In this Cold War thriller set in London, a showdown between America and Russia is imminent. Double agent Alexei Ivanov is the highest-ranking KGB officer ever to work for British intelligence. But now, he’s under surveillance, and his enemy is closing in. The head of MI5 orders top field officer Joyce Leader to protect Ivanov. But the threat against Ivanov’s life is not only from the KGB . . . it’s also coming from the ranks of British Intelligence. On the run, Ivanov and Leader must dodge both sides. No one is safe in this political thriller set during the Cold War. To Catch a Spy and Traitor is a suspense novel set around the Cuban Missile Crisis full of intrigue, action, and an unlikely partnership between two people fighting for their lives.
Biography Toby Oliver was born in London, and since 2007 moved to the countryside of West Sussex with his family in England. For many years he worked as an Administrator in Central London. His first novel Codename Nicolette is based upon the real-life secret work of MI5's Double Cross System, who was responsible for controlling turned Nazi agents based in Britain during World War II. His other works include Mission Lisbon - The Double Cross, Dead Man Walking - A Spy Amongst Us, and The Downing Street Plot - An Agent's Revenge. His latest book is Duty and Betrayal, a Cold War thriller set in the 1960s.
He decided to write books that he liked to read: and that was a mixture of crime and espionage stories, coupled with close family connections to the British Army, and his degree in politics, his books about WWI and the Cold War-era encompass all of the above. His latest novel To Catch A Spy And Traitor was published November 2020.
This is an accomplished spy thriller set in London in 1962. It has all the hallmarks of the realities of the Cold War when moles, double agents and deep planted sleepers were undermining the British Secret Service. It tells of a Soviet double agent run by MI5 who wants to defect and the fallout of this as the KGB set about ensuring he will not live out a peaceful retirement in the West. I liked the 60’s feel and general spy craft where links with war time agents seemed to prevail. The plot was robust and interesting as were the various tensions set in motion. The action scenes are well written with tense dialogue and a story that rarely falters. I enjoyed reading it but it never captured my imagination or captivated me into the pages of the book. I found I never really bought into any of the characters, although well drawn and distinct I never warmed to them or cared sufficiently about them. Unfortunately this plays down any tension and the reader should cate if some of the players make it to the end of the novel. I also found the writing a little clunky with padding to enhance location or development not really necessary as it doesn’t move the story on or bring clarity or empathy. That said I will read another title by this writer given his background and passion for this genre. I will be interested to see what others feel going forward as it is a book well worth reading.
‘To Catch a Spy and Traitor’ is a rousing thriller that takes the reader through the world of espionage, formation of alliances and government intelligence. Toby Oliver is remarkable in his art, knowing what details to add and how to capture the reader’s attention for long. The book starts simple, and as one reads more, the plot gets to be electrifying with the characters outperforming in their roles. I appreciate Toby Oliver’s characters in the book because each of them was distinct. No two characters had similar traits, both major and minor characters had something special about them that the reader loved. In ‘To Catch a Spy and Traitor’, we follow the story of Alexei Ivanov and his dealings. This Alexei guy is dangerous, but he can also come in handful when you need him to do something daring. Alexei works as the highest-ranking KGB officer for the British intelligence. The problem with Alexei despite all his skills is that he is a double agent. He is clever and easy to trust when you first interact with him. It is not long before Alexei and his associates are unmasked. Can one character survive the watchful eyes of two governments? Alexei becomes the person of interest as officials from two countries are after him. How Toby Oliver writes about Russian intelligence makes one feel like they are part of the operations in the book. One amazing thing about the author’s writing style is how he makes events appear real. The book is set in London and one gets the virtual impression of being part of the decisions made in London and other cities. Apart from the good diction, Toby Oliver deserves an honorable mention for the wonderful narration and execution of events. I enjoyed reading ‘To Catch a Spy and Traitor’ because the paragraphs in the book are clear when reading and easy to comprehend.
A good read“To Catch a Spy and Traitor” written by Toby Oliver Is a gripping and suspenseful thriller. The story follows Alexei Ivanov, a double agent. He is a high ranking officer in the Russian Secret Service, the KGB, while also working for the British Intelligence Agency. He is being hunted and threatened by both organizations. Is he going to be caught? This is the question that hooked my attention from the first pages and took hold of me to the point I couldn’t stop reading this great book until I finished it.
This story will transport the reader to a different time filled with complexities and controversies of the cold war and the conflicts between the US and Great Britain. I particularly like historical novels and what I can notice every time I read such books is that I learn a lot about our history and our society. This certainly happened to me while reading this one.
While reading this book I was instantly immersed into a universe filled with mystery and espionage.
A realm where nothing is what it seems. These very complex topics and events are skilfully and clearly portrayed in the plot. I think this shows the thorough research done by the author.
The novel is excellently written, it is divided in well-thought chapters and presents a simple and straightforward style. The conjunction of these characteristics makes it very easy to read and extremely compelling. Toby Oliver’s writing is witty and clever. This narrative device gives the story a flow that smoothly guides the reader to a surprise ending, in spite of the fact that the book is packed with action and suspense.
The descriptions of settings and ocurrencies are detailed as well as the development of realistic and convincing characters.
Undoubtedly, this is a book to read over and over again. I recommend it.
To Catch a Spy and Traitor is a political thriller that will knock anyone’s socks off. Despite being fiction, the author has done his research and it shows through this story.
Toby Oliver tells the story of double agent Alexei Ivanoi, who works for the British Intelligence. Ivanoi’s life is on thin ice since both Russians and the British Intelligence are after him. The hair raising adventures the main character embarks on are epic.
The story is set in London during 1962, a year that witnessed watershed events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Written in the third person, the author describes each character’s feelings and actions in detail that it gives the reader the chance to connect with them.
The plot is both gripping and convincing from the very first page. Oliver is giving readers the chance to engage in a page-turning piece of writing that will take its readership to the Cold War and will teach them about life during those perilous years.
Although the language used is clear, it might take one or two weeks to finish this piece since readers should carefully follow the plot so as not to miss any important information. This work of art will make you travel in time and experience life during the long, tough years of the war.
This is an enjoyable read that will captivate you and will make you want to learn more about the Cold War. It is certainly at the top of my list of suspense historical books.
Amazing and enjoyable book! Considering this was written to be set during the Cold War I was afraid I'd have to deal with untranslated Russian expressions or many professional language from the spy field, but I had a very pleasently reading experience. There was almost no trace of romance and had it stayed that way, the book would have been a five star read for me. But there was a romance dwelling up and I was really not in the mood for reading a romance. Luckily, it was rather light compared to what could have possibly been, so I am just cutting half a star.
Rating: 4.5
I received a free ARC by Netgalley for an honest review.
I was impressed by Oliver's writing style and the pace of the storyline. The realism of 1960's London at the height the Cold War period made for an intriguing read. Highly recommended to all those who enjoy suspense thrillers.
It was a surprise to find a spy book from the 60’s as fun to read as it was. It’s got all the intrigue and characters that are real and believable. I will read some others by this author.
Toby Oliver's suspense novel To Catch a Spy and Traitor is a thrilling tale set in London. Following the death of Bradley, the plot unfolds a series of events in the life of a Soviet double agent. Scared for his life, a high ranking KGB officer, Alexei Ivanov, frantically calls his handler, Bradley, looking for help. His call is picked by the head of MI5, Spencer. The conversation leads to a journey where no one can be trusted, no one is safe. Ivanov, whose cover is now blown, is fighting looming death from KGB. Spencer, the head of the British Internal Arm of the Service, MI5, appoints top field officer Joyce Leader to protect Ivanov. But the threat to the agent's life is not only from the Soviet intelligence agency, KGB . . . but also from an unknown mole in British intelligence. They team together and are on the run with someone following their trail. Oliver creates a tense atmosphere and surprises the reader with twists and turns. It has all the hallmarks of spy thrillers, international espionage, a hot blonde, a murder, a game of cat and mouse. It is rare for a reader to know the workings of top intelligence agencies; we can only believe what we are served. Since Oliver is an experienced government administrator who worked in London, his book is more realistic. Since I enjoy the development of the relationship between characters, I missed this factor in the book; the characters in this book cannot attract the warmth of the reader, which is the strength of any work of fiction. I was hardly affected by the deaths and danger in the book. Exclusive of this fact, the book keeps you hooked and engaged. Unfortunately, the journey of principal figures never becomes your journey despite its exceptional storytelling. In the setup, this book replicates the other books by Toby Oliver, such as Dead Man Walking: A Spy Among Us, The Downing Street Plot: An Agents Revenge, and Code Name Nicolette, but the writer is an expert in espionage suspense thrillers, so far so good. The dark feel of the thrilling adventure keeps you intrigued. I am giving To Catch a Spy and Traitor by Toby Oliver 4 stars out of 5. With captivating writing and nonstop thrills, the book keeps you interested in its story. I will recommend it to anyone who loves espionage and the cold war between Russia, America, Britain, and Germany. The book is both well crafted and deeply researched, an enjoyable read for anyone interested in crime thrillers.
Title – To Catch a Spy and Traitor Author – Toby Oliver Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller Word Count - 68,000 Rating - Four stars out of Five No.45A - 2020 Posted 12/12/2020
Main Characters: Joyce Leader – M15 intelligence agent. Alexei Ivanov – Russian KGB double agent. Sir Spencer Hall – Director General of M15 Intelligence.
The story is set in 1962 as British spy masters struggle with Soviet double agents in their ranks. So much so that it is rightly called Londongrad. Alexei is a Russian KGB officer working with British M15 intelligence. When his British government handler is assassinated, the M15 Director General, Sir Spenser Hall, has to deal with a spy in his intelligence organization who outed Alexei’s direct contact. Joyce Leader is a senior British spy and is in love with Spenser Hall. As a Russian Assassin squad targets Alexei, the action ratchets up until the high ranking traitor is caught and dealt with by Joyce.
The action scenes are vague and bland and lack credibility.
The editing and sentence structure are subpar and need professional help. Character Development is good for the main characters. Details and research are adequate to carry the plot. The plot is interesting but lacks depth.
If you have £2.5M to spare you may fancy buying Bridges Court, once the country home of former British spymaster, Sir Stewart Menzies.
Or perhaps you prefer reading about the criminal exploits of a more junior MI6 agent with a ‘licence to kill’ or even the glowing obituaries to spy turned premier espionage writer, John le Carré, who died just as Israel nominated its next Mossad chief and even as traitorous former US naval intelligence agent Jonathan Pollard prepared for a hero’s welcome on Israeli soil.
All this was happening while I read To Catch a Spy and Traitor, the latest novel by popular UK indie author, Toby Oliver, a former civil servant with a degree in politics and a slew of similar stories under his belt.
As a Cold War thriller, this tale shows a painstaking attention to the details of period firearms, motor vehicles and light aircraft. There is also a vivid description of a 1960s-style ‘safe room’ so Oliver may be interested to know that sleeker, modern versions have been a requisite of new built Israeli homes following the 1991 Gulf War.
That aside, I recommend Oliver decides whether he intended to produce an Ian Fleming-style glitz’n’glamour thriller or a serious, political drama. This story – which needs stern editing and proof-reading – falls between the twin genres - often reads like a black comedy and ends with less of a bang than a whimper.
Alexei Ivanov knows the KGB net is rapidly closing round him and that if he doesn't defect within the next few weeks, he will be killed. The world-weary Ivanov is the highest-ranking KGB officer to become a double-agent working for the British Security Service. Unbeknown to Ivanov, his desperate call to British Intelligence to activate his defection and escape plan also coincides with the murder of his MI5 handler. With a man down, the head of the Service, Sir Spencer Hall, orders one of his top officers, Joyce Leader, to head-up a tight-knit team to protect their prized Soviet agent. However, it soon becomes apparent he's also facing enemies within British Intelligence itself. Its been a while since I read one of Oliver's books, but his latest novel is certainly well worth diving into.
As a reviewer NetGalley has given me the opportunity to read genres which are outside my comfort zone. Spy thrillers are one such category.
A complex spy thriller at the time of the Cold War. Initially I found myself confused and had to concentrate, rather than sitting back and enjoying the ride. The further I read everything became clearer although I still wasn’t sure where this novel was going, until the end! Well written, fast paced and with a most satisfactory ending. Contains a lot of factual material, which supports the storyline, and makes it authentic and suspenseful.
Set in London, America goes head-to-head with Russia. There is no safety and security during the Cold War. International undercover activities, as well as the internal mechanisms of the intelligence societies, collide.
The highest-ranking KGB general is Double agent Ivanov at work for British intelligence. The British Intelligence, as well as the KGB, have threatened the life of Ivanov. At large, Ivanov and Front-runner must escape from both sides.
Spellbinding and suspenseful from the getgo. ‘To Catch A Spy And Traitor’ is thought-provoking, well perceived and wisely executed.
Are you a fan of Cold War espionage intrigue? If so, you'll love this book because everything you miss about the genre is here. Set in the UK in 1962, all of the alphabet intelligence services are in play; MI5, MI6, KGB, CIA, and even the Stasi make an appearance. There are moles and defectors with roots going back to WW II as well as the diplomatic dance that each side knows. This was well-paced with historical facts woven into the background...such a great read!
Set in 1960s London, this espionage tome takes the reader on a thrilling cat and mouse chase in which a British agent must stay one step ahead of the Russians and keep her double agent alive.
Short chapters keep the narrative flowing as the focus is mainly on chase itself and the agents rather than all the preamble that usually proceeds such affairs. This is action driven and whilst character development is minimal, it works! Without all the 21st century technology, this will definitely take the reader back to a time when street smarts were used to prevail against an all too human enemy.