UK Book Club discussion

Where did May go??? So, in a couple of days it will be June and the genre will be Spy / Espionage. It could be fiction or non fiction, it's entirely up to you.

I have a soft spot for spy stories and last time I read the excellent A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal and Journey Into Fear. I also love John Le Carre's Smiley series and classic Graham Greene.

This time around I will be trying Night Soldiers by Alan Furst which will also finally get me Bulgaria for my round the world challenge!

What are your recommendations and what will you be reading?

interestingly I've never read this genre, but I'll give it a go. Planning to read The Alice Network, by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network

I normally fall back on a trusty 007 for this genre but I came across a small book while on holiday recently and snapped it up:
Spies, Lies & Books. It says on the back "West Country spies including Guy Burgess, John le Carre and 'M', famous writers suspected of spying and thrown out of their holiday homes including Wordsworth, Coleridge, DH Lawrence and Henry Williamson and fraudsters who used much the same tricks as spies..." sounds intriguing!

Sounds good, Kate!

Nikks, The Alice Network is brilliant - I gave it 5 stars. You will have to let me know what you think of it!

Thoroughly agree. 5 stars for Alice Network!!!

Might I suggest 'The Summer of 66' and 'The Summer of 75' - British espionage. Both free as an eBook.

I've just finished the latest James Bond novel, A Mind To Kill. It's not a genre I'd normally consider but gave it a go as it's written by Anthony Horowitz. I would highly recommend it and is perfect for this challenge.

That's a good shout Dave. I hadn't considered that as an option. I read Devil May Care last year which was also a Bond update and was Ok. I just struggle that its not written by Ian Fleming and wonder what he would make of his hero's further adventures.

I've just started my spy novel: Night Soldiers - good so far. It starts in Bulgaria in 1934...I might just get another country for my round the world :)

I listened to The Secret Agent. It was well read, but I didn’t really get on with the story. This may be no fault of Conrad’s - this is not a genre I particularly enjoy. I am intrigued by The Alice Network after your recommendations!

I wasn't wowed by 'The Secret Agent' either, Helen. I think I expected more as it's heralded as being the first spy novel. 'Heart of Darkness' is much better.

Helen wrote: "I listened to The Secret Agent. It was well read, but I didn’t really get on with the story. This may be no fault of Conrad’s - this is not a genre I particularly enjoy. I am intrigued..."

Definitely read it Helen - you won't regret it ;-)

I just finished Spies, Lies & Books which was a quick (48 page) read. It had some interesting anecdotes and linked some well known authors to the spy world. Some surprising, some not so.

I’ve finally settled on Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn and will do my best to squeeze it in by the end of the month.

Finished Transfer of Power, which was more in the line of a men’s adventure novel with politics and undercover operatives than strictly speaking a spy novel. Pretty awful, reviewed here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

I really enjoyed Night Soldiers: great sense of time & place and excellent characters. Unfortunately, it only spent the first and last chapters in Bulgaria, so I don't think I can use it for the around the world challenge. Anyone else got a good suggestion for Bulgaria?