Spy Games

By: Adam Brookes

Narrated by: Richard Coyle

In a world of lies, one man wants the truth.

Journalist Philip Mangan is trying to stay out of trouble in East Africa, his reputation and his life in tatters. But when he is caught in a terrorist attack in East Africa and a shadowy Chinese figure approaches him in the dead of night with information on the origins of the attack, Mangan is suddenly back in the eye of the storm.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away on a humid Hong Kong night, a key British Intelligence source is murdered minutes after meeting spy Trish Patterson. From Washington, D.C. to the hallowed halls of Oxford University and dusty African streets, a sinister power is stirring, one which will use Mangan and Patterson as pawns -- if they survive.

Deeply steeped in tension and paranoia, Adam Brookes's second novel is a remarkable, groundbreaking spy thriller.

Critic reviews

"The must-read thriller of the year."—NPR Books on Night Heron

"One of the best and most compulsively readable spy-fiction debuts in years."—Kirkus on Night Heron

"The pace is frenetic and Brookes does a wonderful job with both the high-tech world of cyber intelligence and survival on Beijing's gritty. smog-smothered streets. Highly recommended."—The Bookseller on Night Heron

Night Heron is a fascinating portrait of the dangerous complexities of spying in a restricted country, the competing agendas driving international intelligence, and China's startlingly varied social realities.A must-read for fans of espionage and smart global fiction in general.—Booklist (starred review) on Night Heron

"Night Heron is a wonderfully cinematic novel -- I felt myself visually transported into every scene, watching the action unfold -- that also immersed me in the sounds and smells and feel of China, all the while telling a rich, complex espionage story. A remarkable accomplishment."—Chris Pavone, author of international bestseller The Expats on Night Heron

"Fans of the international espionage genre will inhale this fast tale in a few suspenseful breaths."—Library Journal on Night Heron

"Outstanding fiction debut... Brookes [is] a thriller writer to watch."—Publishers Weekly on Night Heron

The Modern Spy Novel

If you could sum up Spy Games in three words, what would they be?

Globally connected thriller.

What other book might you compare Spy Games to and why?

Of course, Spy Games can be compared to the first novel in this series, Night Heron, and serves as an excellent follow up. While Spy Games can be taken in on its own, I would highly recommend those interested in exploring this book to begin with the first installment as they do build on each other.

Any additional comments?

I've been a reader of old-school spy thrillers for a long while, but have found that over the last decade (at least) the classic approaches have really lost their luster, clinging to cold war dynamics. Adam Brookes brings a more contemporary, global, perspective to his work by weaving characters together not only in multiple countries, but through drawing on themes that touch on modern espionage, international industry, and related struggles with inequality. It's particularly notable that within this genre Brookes is one of the few to include rich involvement of characters and story lines that bring China into the fold - and in a rather informed way, to boot!
My one issue is that his books (and Spy Games in particular) remain rather short, which make the introduction of such abundant subjects and characters somewhat thin. That being said, it allows for a quick (and fast paced) listen. I look forward to new installments and would recommend Spy Games particularly to those who have read/listened to Night Heron.

Dirty Game of Spy-craft

Second book in series. Tells a lot about the spy world as it is not as we wish it could be. Tells a lot about the China few know or realize. Will look forward to future books by Mr. Brookes.