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Alexis Tyler #2
The Nursery
Lex Tyler is trying to have it all.
But being a working mother is so much more difficult when you're a secret agent for an underground branch of the security services.
Platform Eight have been tasked with tracking down and eliminating the traitor in MI6 who has been selling information to the highest bidder through a headhunting website for the criminal underworld that connects intelligence operatives with all manner of bad people with a simple right swipe. Deals get made. Secrets get sold. Missions fail, and agents die.
Lex's own home life is not much easier. With a husband who rings her in the middle of a gunfight to complain she's yet again forgotton to pick up his dry-cleaning, and a two-year-old daughter who has a newfound love of biting, surviving both the Terrible Twos and a traitor might just be too much for one exhausted mother to handle.
But being a working mother is so much more difficult when you're a secret agent for an underground branch of the security services.
Platform Eight have been tasked with tracking down and eliminating the traitor in MI6 who has been selling information to the highest bidder through a headhunting website for the criminal underworld that connects intelligence operatives with all manner of bad people with a simple right swipe. Deals get made. Secrets get sold. Missions fail, and agents die.
Lex's own home life is not much easier. With a husband who rings her in the middle of a gunfight to complain she's yet again forgotton to pick up his dry-cleaning, and a two-year-old daughter who has a newfound love of biting, surviving both the Terrible Twos and a traitor might just be too much for one exhausted mother to handle.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2019
40 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Asia Mackay
6 books242 followersAsia studied Anthropology at Durham University, after which she started a career in television. She presented and produced lifestyle programmes in Shanghai before moving back to London, where she worked for Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as Project Manager on their round the world motorbike documentaries.
She started writing Killing It on maternity leave and undertook a Faber Academy course to help her finish it. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children and two dogs. Killing It is her first novel and was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition 2017.
She started writing Killing It on maternity leave and undertook a Faber Academy course to help her finish it. Asia lives in London with her husband, four young children and two dogs. Killing It is her first novel and was the Runner Up in Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
August 25, 2019
Lex is trying to balance bringing up her two year old daughter Gigi, which is hard enough with her tantrums and demands, working full time and trying to find time for her husband. But when you are a secret agent and you cannot tell you’re husband what you do at work, well that just complicates things more!!
“Mother. Secret agent. Two roles. Two lives”
There is a leak and some of the agents covers have been blown. Lex and her team are working on uncovering the snake. They have three suspects and Lex’s role is to get to know their partners, with the fake Family Initiative, where they meet up to talk about family life and hoping they may reveal secrets about their spouses.
This series just gets better. Lex is a great character and I love her partnership with Jake. There are great comedy moments including Lex punching the Easter Bunny.
Would love this to be made into a Netflix series.
Looking forward to the next book In this series and finding out what is going to happen to Lex. You left us on a cliff hanger I cannot take the suspense!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy on exchange for a review.
“Mother. Secret agent. Two roles. Two lives”
There is a leak and some of the agents covers have been blown. Lex and her team are working on uncovering the snake. They have three suspects and Lex’s role is to get to know their partners, with the fake Family Initiative, where they meet up to talk about family life and hoping they may reveal secrets about their spouses.
This series just gets better. Lex is a great character and I love her partnership with Jake. There are great comedy moments including Lex punching the Easter Bunny.
Would love this to be made into a Netflix series.
Looking forward to the next book In this series and finding out what is going to happen to Lex. You left us on a cliff hanger I cannot take the suspense!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy on exchange for a review.
November 9, 2025
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#1 Killing It! - TBR
#2 The Nursery - ★★★★★
If you ever wondered how James Bond would have looked like if he were a woman, this is the series you don’t want to miss. The Nursery is the second book of the Alexis Tyler series; a story about an assassin, a wife and a mother. It can be easily read as a standalone as well.
Synopsis:
Lex Tyler is a secret agent. Her husband doesn’t quite know the details of her job. And her two-year old daughter has just developed a worrying love of biting.
When her colleague agents start dying and secrets are being leaked, Lex and her team have to work undercover to identify and eliminate the traitor in their midst. And this has to happen before China’s minister of Commerce gets assassinated on her visit in the UK. This is the one mission Lex can’t afford to fail.
My Thoughts:
I went into this book completely neutral, if not a bit worried that I haven’t read the first book of the series. And it blew me away! I loved the idea of a woman assassin that also has to juggle being a wife and a mum. I loved Lex’s character and her personal development, and could relate to so many things of her daily life. Even secret agents have to deal with their annoying two-year olds, and that was a relief. Lex was about to make some very unpopular life choices at one point in the book, and I was actually excited about. It was the obvious wrong choice, but her status-quo also wasn’t promising either, so I found myself rooting for the team that might raise eyebrows. The writing of this part and the build up to it was amazing.
The thriller moments in this book were phenomenal! I loved the suspense at the end of the chapters. And blimey, I did not expect that plot twist in the end. It surprised me so much, but then I realised how there have been hidden clues scattered in the book all along. And I’ve missed them all. I wanted to immediately re-read the book, just to find all the clues, and that is a proof to Asia Mackay’s amazing suspenseful writing.
I truly devoured this book, and Asia Mackay is now an author that I will keep following and whose books I’ll keep reading. Starting with “Killing It”, which is the first book of this series. The Nursery is a wonderful thriller you will not be able to put down. With a plot twist you’ll certainly remember!
#1 Killing It! - TBR
#2 The Nursery - ★★★★★
If you ever wondered how James Bond would have looked like if he were a woman, this is the series you don’t want to miss. The Nursery is the second book of the Alexis Tyler series; a story about an assassin, a wife and a mother. It can be easily read as a standalone as well.
Synopsis:
Lex Tyler is a secret agent. Her husband doesn’t quite know the details of her job. And her two-year old daughter has just developed a worrying love of biting.
When her colleague agents start dying and secrets are being leaked, Lex and her team have to work undercover to identify and eliminate the traitor in their midst. And this has to happen before China’s minister of Commerce gets assassinated on her visit in the UK. This is the one mission Lex can’t afford to fail.
My Thoughts:
I went into this book completely neutral, if not a bit worried that I haven’t read the first book of the series. And it blew me away! I loved the idea of a woman assassin that also has to juggle being a wife and a mum. I loved Lex’s character and her personal development, and could relate to so many things of her daily life. Even secret agents have to deal with their annoying two-year olds, and that was a relief. Lex was about to make some very unpopular life choices at one point in the book, and I was actually excited about. It was the obvious wrong choice, but her status-quo also wasn’t promising either, so I found myself rooting for the team that might raise eyebrows. The writing of this part and the build up to it was amazing.
The thriller moments in this book were phenomenal! I loved the suspense at the end of the chapters. And blimey, I did not expect that plot twist in the end. It surprised me so much, but then I realised how there have been hidden clues scattered in the book all along. And I’ve missed them all. I wanted to immediately re-read the book, just to find all the clues, and that is a proof to Asia Mackay’s amazing suspenseful writing.
I truly devoured this book, and Asia Mackay is now an author that I will keep following and whose books I’ll keep reading. Starting with “Killing It”, which is the first book of this series. The Nursery is a wonderful thriller you will not be able to put down. With a plot twist you’ll certainly remember!
August 29, 2019
The review for The Nursery by Asia Mackay is on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Asia Mackay is back. I'm so pleased that Asia Mackay is back with The Nursery. I read Killing It, that I recommend. Killing it had red and black cover, so I felt that the plain red cover to The Nursery was right for danger zone.
Lex Taylor had to juggle two roles being a mother and working as a secret agent.
Working and Being a mother means you have to keep up with what your child is up to. Gigi, Lex's daughter has bitten someone and I quite agreed with Lex that she wanted to apologise to the parents.
The first thing with reading The Nursery I noticed how Asia Mackay has excellent imagination, with an underground branch of the secret services under Platform Eight, with corridors, meeting room and phones ringing.
When Lex's husband wants Lex to pick up his dry cleaning on her way home , this is the best part of Lex Tyler being a secret agent is that her husband has no idea of what her job exactly is about.
I totally recommend The Nursery.
Asia Mackay is back. I'm so pleased that Asia Mackay is back with The Nursery. I read Killing It, that I recommend. Killing it had red and black cover, so I felt that the plain red cover to The Nursery was right for danger zone.
Lex Taylor had to juggle two roles being a mother and working as a secret agent.
Working and Being a mother means you have to keep up with what your child is up to. Gigi, Lex's daughter has bitten someone and I quite agreed with Lex that she wanted to apologise to the parents.
The first thing with reading The Nursery I noticed how Asia Mackay has excellent imagination, with an underground branch of the secret services under Platform Eight, with corridors, meeting room and phones ringing.
When Lex's husband wants Lex to pick up his dry cleaning on her way home , this is the best part of Lex Tyler being a secret agent is that her husband has no idea of what her job exactly is about.
I totally recommend The Nursery.
September 3, 2019
I LOVED this. Wildly entertaining with a brilliantly witty main protagonist and a banging good story to boot.
There’s edge of the seat moments, hilarious asides, glitter and a bit of glamour and all the joys of juggling parenthood and professional life.
If you are a parent you will relate even if you are not a secret government assassin, the difficulties are the same. This, like Killing It, is a brilliant hybrid of espionage and family drama with an edgy, involving prose that will have you laughing out loud one moment and clutching your head the next.
Cleverly plotted and engagingly humerous this is a book to savour. Forget Killing Eve, Lex Tyler is the far superior creation and I hope for many many more novels to come.
Highly Recommended.
August 2, 2019
Lex is back! Surviving the terrible twos of her precious daughter, Gigi, and struggling with marriage and saving the world! How does a mum who is a spy keep it all in hand? The bigger threat is the safety of the spy’s and a leak in the platform. Using a cover story with the father of one of Gigi’s friends, can Lex save them all once again?
Wow wow wow! killing it was such a good book and then this one topped it! I have such a love for these characters it has to have a sequel soon. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and Asia for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Wow wow wow! killing it was such a good book and then this one topped it! I have such a love for these characters it has to have a sequel soon. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and Asia for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2019
Excellent sequel, parenting/spying has never seemed so achievable or exhausting!
4.5 stars.
"People trying to kill me, bosses betraying me; who needed all that sh*t when I had teething and tantrums and potty-training to deal with?"
Our 'spy mum' returns, with her parenting worries intact and making us all feel a little reassured about ourselves, as Alexis now has to cope with the joys of a walking, talking preschooler whilst keeping the world safe in her secret occupation.
There's a traitor to weed out and a high-ranking female world leader to protect. And a parent-teacher conference to brave, after a biting incident...
As a mother (not a spy though, honest!), Lex felt refreshingly lifelike: as a mum trying to fit everything in, to do the best she could by her child, keep a slightly wobbly marriage going, even feel a slight crush on a fellow parent.
And the connections made to her job are always wonderfully drawn, hilarious and original. A battle/siege scene in which Lex has only toys and toddler paraphernalia to hand is hands down the most entertaining scene in a book I've read all year.
A favourite quote of mine was Lex thinking about a new female agent she was working with, how she "started the mission naively hopeful that working alongside another female assassin meant we would become besties and spend downtime bonding over frappuccinos and how tough it was fitting a gun in our waistband when having a fat day."
She's wittily, wryly funny, but reassuringly human, even as we see Superhuman Lex.
Some great set-pieces here, battles and guns and bad guys and all the stuff you'd expect from a secret agent story/film, but then we get the nursery scenes, school trips, the home life worries and Lex stepping between the two worlds, sometimes more shambolically than she'd like.
One thing that niggled me as a Mum - Lex's daughter is 2, but has the vocabulary and mental awareness of a much older preschooler, she talks like a 4-year-old. As mum to a 2.5 year old, Gigi seemed ridiculously advanced (but as mum to two boys, I could just be mistaken).
The trials of parenting and keeping a marriage going, I felt the author had her finger on. "There were days when it was hard to remember that he wasn't just a co-parent, a housemate. That we were more than that. There was us, too, in there." Mackay hits her marks.
And Mackay is surely a parent herself, one who is unlikely to forget the trials of this unpaid, thankless career. It's what made me try the first and instantly decide on the second:
"A day that had started with the adrenalin-high of armed combat... had ended with me fishing a poo out of the bath."
So while we get a spy thriller, it's much smarter than that. The combination of the two worlds is effortlessly juggled (for the author, at least!). This should have a multitude of markets, and is one I'll be recommending to parents of both genders. There are some excellent observations and moments when I stopped and paused, points that hit a mark even if you aren't a trained killer.
Works best if read after 'Killing It', and I'm hoping I see another Alexis Tyler story out before too long. She's one of my new heroines.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.
4.5 stars.
"People trying to kill me, bosses betraying me; who needed all that sh*t when I had teething and tantrums and potty-training to deal with?"
Our 'spy mum' returns, with her parenting worries intact and making us all feel a little reassured about ourselves, as Alexis now has to cope with the joys of a walking, talking preschooler whilst keeping the world safe in her secret occupation.
There's a traitor to weed out and a high-ranking female world leader to protect. And a parent-teacher conference to brave, after a biting incident...
As a mother (not a spy though, honest!), Lex felt refreshingly lifelike: as a mum trying to fit everything in, to do the best she could by her child, keep a slightly wobbly marriage going, even feel a slight crush on a fellow parent.
And the connections made to her job are always wonderfully drawn, hilarious and original. A battle/siege scene in which Lex has only toys and toddler paraphernalia to hand is hands down the most entertaining scene in a book I've read all year.
A favourite quote of mine was Lex thinking about a new female agent she was working with, how she "started the mission naively hopeful that working alongside another female assassin meant we would become besties and spend downtime bonding over frappuccinos and how tough it was fitting a gun in our waistband when having a fat day."
She's wittily, wryly funny, but reassuringly human, even as we see Superhuman Lex.
Some great set-pieces here, battles and guns and bad guys and all the stuff you'd expect from a secret agent story/film, but then we get the nursery scenes, school trips, the home life worries and Lex stepping between the two worlds, sometimes more shambolically than she'd like.
One thing that niggled me as a Mum - Lex's daughter is 2, but has the vocabulary and mental awareness of a much older preschooler, she talks like a 4-year-old. As mum to a 2.5 year old, Gigi seemed ridiculously advanced (but as mum to two boys, I could just be mistaken).
The trials of parenting and keeping a marriage going, I felt the author had her finger on. "There were days when it was hard to remember that he wasn't just a co-parent, a housemate. That we were more than that. There was us, too, in there." Mackay hits her marks.
And Mackay is surely a parent herself, one who is unlikely to forget the trials of this unpaid, thankless career. It's what made me try the first and instantly decide on the second:
"A day that had started with the adrenalin-high of armed combat... had ended with me fishing a poo out of the bath."
So while we get a spy thriller, it's much smarter than that. The combination of the two worlds is effortlessly juggled (for the author, at least!). This should have a multitude of markets, and is one I'll be recommending to parents of both genders. There are some excellent observations and moments when I stopped and paused, points that hit a mark even if you aren't a trained killer.
Works best if read after 'Killing It', and I'm hoping I see another Alexis Tyler story out before too long. She's one of my new heroines.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.
September 26, 2019
The Nursery is the follow on book from Killing It and I honestly think I’ve found a new favourite character in Lex Tyler. She’s a bad ass, kick ass, assassin mother of a two year old Gigi and is trying to balance work life, motherhood and keep husband Will from finding out what her real job is.
When I heard about The Nursery and read the description I have to admit I got excited, it sounded fab and I’d heard about the first book Killing It but hadn’t read it, I soon changed that though. I flew through Killing It (review to come soon) and instantly started The Nursery and devoured that too.
Platform Eight is on shutdown due to there being a snake in MI6 who is trading information with an unknown underworld website that are killing agents and Lex and her small team are on a mission to find the snake, shut down the website and save platform eight and it’s not an easy task.
Like I said earlier Lex has become a new favourite character of mine. She’s a first time mum to a strong willed biting Gigi and worries Gigi has inherited her violent side. Will her husband has no idea what she does for a job, he thinks she sits behind a computer most of the day and Lex is scared he’ll leave her if he found out she killed people (for her country). She’s such a strong character though and although she finds it difficult juggling work and motherhood she is very good at both.
It may sound all serious this motherhood and assassin malarkey but there are a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book. The author has done a fantastic job of mixing things up, one minute you’re on the edge of your seat biting your nails and the next you’re laughing out loud.
I did pick up early on who the snake was but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment one bit and it was exciting to see if I had picked right and how Lex and the team would figure it out. There were quite a few red herrings so I was questioning my skills 😂
The Nursery would work as a stand-alone as the author gives you enough information to keep up but I seriously recommend reading them both in order. They are just so good.
So if you like action packed stories with fab characters that you can relate to (hopefully not the assassin side though), stories that keep you totally gripped from first page to last then this is the book for you. I honestly loved this book and I can NOT WAIT to read more about Lex Tyler soon.
When I heard about The Nursery and read the description I have to admit I got excited, it sounded fab and I’d heard about the first book Killing It but hadn’t read it, I soon changed that though. I flew through Killing It (review to come soon) and instantly started The Nursery and devoured that too.
Platform Eight is on shutdown due to there being a snake in MI6 who is trading information with an unknown underworld website that are killing agents and Lex and her small team are on a mission to find the snake, shut down the website and save platform eight and it’s not an easy task.
Like I said earlier Lex has become a new favourite character of mine. She’s a first time mum to a strong willed biting Gigi and worries Gigi has inherited her violent side. Will her husband has no idea what she does for a job, he thinks she sits behind a computer most of the day and Lex is scared he’ll leave her if he found out she killed people (for her country). She’s such a strong character though and although she finds it difficult juggling work and motherhood she is very good at both.
It may sound all serious this motherhood and assassin malarkey but there are a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book. The author has done a fantastic job of mixing things up, one minute you’re on the edge of your seat biting your nails and the next you’re laughing out loud.
I did pick up early on who the snake was but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment one bit and it was exciting to see if I had picked right and how Lex and the team would figure it out. There were quite a few red herrings so I was questioning my skills 😂
The Nursery would work as a stand-alone as the author gives you enough information to keep up but I seriously recommend reading them both in order. They are just so good.
So if you like action packed stories with fab characters that you can relate to (hopefully not the assassin side though), stories that keep you totally gripped from first page to last then this is the book for you. I honestly loved this book and I can NOT WAIT to read more about Lex Tyler soon.
September 23, 2019
This is the second book by this author that I have read. The first, Killing It, was the prequel to this book, but you can easily read this as a standalone book; but why would you? I enjoyed this book even more than the first one, but by reading Killing It you get twice the enjoyment. You can find my review of the first book "Killing It" here.
We meet Lex again in this book, it's two years later on and her daughter Gigi is now a toddler. Lex is still an undercover operative for Platform Eight whilst juggling Motherhood, picking up her husbands dry cleaning and ensuring her daughter behaves herself at nursery.
Lex really does step up the action in this book, but true to form there are still those who under estimate her, and I loved it when she held her own. There's also Mrs Moulage, she was the first ever female agent and another strong female character who I loved. Lex is using her real life knowledge in her role - such as giving suspects names from Peppa Pig, after all who is going to think it's odd. So many laugh out loud moments in this book too, whilst at the same time being a very credible thriller.
If you think James Bond/Jason Bourne etc is a little unrealistic, then you need to read these books. I can see whilst this is fiction it could actually be so true. Especially the use of social media and those public announcements we hear.
Also in this book Gigi has a voice now and she knows how to use it! - I hope she becomes a little mini me in the future.
I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and await book three........... My thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC to review.
We meet Lex again in this book, it's two years later on and her daughter Gigi is now a toddler. Lex is still an undercover operative for Platform Eight whilst juggling Motherhood, picking up her husbands dry cleaning and ensuring her daughter behaves herself at nursery.
Lex really does step up the action in this book, but true to form there are still those who under estimate her, and I loved it when she held her own. There's also Mrs Moulage, she was the first ever female agent and another strong female character who I loved. Lex is using her real life knowledge in her role - such as giving suspects names from Peppa Pig, after all who is going to think it's odd. So many laugh out loud moments in this book too, whilst at the same time being a very credible thriller.
If you think James Bond/Jason Bourne etc is a little unrealistic, then you need to read these books. I can see whilst this is fiction it could actually be so true. Especially the use of social media and those public announcements we hear.
Also in this book Gigi has a voice now and she knows how to use it! - I hope she becomes a little mini me in the future.
I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and await book three........... My thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC to review.
September 5, 2019
3.5*
Our main girl, Lex, is a relatively new mother, a wife and top secret agent - what a life to juggle! The first chapter throws you right into the mists of her action packed work life, and aptly prepares you for the fast pace of the book - closing off with reference to her home-life, and other role, as a mother to her little one who is just starting preschool...
Written in a colloquial and fun way this story includes sarcasm, dark humour and some well timed 'mum realness'. That was my favourite part to be honest - Lex struggle to be a good mother and bring her daughter up in a way that would prepare her for the world and all its complexities. There is one part in the first half where she questions her motives for giving her daughter a doll, or for telling her she is pretty and what that might mean for her as she grows up - it actually made me chuckle with how real and true it was!
I didn't realise this was a second in a series, the first book being 'Killing it', but I didn't feel like I had missed anything in anyway which is good. I did enjoy it, but I also found it very predictable and it didn't have a big surprising twist or any sort of wow factor for me I'm afraid. It isn't the usual book I go for as I usually look for more depth or intrigue, such as a psychological thriller, but it does what it says on the tin and is a great fun light read!
Our main girl, Lex, is a relatively new mother, a wife and top secret agent - what a life to juggle! The first chapter throws you right into the mists of her action packed work life, and aptly prepares you for the fast pace of the book - closing off with reference to her home-life, and other role, as a mother to her little one who is just starting preschool...
Written in a colloquial and fun way this story includes sarcasm, dark humour and some well timed 'mum realness'. That was my favourite part to be honest - Lex struggle to be a good mother and bring her daughter up in a way that would prepare her for the world and all its complexities. There is one part in the first half where she questions her motives for giving her daughter a doll, or for telling her she is pretty and what that might mean for her as she grows up - it actually made me chuckle with how real and true it was!
I didn't realise this was a second in a series, the first book being 'Killing it', but I didn't feel like I had missed anything in anyway which is good. I did enjoy it, but I also found it very predictable and it didn't have a big surprising twist or any sort of wow factor for me I'm afraid. It isn't the usual book I go for as I usually look for more depth or intrigue, such as a psychological thriller, but it does what it says on the tin and is a great fun light read!
September 5, 2019
I've had Asia McKay's Killing It, on my shelf for ages and hadn't yet got round to it. As it happened, I ended up with an advanced copy of The Nursery and read that first. However, I don't feel as though I lost anything by going in the wrong order.
.
Lex is a mother, worrying about whether she's projecting gender stereotypes onto her daughter. She's also an assassin. A pretty good one at that. She works for Platform Eight, the lesser known part of the UKs security service. As we meet her, she's about to embark on a crucial mission. There's a leak and it needs to be stopped.
.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Lex. I can not relate to her in any way shape or form but I thought she was awesome. I want her in my girl gang. As for McKay's writing - well it's brilliant. The narrative was great. It was pacey and hilarious. I cannot wait to read the prequel (even if it is back to front!)
.
If you like action, crime and badass women, read this. Read this now!
.
Lex is a mother, worrying about whether she's projecting gender stereotypes onto her daughter. She's also an assassin. A pretty good one at that. She works for Platform Eight, the lesser known part of the UKs security service. As we meet her, she's about to embark on a crucial mission. There's a leak and it needs to be stopped.
.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Lex. I can not relate to her in any way shape or form but I thought she was awesome. I want her in my girl gang. As for McKay's writing - well it's brilliant. The narrative was great. It was pacey and hilarious. I cannot wait to read the prequel (even if it is back to front!)
.
If you like action, crime and badass women, read this. Read this now!
August 30, 2019
I have read Killing It recently and absolutely loved it! So this had high expectations!
I found this book really easy to read and enjoyed reading more about this badass assassin. It was interesting, funny, relatable and well written. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments!
The only reason I have given it a 3.5 star rating was that I did find due to having read the first book I was tempted to skip bits that were being explained again so I think that put me off a little bit. Also, the plot was quite predictable and I figured out the outcome quite quickly and was right but I think I was focused more on Lex juggling home and work life anyway!
I would recommend this book if you want to have a laugh and read about a badass women who you can’t help but like and relate to! Also give Killing It a read because it is really good!
I found this book really easy to read and enjoyed reading more about this badass assassin. It was interesting, funny, relatable and well written. There were definitely some laugh out loud moments!
The only reason I have given it a 3.5 star rating was that I did find due to having read the first book I was tempted to skip bits that were being explained again so I think that put me off a little bit. Also, the plot was quite predictable and I figured out the outcome quite quickly and was right but I think I was focused more on Lex juggling home and work life anyway!
I would recommend this book if you want to have a laugh and read about a badass women who you can’t help but like and relate to! Also give Killing It a read because it is really good!
March 10, 2023
Fun but a bit predictable in the overarching plot, and the main character had a few too many "relatable lady insecurities" to be such a kickass spy. Lex was great at work and a pretty sad specimen at home and while I get what Mackay might have been going for it ruined it for me a bit.
Definitely some creative ideas and writing in action scenes (would have been great if it went the other way a bit more, like using a spy gadget to heat a snack for Gigi or something) and could make a fun movie. Someone like Amy Adams would be great as Lex. Would have given 3.5 but not to the extent of a 4 star rating, so I guess 3.4?
Definitely some creative ideas and writing in action scenes (would have been great if it went the other way a bit more, like using a spy gadget to heat a snack for Gigi or something) and could make a fun movie. Someone like Amy Adams would be great as Lex. Would have given 3.5 but not to the extent of a 4 star rating, so I guess 3.4?
March 5, 2020
Just as good as the first book! I did guess the Snake pretty early on but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the plot. Fast, funny, and well paced with interesting characters and enough intrigue to make the ‘its hard working and being a mum’ narrative less tedious. I’m not saying it’s not hard by the way. All in all I wish there were more!
October 8, 2020
A Trip To The Museum
Lexi’s daughter, Gigi is now two years older and has started at nursery school. Lexi now has to juggle the school run, parent meetings and getting to know the other mums and dads with her job as special agent.
As it happens though, this turns to her advantage as she and her team try to protect a visiting Chinese minister from a rogue team of potential assassins.
And Lexi makes some new friends along the way.
I loved ‘Killing It’ and this second book doesn’t disappoint either. It is just as high octane, just as much fun as the first. The characters are three-dimensional, the story well thought out and told and there are a few surprises along the way.
Well worth a read and I’m looking forward to the next outing, when, no doubt, Gigi will be starting school.
Lexi’s daughter, Gigi is now two years older and has started at nursery school. Lexi now has to juggle the school run, parent meetings and getting to know the other mums and dads with her job as special agent.
As it happens though, this turns to her advantage as she and her team try to protect a visiting Chinese minister from a rogue team of potential assassins.
And Lexi makes some new friends along the way.
I loved ‘Killing It’ and this second book doesn’t disappoint either. It is just as high octane, just as much fun as the first. The characters are three-dimensional, the story well thought out and told and there are a few surprises along the way.
Well worth a read and I’m looking forward to the next outing, when, no doubt, Gigi will be starting school.
September 6, 2019
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Right, I didn’t realise this until afterwards, BUT, ‘The Nursery’ is the second ‘Lex Tyler’ novel, with ‘Killing It’ being the first. Do you need to read the previous book in order to enjoy the second? Well, seeing as I had absolutely no idea that this was a series, I can hand on heart say that, no, you do not need to read the books in order. That said, if you’re anything like me once you’ve read books out of order’ you will no doubt go and hunt the other books in the series….
Anyway, back to ‘The Nursery’. If you’re a fan of undercover, spy type thrilling read, then you would just LOVE this one. I didn’t know what to expect at first, I mean, would the characters be an updated version of the program ‘Rugrats’ what with the title being ‘The Nursery’? I had hoped not, simply because I wouldn’t be able to stand Angelica all over again….
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Lex Tyler’s escapades and learning about where she keeps her weapons! As well as being a cut throat and dark novel, ‘The Nursery’ was laced with such on point, slapstick humour that you wouldn’t usually find in a novel full of assassins. I think the fact that Lex has a young daughter blindsided me at times, because one minute Lex is hunting the bad guys down by chucking glitter in their face, and then the next she is picking up her little girl from nursery as though she was on route to do that all along. I thought it was absolutely brilliant and such an unexpected storyline which paved the way for much hilarity, many ‘what the…..’ moments, as well as brilliant tips for a bag of teddy bear crisps. And no, I don’t mean eating them…
Asia Mackay has such a unique and memorable talent which has made, for me, ‘The Nursery’ a serial to keep in my eye line. I hope there will be many more Lex Tyler novels to come, as I am certain that her story is nowhere near finished.
Honestly, I really do recommend reading this book if you’re fancying something a little bit different. I absolutely loved every iota of ‘The Nursery’, and Asia Mackay is a talent worth celebrating for sure.
Right, I didn’t realise this until afterwards, BUT, ‘The Nursery’ is the second ‘Lex Tyler’ novel, with ‘Killing It’ being the first. Do you need to read the previous book in order to enjoy the second? Well, seeing as I had absolutely no idea that this was a series, I can hand on heart say that, no, you do not need to read the books in order. That said, if you’re anything like me once you’ve read books out of order’ you will no doubt go and hunt the other books in the series….
Anyway, back to ‘The Nursery’. If you’re a fan of undercover, spy type thrilling read, then you would just LOVE this one. I didn’t know what to expect at first, I mean, would the characters be an updated version of the program ‘Rugrats’ what with the title being ‘The Nursery’? I had hoped not, simply because I wouldn’t be able to stand Angelica all over again….
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Lex Tyler’s escapades and learning about where she keeps her weapons! As well as being a cut throat and dark novel, ‘The Nursery’ was laced with such on point, slapstick humour that you wouldn’t usually find in a novel full of assassins. I think the fact that Lex has a young daughter blindsided me at times, because one minute Lex is hunting the bad guys down by chucking glitter in their face, and then the next she is picking up her little girl from nursery as though she was on route to do that all along. I thought it was absolutely brilliant and such an unexpected storyline which paved the way for much hilarity, many ‘what the…..’ moments, as well as brilliant tips for a bag of teddy bear crisps. And no, I don’t mean eating them…
Asia Mackay has such a unique and memorable talent which has made, for me, ‘The Nursery’ a serial to keep in my eye line. I hope there will be many more Lex Tyler novels to come, as I am certain that her story is nowhere near finished.
Honestly, I really do recommend reading this book if you’re fancying something a little bit different. I absolutely loved every iota of ‘The Nursery’, and Asia Mackay is a talent worth celebrating for sure.
September 5, 2019
Well, I must admit that this book tested me! It's out of my comfort zone completely and I did struggle at times. But this isn't a reflection at all on the writing.
So Lex is a spy, working on the dangerous surroundings of the underground. She's also a mummy. Iv nothing in common with this character.... but I enjoyed reading about her home life with her baby girl Gigi and husband Will a little bit more than her spy life!
There were many parts where both came bumping into eachother and this for me was a little bit far fetched. Im a big James bond fan (roger moore to be precise) but dislike austin powers the parody! And this book is somewhere inbetween those I think! At one point, Lex had a gun in one hand, and a torch that displayed a dinosaur light on walls in the other hand!? I didn't know if I found that funny, or felt it was just another reminder that she was juggling her two lives.
Im happy i got the opportunity to read this however and pushed myself to open my mind to other genres.
So Lex is a spy, working on the dangerous surroundings of the underground. She's also a mummy. Iv nothing in common with this character.... but I enjoyed reading about her home life with her baby girl Gigi and husband Will a little bit more than her spy life!
There were many parts where both came bumping into eachother and this for me was a little bit far fetched. Im a big James bond fan (roger moore to be precise) but dislike austin powers the parody! And this book is somewhere inbetween those I think! At one point, Lex had a gun in one hand, and a torch that displayed a dinosaur light on walls in the other hand!? I didn't know if I found that funny, or felt it was just another reminder that she was juggling her two lives.
Im happy i got the opportunity to read this however and pushed myself to open my mind to other genres.
October 31, 2019
This a light fun read that straddles the gap between an action thriller and humour. Lex is on one hand a Mum, on the other a female James Bond type working for a mysterious organisation. It’s an odd mix. The action stuff works pretty well to be honest and the balance of being on one hand a killer and on the other a yummy mummy type is sometimes clever, sometimes funny and sometimes irritating.
I found the code names they give to everyone and the weird bad guy organisation a bit over the top, but enjoyed some of the interactions between the characters.
Didn’t like it enough to want to rush to read the previous book but for a light thriller it did while away a couple of hours.
I found the code names they give to everyone and the weird bad guy organisation a bit over the top, but enjoyed some of the interactions between the characters.
Didn’t like it enough to want to rush to read the previous book but for a light thriller it did while away a couple of hours.
November 23, 2020
Un libro extremadamente divertido, una agente secreto que debe balancear su vida profesional con su vida personal, como esposa y madre de una pequeña niña, que se cuestiona permanentemente si es una "buena madre" mientras mata a los malos.
Acción trepidante y momentos hilarantes. Si tienen hijos pequeños y soñaron con ser "espías", este es el libro. Si no, es un excelente libro para leer en fin de semana o a la orilla de la piscina.
Acción trepidante y momentos hilarantes. Si tienen hijos pequeños y soñaron con ser "espías", este es el libro. Si no, es un excelente libro para leer en fin de semana o a la orilla de la piscina.
November 4, 2019
2nd Book in the series and just as Girl power, kick ass, protective mother, loving wife & great agent-y as the first one. Love this character.....so wish I was her !
November 18, 2021
I rather enjoyed Asia Mackay’s debut novel, “Killing It”, the first in a series featuring Alexis Tyler, a woman working in a secret Government branch that handles assassinations. What made it so good was the mixture of the absurd nature of her job and the realism of her having to return to work from maternity leave. There were some wonderfully emotional moments mixed in with the slightly unrealistic nature of her work which combined very nicely into a decent story.
After the events of “Killing It”, Tyler returns in “The Nursery”, to find the British Secret Services are under attack from a website called Tenebris. The website is something of a Silk Road for assassins, matching sellers who want someone dead to buyers who can get the job done, often for a very high fee. Several operations within the United Kingdom have gone disastrously wrong and resulted in several agents being killed and there is a suspicion that people within MI6 may be associated with the website.
Tyler is called to form a group that introduces her and her daughter to the partners and children of the suspected traitors to see whether any of them are hiding secrets. In the meantime, with the services on suspension until the mole is found, Tyler and her team are the only active agents able to protect Chinese Minister Peng, who is in the country for a few days and who intelligence suggests is a target of Tenebris. Things at home aren’t going much smoother, as her toddler Gigi is causing trouble at daycare having just worked out what her teeth can be used for and her husband Will desperate for them to get away for a break, feeling their marriage has too many secrets of their own.
Whilst the first novel was good, this one feels a little different, as there is less time for the absurd and more intrigue. Whereas the first book was a comedy-thriller novel, this feels more like a thriller-comedy, with the emphasis switched slightly. That doesn’t take anything away from it, though, as it means Lex is more tied up with work before, particularly with the increased demands on her time and this means her family life is more complicated and thus the guilt she feels for lying to her husband and potentially endangering her daughter is increased. Whilst the focus may have shifted, the emotions this causes in Lex’s heart remain present.
The multiple plots and the lovely little twist towards the end means this is a faster-paced novel than the first and it’s a very quick read. Some of the minor characters are a little one-dimensional and the trials of Lex’s home life are often skipped over with the feelings more important than what has caused them in the novel, so Lex’s motivations don’t feel quite so clear this time around. However, whilst some of the window dressing is a little lacking, underlying all of this is a well-considered plot and this would be the basis for a decent thriller novel even without Lex’s personal situation which makes the series slightly more entertaining.
As with the first novel, I was again delighted to reach the end and find a suggestion that the series isn’t close to being over and keen to find out how Tyler moves on from here. Indeed, given the slight shift in perspective and style between the two novels, it’s equally intriguing to wonder which direction Mackay will go in from this point as well and I look forward to the point at which I can have my curiosity sated on both parts.
After the events of “Killing It”, Tyler returns in “The Nursery”, to find the British Secret Services are under attack from a website called Tenebris. The website is something of a Silk Road for assassins, matching sellers who want someone dead to buyers who can get the job done, often for a very high fee. Several operations within the United Kingdom have gone disastrously wrong and resulted in several agents being killed and there is a suspicion that people within MI6 may be associated with the website.
Tyler is called to form a group that introduces her and her daughter to the partners and children of the suspected traitors to see whether any of them are hiding secrets. In the meantime, with the services on suspension until the mole is found, Tyler and her team are the only active agents able to protect Chinese Minister Peng, who is in the country for a few days and who intelligence suggests is a target of Tenebris. Things at home aren’t going much smoother, as her toddler Gigi is causing trouble at daycare having just worked out what her teeth can be used for and her husband Will desperate for them to get away for a break, feeling their marriage has too many secrets of their own.
Whilst the first novel was good, this one feels a little different, as there is less time for the absurd and more intrigue. Whereas the first book was a comedy-thriller novel, this feels more like a thriller-comedy, with the emphasis switched slightly. That doesn’t take anything away from it, though, as it means Lex is more tied up with work before, particularly with the increased demands on her time and this means her family life is more complicated and thus the guilt she feels for lying to her husband and potentially endangering her daughter is increased. Whilst the focus may have shifted, the emotions this causes in Lex’s heart remain present.
The multiple plots and the lovely little twist towards the end means this is a faster-paced novel than the first and it’s a very quick read. Some of the minor characters are a little one-dimensional and the trials of Lex’s home life are often skipped over with the feelings more important than what has caused them in the novel, so Lex’s motivations don’t feel quite so clear this time around. However, whilst some of the window dressing is a little lacking, underlying all of this is a well-considered plot and this would be the basis for a decent thriller novel even without Lex’s personal situation which makes the series slightly more entertaining.
As with the first novel, I was again delighted to reach the end and find a suggestion that the series isn’t close to being over and keen to find out how Tyler moves on from here. Indeed, given the slight shift in perspective and style between the two novels, it’s equally intriguing to wonder which direction Mackay will go in from this point as well and I look forward to the point at which I can have my curiosity sated on both parts.
May 10, 2025
i devoured this book. one reviewer suggested that it has "shades of 'killing eve'", but honestly, if i were mackay, i wouldn't have taken that as a compliment. similar premise? perhaps, but executed much more eloquently. 'killing eve' if 'killing eve' was good.
i confess to not having read alexis tyler #1, but that didn't prove to be an issue. no problems with continuity, and, while mackay does at times go with a heavy-handed "tell don't show" approach, it doesn't significantly impact the story-telling. this book gets off to a rocky start - i'm still not quite sure how to feel about the descriptions of cameron clarke, jake's "doe-eyed long-legged twenty-somethings"/"young ingenue" (icky), but eventually it's reconciled. the WAF initiative is actually really sweet, and i think that, despite lex's line of work, this lines up nicely with the generally-accepted accurate depiction of a working mum. it's really nice also to read a novel set in london. city of dreams (and rats). big up holborn station!
as far as i'm concerned, this book is a success. third act twist was foreshadowed but not too obvious, loose ends tied up (a little toooo perfectly, but c'est la vie, sometimes a girl needs a happy ending), witty criticisms of modern life (yvonne as a character did make me giggle), unfortunately accurate reflection of men (jake is such an arsehole; don't even get me started on frederick or lord wycombe), and it made me to want to read another one of these, which is always a good sign. solid.
i confess to not having read alexis tyler #1, but that didn't prove to be an issue. no problems with continuity, and, while mackay does at times go with a heavy-handed "tell don't show" approach, it doesn't significantly impact the story-telling. this book gets off to a rocky start - i'm still not quite sure how to feel about the descriptions of cameron clarke, jake's "doe-eyed long-legged twenty-somethings"/"young ingenue" (icky), but eventually it's reconciled. the WAF initiative is actually really sweet, and i think that, despite lex's line of work, this lines up nicely with the generally-accepted accurate depiction of a working mum. it's really nice also to read a novel set in london. city of dreams (and rats). big up holborn station!
as far as i'm concerned, this book is a success. third act twist was foreshadowed but not too obvious, loose ends tied up (a little toooo perfectly, but c'est la vie, sometimes a girl needs a happy ending), witty criticisms of modern life (yvonne as a character did make me giggle), unfortunately accurate reflection of men (jake is such an arsehole; don't even get me started on frederick or lord wycombe), and it made me to want to read another one of these, which is always a good sign. solid.
July 17, 2020
Lex Tyler is back and still struggling to be both a good mom and agent. Her daughter Gigi is a toddler now so trying to cope with her secret agent work plus attention seeking tantrums at home ain't easy....and that's just from her husband Will who (understandably) doesn't get why his wife is always absent. Both in body and mind. What he doesn't and can't know is Lex is dealing with a traitor in MI6....one that threatens both national security and her fellow agents. Too many have been lost already and Lex is determined to do what it takes to hunt them down.
I loved Killing It so was looking forward to this. And I was right to. It's often laugh out loud funny and always entertaining. It does lull again sometimes, strangely in the action so that may well just be me. Lex is sort of unlikeable but in that way your friends are when you know they're making bad decisions! And we all know a child like Gigi...in fact I think I live with one. It's been compared to Killing Eve and I get those comparisons but I feel it's selling Lex Tyler short. Shes far better than that. I'll be watching for part 3 soon.
I loved Killing It so was looking forward to this. And I was right to. It's often laugh out loud funny and always entertaining. It does lull again sometimes, strangely in the action so that may well just be me. Lex is sort of unlikeable but in that way your friends are when you know they're making bad decisions! And we all know a child like Gigi...in fact I think I live with one. It's been compared to Killing Eve and I get those comparisons but I feel it's selling Lex Tyler short. Shes far better than that. I'll be watching for part 3 soon.
January 5, 2025
The Nursery is the second book in the Alexis Tyler series. Alexis is a secret agent and her unit has been tasked with finding and shutting down a website that is like Tinder for criminals, matching criminals with posted jobs. Their key to finding it is discovering the snake in the department - and until they do, Alexis' department is shut down except for her unit. On top of this, Alexis is having issues in her marriage because her husband doesn't feel like she is present and her two year old is having issues at nursery.
So once again, this author had me up until 3 in the morning because I couldn't sleep until I'd finished the book. I went back and forth with suspecting people and, while I was able to figure it out, there were still twists that I wasn't suspecting (and I was still going back and forth when Alexis figured it out so it wasn't super obvious). And I absolutely loved the journey! I hope there are more to come in this series and still think it would make for an amazing tv show. Highly recommend!
So once again, this author had me up until 3 in the morning because I couldn't sleep until I'd finished the book. I went back and forth with suspecting people and, while I was able to figure it out, there were still twists that I wasn't suspecting (and I was still going back and forth when Alexis figured it out so it wasn't super obvious). And I absolutely loved the journey! I hope there are more to come in this series and still think it would make for an amazing tv show. Highly recommend!
January 19, 2020
More adventures, or misadventures of Lex and Platform eight. She’s tasked with finding a double agent in the secret services, and action and danger surround her.
Her home life is arguably more challenging. The mother of a two-year-old, she faces the terrible twos on a daily basis. Combining motherhood and being a spy leads to lots of drama and many humorous moments.
The plot is fast-paced and well written with twists, danger and delightful comic moments. The characters are vividly created but believable, and it’s easy to like Lex, the main protagonist.
Perfect escapism. A delightful mix of laughs and thrills, and parenting moments that are relatable for any parent.
I received a copy of this book from Zaffre Books, Bonnier via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Her home life is arguably more challenging. The mother of a two-year-old, she faces the terrible twos on a daily basis. Combining motherhood and being a spy leads to lots of drama and many humorous moments.
The plot is fast-paced and well written with twists, danger and delightful comic moments. The characters are vividly created but believable, and it’s easy to like Lex, the main protagonist.
Perfect escapism. A delightful mix of laughs and thrills, and parenting moments that are relatable for any parent.
I received a copy of this book from Zaffre Books, Bonnier via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 16, 2023
The Nursery
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Lex is a secret agent that working with National Security. She is a mother and a wife at the same time.
Sending her child Gigi to nursery is one of her favourite and there is where she meet Frederick, one of the father.
While reporting to the next day, having discussions about their next mission they have been introduced to their new team member and surprisingly is was Frederick and he will be partner with Lex. Their mission this time is to ensure the security of Peng the Minister from China and disable one organisation Tenebris which been hired by cartel at entire of the world to do their dirty job. Some kind of assassin group and one of Lex team are the snake that leaking all the secret information to Tenebris and they have to look for it.
Who is the snake?
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Lex is a secret agent that working with National Security. She is a mother and a wife at the same time.
Sending her child Gigi to nursery is one of her favourite and there is where she meet Frederick, one of the father.
While reporting to the next day, having discussions about their next mission they have been introduced to their new team member and surprisingly is was Frederick and he will be partner with Lex. Their mission this time is to ensure the security of Peng the Minister from China and disable one organisation Tenebris which been hired by cartel at entire of the world to do their dirty job. Some kind of assassin group and one of Lex team are the snake that leaking all the secret information to Tenebris and they have to look for it.
Who is the snake?
May 13, 2023
I know this is already late - I came across this book in 2023. But, let me share my thoughs:-
have yet to read the 1st one, but I randomly picked up this in a bookstore and I never regret it because THE STORY IS SO COOL. It has everything that you need to drive your emotion from beginning until the end.
The story is told from main character’s POV, Lex Tyle - an assassin, a mother and a wife. I like everything about the storyline, the plot-twist, the emotion with each character is just fantastic. 100% recommended!
have yet to read the 1st one, but I randomly picked up this in a bookstore and I never regret it because THE STORY IS SO COOL. It has everything that you need to drive your emotion from beginning until the end.
The story is told from main character’s POV, Lex Tyle - an assassin, a mother and a wife. I like everything about the storyline, the plot-twist, the emotion with each character is just fantastic. 100% recommended!
January 2, 2020
FWFTB: Assassin, mother, shooting, daughter, Montessori.
Liked: The humour juxtaposed with some great action pieces. The main character, Lex is great and I can imagine that this series is just going to get better and better.
Not so much: For me, the plotting was a little haphazard but did not detract from the overall reading experience.
Recommended- yes.
Liked: The humour juxtaposed with some great action pieces. The main character, Lex is great and I can imagine that this series is just going to get better and better.
Not so much: For me, the plotting was a little haphazard but did not detract from the overall reading experience.
Recommended- yes.
April 14, 2020
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This was just not for me.
I found the main character to be contradictory and the story to be far fetched.
This Could have been so much better if the author had decided whether it was a comedy or action.
In the end it was neither and was tedious reading to put it mildly.
This was just not for me.
I found the main character to be contradictory and the story to be far fetched.
This Could have been so much better if the author had decided whether it was a comedy or action.
In the end it was neither and was tedious reading to put it mildly.
July 6, 2020
In spite of it being totally implausible, it made me laugh and I loved the heroine's self-deprecating humour. As a grandma with a three-year old, I could identify with so much of the interaction between mother and Gigi, especially to do with the nursery. Very similar to her first book but because it was so funny, I appreciated it.
April 18, 2021
This is a Crackerjack of a novel, high-speed with a kick-ass heroine who’s a mum (a bit disorganised), a good friend (if a little too blinkered at times...) a poppet, an all round good guy and oh, yes, an Assassin, working for MI8 deep underground (literally, underground). This is the second novel in what, one hopes, will be a series of clever, fast-paced hilarious outings for Alexis Tyler. I just hope her choice of weapon doesn’t become too sophisticated; bad guys being brought down by the tools of infancy is a very funny trope. Enjoy; I know I did.
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