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A Reluctant Spy

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A Reluctant Spy

By: David Goodman
Narrated by: Norman Bowman
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About this listen

 RIGHT PLACE. RIGHT TIME. WRONG MAN.

'Engrossing...ingenious...Goodman combines traditional elements - the nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré - with the topicality of 2020s technology and the threat from Russia' SUNDAY TIMES, THRILLERS OF THE MONTH
'A propulsive, intelligent, ripped-from-the-headlines spy novel that's guaranteed to cost you hours of sleep. Highly recommended'DAVID McCLOSKEY
'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' THE SUN
'A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' I.S. BERRY

Jamie Tulloch is a successful exec at a top tech company, a long way from the tough upbringing that drove him to rise so far and so quickly.

But he has a secret...since the age of 23, he's had a helping hand from the Legend Programme, a secret intelligence effort to prepare impenetrable backstories for undercover agents. Real people, living real lives, willing to hand over their identities for a few weeks in return for a helping hand with plum jobs, influence and access.

When his tap on the shoulder finally comes, it's swiftly followed by the thud of a body. Arriving at a French airport ready to hand over his identity, Jamie finds his primary contact dead, the agent who's supposed to step into his life AWOL and his options for escape non-existent.

Pitched into a deadly mission on hostile territory, Jamie must contend with a rogue Russian general, arms dealers, elite hackers, CIA tac-ops and the discovery of a brewing plan for war. Dangerously out of his depth, he must convince his sceptical mission handler he can do the job of a trained field agent while using his own life story as convincing cover.

Can Jamie play himself well enough to avoid being killed - and to avert a lethal global conflict?

'In the very top tier of espionage fiction' M. W. CRAVEN
'An excellent debut with terrific pace...will grip you to the end' JAMES SWALLOW
'I was on the edge of my seat the whole time' ANTONY JOHNSTON
'A rip-roaring page-turning keep-you-up-all-night thriller' NICHOLAS BINGE, author of ASCENSION
'Smart, riveting, and eerily prescient' SUNYI DEAN, Sunday Times Bestselling author of THE BOOK EATERS
'A pulse-pounding, twisting thrill-a-minute read that Slow Horses fans are going to absolutely love' ADAM SIMCOX©2024 David Goodman (P)2024 Headline Publishing Group Limited Espionage Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Exciting

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All stars
Most relevant  
A really enjoyable and modern spy novel. The characterisation is good, the plot is exciting and the narrator brings the story to life. I can’t wait for the next book!

A great debut spy novel

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Loved the entire thing, just couldn’t stop listening, the short chapters just keeps you hooked.

Unputdownable

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An excellent espionage thriller. David builds tension with care and keeps surprising the reader. Most espionage thrillers are short on good characterisation but this novel does not disappoint. The plot does run several locations simultaneously, but I feel this works well. Two other stand-out pleasures were the attention to detail with modern technology and the occasional injections of Scottish humour. The narrator has (thank goodness) a genuine Scottish accent which helps emphasise this and adds tremendously to the reader’s enjoyment. I hope we’re going to get more from David!

Twisty, convincing plot, good characterisation - unmissable!

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The plot gripped me from page one. The pace was unrelenting. Liked the orientation at the beginning of each chapter. The characters were well developed and believable. I loved Tulloch and was pretty pee’d off by Garnet.
The author has obviously have put in a great deal of research into ops and black ops. The plot was very current.
I used to read Desmond Bagley, Alistair MacLean, Robert Ludlum and Le Carré. Goodman is up there with them. As good as Freddie Forsyth’s Jackal for tension.
I could not switch it off, can’t wait for the follow up.

Brilliant.

Gripping from the first chapter

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Goodman’s debut novel is nothing short of spectacular. It’s the perfect crescendo of suspense, action, and intrigue, all meticulously paced to draw the reader in from the first page to the last. The characters are fully fleshed out, with just the right amount of depth and development, which allows you to become invested in their journey.

What I particularly loved was the seamless integration of advanced technology with military and spy tactics. Goodman’s in-depth knowledge of these fields truly shines, making the story not only thrilling but also highly believable. The attention to detail elevates the book beyond a typical thriller, making it feel as though you’re on the edge of your seat, experiencing every twist and turn alongside the characters.

I couldn’t put it down! This debut has me eagerly anticipating Goodman’s next release. If this is only the beginning, I can’t wait to see what exciting things are to come.

Eagerly anticipating Goodman's next release

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Great story engaging throughout. Good spy story if you’re looking for that. Nice twist to it.

Action packed

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I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I searched for a spy story and picked this one at random. There are several sequences which had me truly worried for the characters ! There are a couple of masterful set pieces which had me gripped, and the story as a whole had that subtle mix of believable and suspension of disbelief, off pat

Very good

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I listen to a lot of spy novels. They are increasingly hard to find and good ones even harder. This is excellent - a great idea well thought out and executed. The Scottish twang to some of the accents is funny sometimes but overall a great performance. Can’t wait for the next one

Quality modern spy story

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Great story, plot, charactera and narration. kept me interested all the way through. would definitely recommend.

brilliant

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An intriguing and moreish story with brilliant characters, ending in a perfect culmination that leaves you wanting more.

5 star debut

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