indications that something in the machine is very, very wrong. It’s just a matter of identifying exactly what that something or someone is.
It’s Solomon Vine who is unofficially recruited to carry out this impossible task. Although currently suspended from duty, this talented spy has to root out the truth of an old friend’s disappearance after learning of a violent struggle at his home. And yet it’s not just Gabriel Wilde's whereabouts he has to contend with, but also the circumstances surrounding the last time they met when a prisoner in Istanbul offered cryptic information yet became a target right under their nose.
The investigation is unauthorised which increases its complication factor and ease of denial, and what little evidence does taunt him only nurtures suspicions about his friend's ulterior motives. And if Vine’s involvement is discovered any previous loyalty will not be taken into account as he’s already skating on thin ice after the Istanbul incident, a cruel souvenir of his many years of service.
What I like about Vine is that his outward appearance is one of relative normality when in reality he’s a codebreaking, number-crunching security analyst able to identify the severity of a terrorist threat by analysing the data he's presented with. He’s not afraid to harness every ploy imaginable to fly under the radar. The problem being so does the elusive truth he is unsuccessfully chasing.
This story is a masterful performance of one man’s defiance to continue with his distinctive pursuit, despite the obstacles and warning signs – everything is connected, but those unruly dots refuse to line up without Solomon Vine’s unwavering perseverance.
My Name is Nobody is a solid British spy thriller with a very surprising outcome.
(I received a copy of this title from the publisher - complete with a cryptic challenge to solve! - and it’s my pleasure to provide an unbiased review.)
Government operators are caught up in the covert Parliamentary machine acquiring intelligence, reacting to impossible situations, and fending off early indications that something in the machine is very, very wrong. It’s just a matter of identifying exactly what that something or someone is.
It’s Solomon Vine who is unofficially recruited to carry out this impossible task. Although currently suspended from duty, this talented spy has to root out the truth of an old friend’s disappearance after learning of a violent struggle at his home. And yet it’s not just Gabriel Wilde's whereabouts he has to contend with, but also the circumstances surrounding the last time they met when a prisoner in Istanbul offered cryptic information yet became a target right under their nose.
The investigation is unauthorised which increases its complication factor and ease of denial, and what little evidence does taunt him only nurtures suspicions about his friend's ulterior motives. And if Vine’s involvement is discovered any previous loyalty will not be taken into account as he’s already skating on thin ice after the Istanbul incident, a cruel souvenir of his many years of service.
What I like about Vine is that his outward appearance is one of relative normality when in reality he’s a codebreaking, number-crunching security analyst able to identify the severity of a terrorist threat by analysing the data he's presented with. He’s not afraid to harness every ploy imaginable to fly under the radar. The problem being so does the elusive truth he is unsuccessfully chasing.
This story is a masterful performance of one man’s defiance to continue with his distinctive pursuit, despite the obstacles and warning signs – everything is connected, but those unruly dots refuse to line up without Solomon Vine’s unwavering perseverance.
My Name is Nobody is a solid British spy thriller with a very surprising outcome.
(I received a copy of this title from the publisher - complete with a cryptic challenge to solve! - and it’s my pleasure to provide an unbiased review.)
November 2, 2017
My Name is Nobody – A Brilliant Debut Spy Thriller
Matthew Richardson has written a fantastic debut spy thriller that will grip you from beginning to end. This is well researched, and someone who has certainly worn out their shoe leather around London in the writing of this thriller.
Solomon Vine has been suspended from his counter-espionage role within Mi6, and is clicking his heels at home. When he receives a postcard requesting a meeting in St James Park from Cosmo Newton, an old hand within the spy community. He has a request for Vine, that needs to be kept off the books and nobody should know back at Vauxhall Cross otherwise their careers will be ended.
The mission being find out what has happened to the, Gabriel Wild, Head of Station at Istanbul who seems to have gone missing, with no sight or evidence of where he may have gone. Things take a turn when Gabriel Wild has sent his copy of The Odyssey to Vine with a cryptic message.
As his investigation continues, Cosmo Newton is murdered once he has discovered a secret someone would prefer to remain a secret. Vine is running out allies, and when he is arrested after breaking in to the office of a Member of Parliament, things could go wrong, especially if Mi6 disown him. Fortunately for him, the Director saves him, as he is aware that there is an imminent threat to London and the prime suspect is untouchable.
Vine feels like he cannot see what is happening around him, he just cannot be sure, especially the double life he has to live. He has access to various aspects of the case none of which make sense, and it needs his intellect to crack messages he is being sent and the various warnings. He really does not know who to trust.
As he races around London, wanted by the police, he knows he is being set up, and he struggles to see what he needs to know. The question is once he has worked everything out, will he be able to stop the terrorist atrocity and bring justice for the state?
A great debut, really enjoyable.
Matthew Richardson has written a fantastic debut spy thriller that will grip you from beginning to end. This is well researched, and someone who has certainly worn out their shoe leather around London in the writing of this thriller.
Solomon Vine has been suspended from his counter-espionage role within Mi6, and is clicking his heels at home. When he receives a postcard requesting a meeting in St James Park from Cosmo Newton, an old hand within the spy community. He has a request for Vine, that needs to be kept off the books and nobody should know back at Vauxhall Cross otherwise their careers will be ended.
The mission being find out what has happened to the, Gabriel Wild, Head of Station at Istanbul who seems to have gone missing, with no sight or evidence of where he may have gone. Things take a turn when Gabriel Wild has sent his copy of The Odyssey to Vine with a cryptic message.
As his investigation continues, Cosmo Newton is murdered once he has discovered a secret someone would prefer to remain a secret. Vine is running out allies, and when he is arrested after breaking in to the office of a Member of Parliament, things could go wrong, especially if Mi6 disown him. Fortunately for him, the Director saves him, as he is aware that there is an imminent threat to London and the prime suspect is untouchable.
Vine feels like he cannot see what is happening around him, he just cannot be sure, especially the double life he has to live. He has access to various aspects of the case none of which make sense, and it needs his intellect to crack messages he is being sent and the various warnings. He really does not know who to trust.
As he races around London, wanted by the police, he knows he is being set up, and he struggles to see what he needs to know. The question is once he has worked everything out, will he be able to stop the terrorist atrocity and bring justice for the state?
A great debut, really enjoyable.
December 20, 2018
Das Leck
Sie waren beste Freunde. Die Geheimagenten des MI6 Solomon Vine und Gabriel Wilde. Bis Wilde sich vor Jahren an Vines Freundin herangemacht hat. Nun sollen sie eine Operation in Istanbul führen. Das Verhör eines Überläufers geht fürchterlich schief und der zu Verhörende bleibt schwer verletzt zurück. Alle Indizien sprechen gegen Vine, der vom Dienst suspendiert wird. Allerdings bittet ihn sein alter Mentor Newton um Hilfe. Vine soll herausfinden, ob an dem Gerücht, dass es ein Leck im Geheimdienst ihrer Majestät gibt, etwas dran sein könnte. Obwohl noch immer suspendiert, beginnt Vine mit eigenen Nachforschungen.
Wie muss man sich fühlen, wenn einem eine Tat untergeschoben wird, die man nicht begangen hat. Wenn aber die Beweise eine so deutliche Sprache gegen einen sprechen, dass es kaum eine andere Erklärung geben kann. Die bei einer derart offensichtlichen Sachlage auch keiner sucht. Schon aus dieser Lage heraus gibt es kaum eine andere Chance als selbst nach der Wahrheit zu suchen. Auf wen kann da nur der Verdacht fallen? Wenn nur eine andere Person an der Operation beteiligt war? Eine glückliche Ablenkung bietet der Auftrag von Newton, der noch einen viel größeren Verdacht hegt. Wenigstens einer, der noch Vertrauen hat.
Rasant beginnt dieser Roman, um dann erstmal in ruhigere Fahrwasser zu gleiten. Doch gerade die unaufgeregte Art Vines, seine zielstrebige Suche nach der Wahrheit, um sich selbst reinzuwaschen, aber auch um den Umtrieben im Geheimdienst auf die Spur zu kommen, führt dazu, dass man immer gebannter liest. Vine als studierter Mathematiker geht mit bestechender Logik voran. Auch wenn ihm die Hinweise und Andeutungen nicht gefallen, er macht weiter. Hinter jeder Ecke kann einer lauern, dem er nicht trauen kann. Wie unheimlich, wenn es sich dabei um Arbeitskollegen handeln kann. Ein Plan, der sich nach und nach entfaltet und der am Glauben an das eigene Weltbild zweifeln lässt. In Vines Haut möchte man nicht stecken, doch verfolgt man gefesselt jedem seiner Schritte, immer in der Furcht, dass er eine noch aufrüttelndere Entdeckung macht.
Sie waren beste Freunde. Die Geheimagenten des MI6 Solomon Vine und Gabriel Wilde. Bis Wilde sich vor Jahren an Vines Freundin herangemacht hat. Nun sollen sie eine Operation in Istanbul führen. Das Verhör eines Überläufers geht fürchterlich schief und der zu Verhörende bleibt schwer verletzt zurück. Alle Indizien sprechen gegen Vine, der vom Dienst suspendiert wird. Allerdings bittet ihn sein alter Mentor Newton um Hilfe. Vine soll herausfinden, ob an dem Gerücht, dass es ein Leck im Geheimdienst ihrer Majestät gibt, etwas dran sein könnte. Obwohl noch immer suspendiert, beginnt Vine mit eigenen Nachforschungen.
Wie muss man sich fühlen, wenn einem eine Tat untergeschoben wird, die man nicht begangen hat. Wenn aber die Beweise eine so deutliche Sprache gegen einen sprechen, dass es kaum eine andere Erklärung geben kann. Die bei einer derart offensichtlichen Sachlage auch keiner sucht. Schon aus dieser Lage heraus gibt es kaum eine andere Chance als selbst nach der Wahrheit zu suchen. Auf wen kann da nur der Verdacht fallen? Wenn nur eine andere Person an der Operation beteiligt war? Eine glückliche Ablenkung bietet der Auftrag von Newton, der noch einen viel größeren Verdacht hegt. Wenigstens einer, der noch Vertrauen hat.
Rasant beginnt dieser Roman, um dann erstmal in ruhigere Fahrwasser zu gleiten. Doch gerade die unaufgeregte Art Vines, seine zielstrebige Suche nach der Wahrheit, um sich selbst reinzuwaschen, aber auch um den Umtrieben im Geheimdienst auf die Spur zu kommen, führt dazu, dass man immer gebannter liest. Vine als studierter Mathematiker geht mit bestechender Logik voran. Auch wenn ihm die Hinweise und Andeutungen nicht gefallen, er macht weiter. Hinter jeder Ecke kann einer lauern, dem er nicht trauen kann. Wie unheimlich, wenn es sich dabei um Arbeitskollegen handeln kann. Ein Plan, der sich nach und nach entfaltet und der am Glauben an das eigene Weltbild zweifeln lässt. In Vines Haut möchte man nicht stecken, doch verfolgt man gefesselt jedem seiner Schritte, immer in der Furcht, dass er eine noch aufrüttelndere Entdeckung macht.
July 31, 2017
Head spy in Istanbul is abducted so his former close friend Solomon Vine is called in to investigate. But it has to be on the quiet because Vine is suspended after the death of a suspect. Lots of exciting spy stuff ensues. I quite enjoyed this, it's a bit rough around the edges as so many debut novels are but there's promise with the lead character. I do hope this is the start of a series.
October 25, 2018
What a fabulous tale of secrets, deception and surprises this was, a great mixture of James Bond, Le Carre and Frederick Forsyth.
This was yet another audiobook via the Libby App from the library narrated perfectly by Colin Mace. Both author and narrator were new to me and hooked me early on. I really enjoyed all the descriptions of Solomon Vine living a life in the shadows, putting all his espionage expertise to the test, using burner phones, fake ids, working out ciphers, checking his wasn’t being following and of course working out who he can trust!
Without giving anything away, I had inkling about what was going on about half way through, but I did have my doubts several times. I really think this story would transfer so well to the screen, big or small.
I definitely recommend this if you enjoy mysteries and especially spy stories. I’m looking forward to reading the author’s next book, due to be published next year.
This was yet another audiobook via the Libby App from the library narrated perfectly by Colin Mace. Both author and narrator were new to me and hooked me early on. I really enjoyed all the descriptions of Solomon Vine living a life in the shadows, putting all his espionage expertise to the test, using burner phones, fake ids, working out ciphers, checking his wasn’t being following and of course working out who he can trust!
Without giving anything away, I had inkling about what was going on about half way through, but I did have my doubts several times. I really think this story would transfer so well to the screen, big or small.
I definitely recommend this if you enjoy mysteries and especially spy stories. I’m looking forward to reading the author’s next book, due to be published next year.
January 3, 2018
I enjoyed listening to this, 3.5 stars. It’s a spy novel and the author knows his stuff. I downgraded it from 4 stars because I thought it was somewhat repetitive, especially the frequent references to the clues unearthed during Vines quest to find the mole in the SIS. Also, I found the flashback sections difficult at times to locate in the timeline of the novel. Perhaps more stringent editing would have helped. But the lead character Solomon Vine is great, and like so many like him in this genre, a damaged soul with an interesting past. I hope this is the beginning of a series.
Reminiscent of Le Carré, there is even a reference to Vine being allowed to ‘come in from the cold’. Nice :)
Reminiscent of Le Carré, there is even a reference to Vine being allowed to ‘come in from the cold’. Nice :)
July 6, 2017
Oooh I do love a good spy thriller, and a behind the scenes look at the secret world of espionage, so was more than a little tempted to read My Name Is Nobody, having heard debut author Matthew Richardson talk about the book at a recent crime fiction event. Tapping in perfectly to this popular genre, inhabited by such heavyweights as John Le Carre, Charles Cumming, and Mick Herron, how did this spy thriller measure up? Hailing from Cheltenham, the home of world renowned government listening post GCHQ, and currently working within the hallowed walls of Westminster, the home of British democracy, or skulduggery, depending on your viewpoint, Matthew Richardson brings his knowledge of both locations to the fore. Set aside the mysterious shadowy worlds of MI5 and MI6, and an obvious appreciation of spy tradecraft, Richardson serves up a twisting, and duplicitous tale of counter-bluff, and dishonesty worthy of his contemporaries. Beginning with violent events during an interrogation of a suspected terrorist in Istanbul, and the abduction of MI6’s Head of Station in its aftermath, disgraced agent Solomon Vine, begins his own unsanctioned investigation into these startling events, inviting a whole heap of trouble…
Overall, I found this a well-plotted and multi-layered spy thriller, resplendent with detail on the workings of some of Britain’s most secret inner sanctums, and a never less than accurate and atmospheric portrayal of Richardson’s chosen locations. This applied to the echoing chambers of Westminster itself in the pulsing heart of London, the dreaming spires of Oxford, the rolling countryside of Gloucestershire and the excruciating blandness of Cheltenham rail station and its environs. The action moves quickly and seamlessly between these locations, as Vine endeavours to uncover a major conspiracy, where the old adage applies of trust no one, be this in Vine’s investigation or as we discover in a series of flashbacks, those closest to him. Indeed, my prevailing thought throughout was that I felt unable to trust anybody, and more than a few characters may not appear to be all they seem. I’ll say no more than that on the plot.
Although the plot of My Name Is Nobody was incredibly well structured, with its attention to the workings of Britain’s security services, and some nice old school spy tricks, I was a little less convinced by the characterisation, and a slight over-reliance on repetition in the plot. I don’t know how convinced I felt by the main players as they were a wee bit cardboard cut-out, and some of the personal upheavals in Vine’s life were too well signposted, and a little predictable for this reader, but I think the strength of plotting, storytelling and location counterbalances these small hiccups. A good old fashioned spy thriller with a good contemporary feel. Recommended.
October 29, 2017
My Name Is Nobody
by Matthew Richardson
'I know a secret. A secret that changes everything...'
Synopsis
Solomon Vine was the best of his generation, a spy on a fast track to the top. But when a prisoner is shot in unexplained circumstances on his watch, only suspension and exile beckon.
Three months later, MI6's Head of Station in Istanbul is abducted from his home. There are signs of a violent struggle. With the Service in lockdown, uncertain of who can be trusted, thoughts turn to the missing man's oldest friend: Solomon Vine.
Officially suspended, Vine can operate outside the chain of command to uncover the truth. But his investigation soon reveals that the disappearance heralds something much darker. And that there's much more at stake than the life of a single spy...
My Name is Nobody is a sophisticated, pacey and accomplished debut novel by 26-year-old rising star Matthew Richardson. Appealing to fans of the TV series Homeland and The Night Manager - as well as I Am Pilgrim, Nomad, Charles Cumming and Robert Harris - this is a gripping, multi-layered and assured debut thriller that drips with an insider's knowledge of London's corridors of power.
Review
A breathless, gripping must-read for fans of Terry Hayes' I Am Pilgrim and James Swallow's Nomad.
My Name is Nobody is a excellent spy thriller, highly addictive with some genuinely memorable characters and an ending that is unexpected – which obviously made me love it as the unexpected is rare for me.
Solomon Vine is out of the loop and on suspension after something goes horribly wrong in Istanbul – the start of the book is fast paced and brilliantly drawn out to hook you in – but when Gabriel Wilde a colleague and friend is abducted it soon becomes obvious that something nefarious is afoot. Solomon decides to investigate and uncovers secrets and lies.
I loved the old school feel that the Matthew Richardson brought to what was a very modern look at the problems faced by the intelligence service, it was very insightful.
This is Matthew Richardson's first novel and I loved it, his writing is very reminiscent of John Le Carre. Fans of James Bond spy stories will really enjoy this fast paced story of intrigue, murder and duplicity.
4 stars.
by Matthew Richardson
'I know a secret. A secret that changes everything...'
Synopsis
Solomon Vine was the best of his generation, a spy on a fast track to the top. But when a prisoner is shot in unexplained circumstances on his watch, only suspension and exile beckon.
Three months later, MI6's Head of Station in Istanbul is abducted from his home. There are signs of a violent struggle. With the Service in lockdown, uncertain of who can be trusted, thoughts turn to the missing man's oldest friend: Solomon Vine.
Officially suspended, Vine can operate outside the chain of command to uncover the truth. But his investigation soon reveals that the disappearance heralds something much darker. And that there's much more at stake than the life of a single spy...
My Name is Nobody is a sophisticated, pacey and accomplished debut novel by 26-year-old rising star Matthew Richardson. Appealing to fans of the TV series Homeland and The Night Manager - as well as I Am Pilgrim, Nomad, Charles Cumming and Robert Harris - this is a gripping, multi-layered and assured debut thriller that drips with an insider's knowledge of London's corridors of power.
Review
A breathless, gripping must-read for fans of Terry Hayes' I Am Pilgrim and James Swallow's Nomad.
My Name is Nobody is a excellent spy thriller, highly addictive with some genuinely memorable characters and an ending that is unexpected – which obviously made me love it as the unexpected is rare for me.
Solomon Vine is out of the loop and on suspension after something goes horribly wrong in Istanbul – the start of the book is fast paced and brilliantly drawn out to hook you in – but when Gabriel Wilde a colleague and friend is abducted it soon becomes obvious that something nefarious is afoot. Solomon decides to investigate and uncovers secrets and lies.
I loved the old school feel that the Matthew Richardson brought to what was a very modern look at the problems faced by the intelligence service, it was very insightful.
This is Matthew Richardson's first novel and I loved it, his writing is very reminiscent of John Le Carre. Fans of James Bond spy stories will really enjoy this fast paced story of intrigue, murder and duplicity.
4 stars.
May 28, 2017
This book isn't published until mid July but I have an early copy for review. The blurb with My Name is Nobody name checks John Le Carre which is a big call. As it happens I agree with this viewpoint as Matthew Richardson creates a similar atmosphere to Carre's early works, which, again, in my view, set the standard for spy novel writing.
Solomon Vine is the epitome of a British spook, trained meticulously in the field, and in hot spots that make or break operatives from the various agencies whose job it is to keep the people safe. When MI6's Head of Station in Istanbul is violently abducted from his home it sets in motion a nervous reaction in these agencies, with no-one sure who they can trust.
The abducted MI6 big wig is a close friend and long time associate of Solomon's and he isn't sure what it all means. What he does know is that there is a double agent at the very top of the Intelligence community, and the more he learns, the more he suspects that it is his friend.
As he carefully gathers more information Vine finds himself in trouble, partly because he is persuing the truth through unorthodox methods and draws unnecessary attention to himself.
Its hard to believe that Matthew Richardson is only 26 and that "My Name is Nobody" is his debut novel as it is so good. If you're keen on this genre this is one to move to the top of your To Read pile.
Solomon Vine is the epitome of a British spook, trained meticulously in the field, and in hot spots that make or break operatives from the various agencies whose job it is to keep the people safe. When MI6's Head of Station in Istanbul is violently abducted from his home it sets in motion a nervous reaction in these agencies, with no-one sure who they can trust.
The abducted MI6 big wig is a close friend and long time associate of Solomon's and he isn't sure what it all means. What he does know is that there is a double agent at the very top of the Intelligence community, and the more he learns, the more he suspects that it is his friend.
As he carefully gathers more information Vine finds himself in trouble, partly because he is persuing the truth through unorthodox methods and draws unnecessary attention to himself.
Its hard to believe that Matthew Richardson is only 26 and that "My Name is Nobody" is his debut novel as it is so good. If you're keen on this genre this is one to move to the top of your To Read pile.
May 28, 2017
This is a debut novel that reminds me of books by John Le Carre and Charles Cummings, it is that good! The main protagonists are Soloman Vine, a code breaker, and his best friend, Gabriel Wilde, both employed by the secret services to keep us all safe.
When Gabriel disappears from his post in Istanbul, it appears that there is a mole in the secret services, and the hunt is on to find said mole and prevent any harm befalling field agents and other departments in British Intelligence.
This is a locked room mystery disguised as a brilliant spy novel. It is very fast paced and leaves you breathless with the expectation of the chase. Slightly stereotypical in that it is full of Cambridge grads, posh accents, clubs and Westminster chums, yet strangely, very down to earth. Very topical in that we are dealing with Middle Eastern terrorists , illegal arms and operations in Syria.
So who is the traitor? I did guess the identity, but that was only because there are always two ways of reading sentences! I shall say no more. This book deserves many plaudits and I hope this will be the first of many more in this series? .
When Gabriel disappears from his post in Istanbul, it appears that there is a mole in the secret services, and the hunt is on to find said mole and prevent any harm befalling field agents and other departments in British Intelligence.
This is a locked room mystery disguised as a brilliant spy novel. It is very fast paced and leaves you breathless with the expectation of the chase. Slightly stereotypical in that it is full of Cambridge grads, posh accents, clubs and Westminster chums, yet strangely, very down to earth. Very topical in that we are dealing with Middle Eastern terrorists , illegal arms and operations in Syria.
So who is the traitor? I did guess the identity, but that was only because there are always two ways of reading sentences! I shall say no more. This book deserves many plaudits and I hope this will be the first of many more in this series? .
January 21, 2019
My name is nobody is a dreadful name for a book, to me it sounded very silly, but don't let that put you off.
There is a good reason for the name to be fair to Matthew Richardson, but it did mean my expectations were not sky high, however they were exceeded by some way, maybe that was his intention!
Richardson's writing is unbelievable... So many writers get compared to Le Carre, but I am yet to experience someone who has the same poetic nuance, like Le Carre; Richardson can capture an atmosphere and allude to a character's idiosyncrasies with effortless clarity.
This takes no time in reeling you in... I was hooked very early on. However it couldn't keep me gripped throughout, there was a bit of a slump midway through. Although it does also end well, with a twist that unfortunately I did see coming. It's very much like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, although its all told from one POV and sadly is not as good, but if it was that would be high praise indeed! It is however an extremely good read and an amazing debut novel.
I will certainly be reading The insider which comes out on April 4th 2018 as Richardson is one to watch in the future.
There is a good reason for the name to be fair to Matthew Richardson, but it did mean my expectations were not sky high, however they were exceeded by some way, maybe that was his intention!
Richardson's writing is unbelievable... So many writers get compared to Le Carre, but I am yet to experience someone who has the same poetic nuance, like Le Carre; Richardson can capture an atmosphere and allude to a character's idiosyncrasies with effortless clarity.
This takes no time in reeling you in... I was hooked very early on. However it couldn't keep me gripped throughout, there was a bit of a slump midway through. Although it does also end well, with a twist that unfortunately I did see coming. It's very much like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, although its all told from one POV and sadly is not as good, but if it was that would be high praise indeed! It is however an extremely good read and an amazing debut novel.
I will certainly be reading The insider which comes out on April 4th 2018 as Richardson is one to watch in the future.
February 17, 2018
An old fashioned spy thriller here. One of MI6’s top agents is held responsible for the shooting of a prisoner and, while suspended, discovers that there are dark secrets that nobody wants him to find and a potential mole in the Service. When a close friend is abducted and the one person he trusts is killed, Solomon Vine has to go it alone hiding his investigation from both friend and foe.
It’s not bad but falls short of being great. I guessed a major twist very early on so I ended up waiting quite a while for Vine to get there too. It is a low key book, no running around with guns blazing but more about investigation, logic and the complexities and politics of the Intelligence Services. But it was nice to have a more traditional spy thriller rather than the all action hero stuff.
It’s not bad but falls short of being great. I guessed a major twist very early on so I ended up waiting quite a while for Vine to get there too. It is a low key book, no running around with guns blazing but more about investigation, logic and the complexities and politics of the Intelligence Services. But it was nice to have a more traditional spy thriller rather than the all action hero stuff.
December 18, 2023
I feel I have to give this four stars as I burnt through the audiobook, though I think this owes much to Colin Mace's narration - he could imbue a shopping list with urgency and drama.
However, I was disappointed that the supposedly brilliant Solomon Vine missed clues which I (not brilliant) spotted quite early on.
I was also unsure why Richardson made Vine a mathematician when he didn't actually get to solve any maths or logic problems (or even show any particular aptitude for tech). And there was an awful lot of summarising and exposition.
On the plus side there was a good twisty plot and I liked the voice of the novel (shades of le Carre and Deighton, although without their moral ambiguity or mordant humour) and the setting, dealing as it does with Islamist terrorism and Westminster intrigue.
However, I was disappointed that the supposedly brilliant Solomon Vine missed clues which I (not brilliant) spotted quite early on.
I was also unsure why Richardson made Vine a mathematician when he didn't actually get to solve any maths or logic problems (or even show any particular aptitude for tech). And there was an awful lot of summarising and exposition.
On the plus side there was a good twisty plot and I liked the voice of the novel (shades of le Carre and Deighton, although without their moral ambiguity or mordant humour) and the setting, dealing as it does with Islamist terrorism and Westminster intrigue.
April 7, 2018
I understand My Name is Nobody is Matthew Richardson's debut novel. This modern day spy story is both well written and researched. The main character, Solomon Vine, is a British spy destined for the top, until an unexplained death results in suspension, and ultimately his suspension from the Service. Richardson's story is one of betrayal and deception. Uncertain of who can be trusted, Vine is hell bent on clearing his name. An enjoyable read.
January 4, 2018
My first dip into the world of crime fiction couldn't have been more thrilling – My Name is Nobody is gripping, fast-paced, easy to read yet written by an intensely informed author who already seems to have mastered the art of immersing his readers into his world! This book has already formed the basis of many a good discussion and I look forward to what else Matthew has in store...
February 25, 2025
Fundamentally a good idea for a.story, but poorly told, with excessive repetition, confused timelines and excessive repetition. Shame
November 11, 2018
Fast paced
What a read fast paced from start to finish
You can sense the characters in full swing needs a follow on .
What a read fast paced from start to finish
You can sense the characters in full swing needs a follow on .
June 2, 2017
Superb.
“I know a secret”. Those few words start to turn the world of Solomon Vine, MI6 operative, upside down. They are spoken by a terrorist to Vine and Istanbul Head of Station, Gabriel Wilde, under interrogation. The terrorist is then shot and a little later Wilde disappears under very suspicious circumstances. Vine is hung out to dry but as a suspended officer her is the only person expert enough to operate outside the system to determine what is really going on. The fun starts here and is non-stop.
This book had everything. The twists and turns came thick and fast; locations moved rapidly; characters developed as friend (or were they then foe?). The story writing skills of the author were magnificent. The plot moved swiftly from one scenario to another, hardly leaving the reader time to breathe. The characters were real and I cared about them – a sure sign that this is writing at its very best. No wonder the author was quickly signed up to a book deal which was thoroughly deserved.
As a self-confessed lover of all things le Carré I tend to shy away from similar novels, knowing full well that the chance of disappointment is too high to even contemplate. However, I do still search for the Holy Grail and on this occasion found it. I was so pleased I didn’t listen to that tiny voice which suggested I should pass this one by. What a mistake that would have been?
Richardson is able to take his reader equally well through the colleges of Oxbridge as well as into MI6’s spy corridors. This novel therefore shares all the qualities of a great John le Carré thriller combined with a top-notch C P Snow but does so with fewer characters which only enhances the experience in my opinion. The only minor criticism I have is that the dates jumping around were on occasions a little confusing but they were well signalled and didn’t detract for the massive enjoyment to merit a deduction of a star. So, a well-deserved 5 stars and a note to self to greedily grab the next one by this author.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
“I know a secret”. Those few words start to turn the world of Solomon Vine, MI6 operative, upside down. They are spoken by a terrorist to Vine and Istanbul Head of Station, Gabriel Wilde, under interrogation. The terrorist is then shot and a little later Wilde disappears under very suspicious circumstances. Vine is hung out to dry but as a suspended officer her is the only person expert enough to operate outside the system to determine what is really going on. The fun starts here and is non-stop.
This book had everything. The twists and turns came thick and fast; locations moved rapidly; characters developed as friend (or were they then foe?). The story writing skills of the author were magnificent. The plot moved swiftly from one scenario to another, hardly leaving the reader time to breathe. The characters were real and I cared about them – a sure sign that this is writing at its very best. No wonder the author was quickly signed up to a book deal which was thoroughly deserved.
As a self-confessed lover of all things le Carré I tend to shy away from similar novels, knowing full well that the chance of disappointment is too high to even contemplate. However, I do still search for the Holy Grail and on this occasion found it. I was so pleased I didn’t listen to that tiny voice which suggested I should pass this one by. What a mistake that would have been?
Richardson is able to take his reader equally well through the colleges of Oxbridge as well as into MI6’s spy corridors. This novel therefore shares all the qualities of a great John le Carré thriller combined with a top-notch C P Snow but does so with fewer characters which only enhances the experience in my opinion. The only minor criticism I have is that the dates jumping around were on occasions a little confusing but they were well signalled and didn’t detract for the massive enjoyment to merit a deduction of a star. So, a well-deserved 5 stars and a note to self to greedily grab the next one by this author.
mr zorg
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
March 19, 2024
This started off with good promise - but failed. I was going to give 2 stars but upped it to 3 on the basis of the writing and some flashes of inspiration.
I liked the idea of "analogue" rather than "digital" spy craft with some nice logical thinking. There is thankfully not too much of the Macho all action spy aka Mission impossible, which I liked.
The story flows well and although there are some "flashbacks and links to previous action" they cover the background well and help to fill in some of the characters who could have been very one dimensional.
It desperately needed some good editing!! Things became a little annoying: The main character, Vine, seems blessed with good fortune -e.g.. The last drawer he tried before giving up the search revealed........... The paper fluttered to the ground from between the pages just as he was about to put it back on the shelf........... etc. Also anyone familiar with "burner" phones will know - having dumped your own phone and sim card - your contacts can't call you! unless you send them all a link to your new number.
I found the "Revenge Premise" somewhat thin with the protagonist playing a very very long game. If its best served cold this was icy.
Spoiler alert........
Any spy, real or imagined, who falls for the "accidental friendship of beautiful woman" needs reprogramming.
I liked the idea of "analogue" rather than "digital" spy craft with some nice logical thinking. There is thankfully not too much of the Macho all action spy aka Mission impossible, which I liked.
The story flows well and although there are some "flashbacks and links to previous action" they cover the background well and help to fill in some of the characters who could have been very one dimensional.
It desperately needed some good editing!! Things became a little annoying: The main character, Vine, seems blessed with good fortune -e.g.. The last drawer he tried before giving up the search revealed........... The paper fluttered to the ground from between the pages just as he was about to put it back on the shelf........... etc. Also anyone familiar with "burner" phones will know - having dumped your own phone and sim card - your contacts can't call you! unless you send them all a link to your new number.
I found the "Revenge Premise" somewhat thin with the protagonist playing a very very long game. If its best served cold this was icy.
Spoiler alert........
Any spy, real or imagined, who falls for the "accidental friendship of beautiful woman" needs reprogramming.
October 24, 2017
My Name is Nobody is an impressive debut spy thriller that might more accurately be labelled as an espionage procedural. Those among us who are devoted fans of the spy genre have been lucky in recent years with the introduction of astonishingly talented newcomers like Jason Matthews and Terry Hayes. The Book Gods provide don't they. Our lucky streak continues this year with this first effort from Matthew Richardson. Blurbs comparing him to Le Carre underestimate his storytelling skills and undervalue his more contemporary pacing. His writing is crisp, emotionally and intellectually engaging, full of tradecraft wizardry, and plotted with more layers than a phyllo. The prognosis for the health of the genre is excellent with these three new authors at work.
November 15, 2017
Nedočteno. Na obálce je razítko "Svižný, důmyslný a vynikající debut od vycházející hvězdy špionážních románů", ale to asi nalepili na špatnou knihu. Svižné to není - prvních 80 stran se skoro nic nestane. Důmyslné taky ne - je to jenom ukecané a plné plků a úvah.
Shodou okolností jsem se ve stejné době dostal k Le Carrého klasice Jeden musí z kola ven. Což je slavná kniha s prakticky totožnou zápletkou - v britské tajné službě se hledá krtek. I tato kniha je notně ukecané. Ale stačila první strana, abych pochopil, že je to úplně jiný level a že Jmenuji se nikdo (jak se kniha jmenuje v češtině) nebudu dočítat. Richardson opravdu žádná vycházející hvězda není.
Shodou okolností jsem se ve stejné době dostal k Le Carrého klasice Jeden musí z kola ven. Což je slavná kniha s prakticky totožnou zápletkou - v britské tajné službě se hledá krtek. I tato kniha je notně ukecané. Ale stačila první strana, abych pochopil, že je to úplně jiný level a že Jmenuji se nikdo (jak se kniha jmenuje v češtině) nebudu dočítat. Richardson opravdu žádná vycházející hvězda není.
October 21, 2017
A book club choice, this sounded like it was going to be a good change from historical romance, and something gritty and fast paced to sink my teeth into. I struggled to finish this book - I didn't enjoy the jumps to different time periods, and I couldn't summon any empathy with any of the characters. Tedious prose, and boring plot.
July 10, 2017
Actually 4.5 stars.
Once I had got my head around who was who - I got a bit confused with people initially - I pretty much raced through this book.
We first meet agent Solomon Vine during an interrogation. His prisoner boasts that he knows something that will guarantee his freedom and, soon enough, the phone call comes confirming this. Unfortunately, Vine makes some bad decisions and when the prisoner is shot there is no evidence, only speculation as to what happened so Vine is suspended and pretty much sent into exile.
Fast forward a couple of months and Vine's ex-colleague, old friend and Head of Station at MI6, Gabriel Wilde, is abducted and Vine is tasked to try to get to the truth around what happened months earlier as the two appear connected as well as finding his colleague. Working "outside the law" as he is still on suspension, can he get to the truth before further tragedy can strike?
I am not as familiar with the spy thriller genre in books although I did love the TV drama Spooks so I am at least familiar with some of the set-up and goings on in this world. I think this may be why I initially struggled a bit with the book. I did have to re-read a couple of bits (not as easy with a Kindle as it was with a paperback) to get a few things straight and I did make a few notes early on but, once I had it all sorted in my head, it did all make sense and went on to flow nicely for me.
One of the things I was really impressed with in this book was the flow of all the interconnected parts of the story. Nothing felt forced at all, even with the twists and turns and shocks that I experienced along the way. Any incongruity I did encounter was eventually explained to my satisfaction as layer upon layer was peeled off and rebuilt on during the rather thrilling ride the book took me on.
Characterisation was also very good. In keeping with the genre, we obviously had secrets, lies and some delightful duplicity along the way so it was rather hard to work out who was telling the truth half the time and consequently, who to really root for at times.
The action moved at quite a pace throughout and flowed seamless through variously well described locations. I was especially impressed with all the techniques employed by several of the characters to move secretly. My interest was also well piqued by the move away from the more current IT world and digital techniques, back into the old fashioned ones employed before the digital age took off.
And the end, well, no spoilers here but I have to say that it did quite blow me away. Maybe more so than some more hard core spy thriller readers but I was very impressed nevertheless.
All in all, another very good debut novel - yep, 2017 is following 2016's lead in cracking debut authors breaking through - which left me very satisfied at its conclusion. I am quite interested in whether this will be the start of a new series or if it will remain stand alone. Either way, I am very interested in seeing what the author has in store for his next book.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Once I had got my head around who was who - I got a bit confused with people initially - I pretty much raced through this book.
We first meet agent Solomon Vine during an interrogation. His prisoner boasts that he knows something that will guarantee his freedom and, soon enough, the phone call comes confirming this. Unfortunately, Vine makes some bad decisions and when the prisoner is shot there is no evidence, only speculation as to what happened so Vine is suspended and pretty much sent into exile.
Fast forward a couple of months and Vine's ex-colleague, old friend and Head of Station at MI6, Gabriel Wilde, is abducted and Vine is tasked to try to get to the truth around what happened months earlier as the two appear connected as well as finding his colleague. Working "outside the law" as he is still on suspension, can he get to the truth before further tragedy can strike?
I am not as familiar with the spy thriller genre in books although I did love the TV drama Spooks so I am at least familiar with some of the set-up and goings on in this world. I think this may be why I initially struggled a bit with the book. I did have to re-read a couple of bits (not as easy with a Kindle as it was with a paperback) to get a few things straight and I did make a few notes early on but, once I had it all sorted in my head, it did all make sense and went on to flow nicely for me.
One of the things I was really impressed with in this book was the flow of all the interconnected parts of the story. Nothing felt forced at all, even with the twists and turns and shocks that I experienced along the way. Any incongruity I did encounter was eventually explained to my satisfaction as layer upon layer was peeled off and rebuilt on during the rather thrilling ride the book took me on.
Characterisation was also very good. In keeping with the genre, we obviously had secrets, lies and some delightful duplicity along the way so it was rather hard to work out who was telling the truth half the time and consequently, who to really root for at times.
The action moved at quite a pace throughout and flowed seamless through variously well described locations. I was especially impressed with all the techniques employed by several of the characters to move secretly. My interest was also well piqued by the move away from the more current IT world and digital techniques, back into the old fashioned ones employed before the digital age took off.
And the end, well, no spoilers here but I have to say that it did quite blow me away. Maybe more so than some more hard core spy thriller readers but I was very impressed nevertheless.
All in all, another very good debut novel - yep, 2017 is following 2016's lead in cracking debut authors breaking through - which left me very satisfied at its conclusion. I am quite interested in whether this will be the start of a new series or if it will remain stand alone. Either way, I am very interested in seeing what the author has in store for his next book.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
May 16, 2019
Kde jsou časy okázalých gest a nákladného života Jamese Bonda - dnešní špion potřebuje k životu jen pořádný příběh a čtenář vodítka k jeho rozklíčování. Obojího se mu dostane v knize britského novináře.
Vycházející hvězda špionážních thrillerů je tu, slibuje vydavatel. Zároveň tvrdí, že knihu Jmenuji se Nikdo ocení hlavně fanoušci románu Já, Poutník a seriálů Ve jménu vlasti a Noční recepční. Uvádí ji slovy: „Znám tajemství. Tajemství, kterým se mění úplně všechno…“ O čem je? Solomon Vine patřil k nejlepším špionům své generace. Měl před sebou zářivé vyhlídky. Pak ho za nevyjasněných okolností odstavili na vedlejší kolej. Čtvrt roku nato unesli šéfa istanbulské expozitury MI6. Nikdo neví, komu věřit. Pomoci by mohl dávný přítel zmizelého: Solomon Vine. Je mimo službu, a proto hledá pravdu na vlastní pěst. A brzy zjistí, že v sázce je daleko víc než jen život jednoho špiona…
Autor knihy, Matthew Richardson se narodil v roce 1990. Roku 2011 vystudoval anglistiku na univerzitě v Durhamu a na Merton College v Oxfordu, kde editoval studentské noviny Palatinate. Krátce se živil jako novinář na volné noze, psal pro věhlasné tituly jako Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph a New Statesman. V administrativě britského parlamentu působil coby výzkumný pracovník a podílel se na přípravách politických projevů. Někde v průběhu svého života však objevil ještě jeden svůj talent - spisovatelský. Že se čtenáři mají nač těšit dokázal právě svým debutem, prvním dílem budoucí série s agentem MI6 Solomonem Vinem, s názvem Jmenuji se Nikdo.
Příběh nepotřebuje vnadné ženy, akční honičky drahými vozy, tisíce vystřelených kulek... Naopak se odehrává na malém londýnském plácku, ve světě informací, které jsou dnes tím nejcennějším, čím mohou vlády disponovat. Tajné služby a jejich zájmy se změnily po kauze Edwarda Snowdena, Američana, jenž neváhal zveřejnit pravdu o nelegálním sledování elektronické komunikace a dokumenty odhalující sledování telefonů bezpečnostními službami USA.
V takovém světě Solomon Vine s dávným parťákem Wildem pracují na dopadení jistého Ahmeda Yousefa. Muž si je však příliš jist ochranou někým vysoce postaveným. Je propuštěn a krátce na to zmizí i Wilde. A tak se Vine se svým bývalým šéfem Cosmo Newtonem vydají nejen za jeho nalezením a záchranou, ale také za odhalením zrádce, který tvrdí, že je Nikdo. Na čtenáři je užít si téměř tři stovky stránek a společně odhalovat umě poskládaná vodítka v příběhu, který je realistický, snadno uchopitelný a přitom svižný. Ostatně - odkud jinud čekat dobrý špionážní titul, než z rukou Brita.
Vycházející hvězda špionážních thrillerů je tu, slibuje vydavatel. Zároveň tvrdí, že knihu Jmenuji se Nikdo ocení hlavně fanoušci románu Já, Poutník a seriálů Ve jménu vlasti a Noční recepční. Uvádí ji slovy: „Znám tajemství. Tajemství, kterým se mění úplně všechno…“ O čem je? Solomon Vine patřil k nejlepším špionům své generace. Měl před sebou zářivé vyhlídky. Pak ho za nevyjasněných okolností odstavili na vedlejší kolej. Čtvrt roku nato unesli šéfa istanbulské expozitury MI6. Nikdo neví, komu věřit. Pomoci by mohl dávný přítel zmizelého: Solomon Vine. Je mimo službu, a proto hledá pravdu na vlastní pěst. A brzy zjistí, že v sázce je daleko víc než jen život jednoho špiona…
Autor knihy, Matthew Richardson se narodil v roce 1990. Roku 2011 vystudoval anglistiku na univerzitě v Durhamu a na Merton College v Oxfordu, kde editoval studentské noviny Palatinate. Krátce se živil jako novinář na volné noze, psal pro věhlasné tituly jako Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph a New Statesman. V administrativě britského parlamentu působil coby výzkumný pracovník a podílel se na přípravách politických projevů. Někde v průběhu svého života však objevil ještě jeden svůj talent - spisovatelský. Že se čtenáři mají nač těšit dokázal právě svým debutem, prvním dílem budoucí série s agentem MI6 Solomonem Vinem, s názvem Jmenuji se Nikdo.
Příběh nepotřebuje vnadné ženy, akční honičky drahými vozy, tisíce vystřelených kulek... Naopak se odehrává na malém londýnském plácku, ve světě informací, které jsou dnes tím nejcennějším, čím mohou vlády disponovat. Tajné služby a jejich zájmy se změnily po kauze Edwarda Snowdena, Američana, jenž neváhal zveřejnit pravdu o nelegálním sledování elektronické komunikace a dokumenty odhalující sledování telefonů bezpečnostními službami USA.
V takovém světě Solomon Vine s dávným parťákem Wildem pracují na dopadení jistého Ahmeda Yousefa. Muž si je však příliš jist ochranou někým vysoce postaveným. Je propuštěn a krátce na to zmizí i Wilde. A tak se Vine se svým bývalým šéfem Cosmo Newtonem vydají nejen za jeho nalezením a záchranou, ale také za odhalením zrádce, který tvrdí, že je Nikdo. Na čtenáři je užít si téměř tři stovky stránek a společně odhalovat umě poskládaná vodítka v příběhu, který je realistický, snadno uchopitelný a přitom svižný. Ostatně - odkud jinud čekat dobrý špionážní titul, než z rukou Brita.
March 25, 2018
My favourite type of book - Spies! Espionage! Double Agents! Red Herrings! This has it all. I read a review that this is a cross between a Robert Ludlum and John Le Carre and would easily agree with that summary. Not as sophisticated, intricate as Le Carre, but every bit as thrilling as a Ludlum, this is a great book. We are beyond the Cold War days so beloved by writers of this genre, the more modern theme of Islamic terrorism central to this story. Solomon Vine is the MI5 operative who has found himself suspended after a shooting that takes place while he is interviewing a suspect in Istanbul. Not long after the head of the Istanbul post, old friend and rival Gabriel Wilde, goes missing. Solomon is called in by his old boss to unravel the puzzle.
And what a puzzle it is. Cryptic clues are everywhere, beginning with a copy of Ulysses' The Odyssey, translated by Gabriel into English, and delivered to Solomon after the former's disappearance. It is in this translation that Solomon eventually finds the phrase 'My Name is Nobody'. What follows is an endlessly twisting path, both physically and metaphorically as Solomon, a mathematical genius by the way, looks to connect the dots between the shot suspect in Istanbul, Gabriel's disappearance, and whoever 'nobody' may be, doors firmly shut in his face at every turn. To complicate matters further, Solomon's ex fiancee, now wife to Gabriel, makes a reappearance, desperately trying to find her husband. Murky, tricky, smoke and mirrors, who can Solomon trust, are his instincts as good as they used to be when he himself was in the field. The ending is both surprising and not, as there are clues planted in the novel that if you are smart will lead you to the 'nobody'. Just remember a perceived red herring is not always a red herring.
Terrific stuff. What is also very refreshing is that the spy work is good old fashioned surveillance, walking or running the streets, decoding messages, listening, reading body language, looking for the nuances in language, and behaviour. A very modern old fashioned spy novel, if you see what I mean.
And what a puzzle it is. Cryptic clues are everywhere, beginning with a copy of Ulysses' The Odyssey, translated by Gabriel into English, and delivered to Solomon after the former's disappearance. It is in this translation that Solomon eventually finds the phrase 'My Name is Nobody'. What follows is an endlessly twisting path, both physically and metaphorically as Solomon, a mathematical genius by the way, looks to connect the dots between the shot suspect in Istanbul, Gabriel's disappearance, and whoever 'nobody' may be, doors firmly shut in his face at every turn. To complicate matters further, Solomon's ex fiancee, now wife to Gabriel, makes a reappearance, desperately trying to find her husband. Murky, tricky, smoke and mirrors, who can Solomon trust, are his instincts as good as they used to be when he himself was in the field. The ending is both surprising and not, as there are clues planted in the novel that if you are smart will lead you to the 'nobody'. Just remember a perceived red herring is not always a red herring.
Terrific stuff. What is also very refreshing is that the spy work is good old fashioned surveillance, walking or running the streets, decoding messages, listening, reading body language, looking for the nuances in language, and behaviour. A very modern old fashioned spy novel, if you see what I mean.
September 27, 2020
As debut novels go, this was a cracker. I feel bad for only giving it three stars, but I am sticking to the simple way Emily May rates her books. With my guilty caveat out of the way; what a clever read. It has all the classic ingredients for a spy novel: betrayal, kidnapping, death of a mentor and the inevitable friend who turns into an enemy. I must admit that when the bad egg was revealed, I was a bit disappointed. I was secretly hoping for a global conspiracy type villain.
This book took me three days to finish, which is a good enough reference to the ‘unputdownable’ type of spy story it is. The title is a nod to the classic ‘Odyssey’ written by Homer. With reference to the deception (or misinformation – which is just the polite phrase for lying) used by Odysseus to escape the cave of Polyphemus. This is the theme that runs through the story; deception. I really enjoyed the way the story was crafted, never really giving you the feeling that you knew who the antagonist was. The subtle use of smoke and mirrors dovetailed quite well with the methodology that Solomon Vine (what an absolutely cool name for your protagonist) employs. It was refreshing, the way that Solomon uses deductive logic as opposed to the now normal technology assisted investigation.
What is clear, is how well researched this novel is. The attention to detail is accentuated through the way the story is put together through London and the surrounds. Incredible really, it was like walking through Westminster at one point.
This novel creates a weight of expectation. I am looking forward to the next book that Matthew Richardson publishes.
This book took me three days to finish, which is a good enough reference to the ‘unputdownable’ type of spy story it is. The title is a nod to the classic ‘Odyssey’ written by Homer. With reference to the deception (or misinformation – which is just the polite phrase for lying) used by Odysseus to escape the cave of Polyphemus. This is the theme that runs through the story; deception. I really enjoyed the way the story was crafted, never really giving you the feeling that you knew who the antagonist was. The subtle use of smoke and mirrors dovetailed quite well with the methodology that Solomon Vine (what an absolutely cool name for your protagonist) employs. It was refreshing, the way that Solomon uses deductive logic as opposed to the now normal technology assisted investigation.
What is clear, is how well researched this novel is. The attention to detail is accentuated through the way the story is put together through London and the surrounds. Incredible really, it was like walking through Westminster at one point.
This novel creates a weight of expectation. I am looking forward to the next book that Matthew Richardson publishes.
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