• The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy

  • The Irregular, Book 1
  • By: H. B. Lyle
  • Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
  • Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (30 ratings)

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The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy  By  cover art

The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy

By: H. B. Lyle
Narrated by: Gareth Armstrong
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Editorial reviews

"A thrilling story of espionage, murder and the creation of the Secret Service." (Charles Cumming, author of A Colder War)
"H.B. Lyle has found the golden thread between Bond and Holmes in a thriller which engages on every page." (Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland)
"A fine first entry in what promises to be a great new series. Wiggins is a captivating hero, and Lyle draws his Edwardian backstreets in convincing colour. The game is most definitely afoot." (Mick Herron)

Publisher's summary

As a boy, he spied for Sherlock Holmes. As a man, he must save the empire.

London, 1909: the British Empire seems invulnerable. But Captain Vernon Kell, head of counterintelligence at the War Office, knows better.

In Russia, revolution; in Germany, an arms race; in London, the streets are alive with foreign terrorists. Kell wants to set up a Secret Service, but to convince his political masters, he needs proof of a threat - and to find that, he needs an agent he can trust. The playing fields of Eton may produce good officers but not men who can work undercover in a munitions factory that appears to be leaking secrets to the Germans. Kell needs Wiggins.

Trained as a child by Kell's old friend Sherlock Holmes - he led a gang of urchin investigators known as the Baker Street Irregulars - Wiggins is an ex-soldier with an expert line in deduction and the cunning of a born street fighter. 'The best,' says Holmes. Wiggins turns down the job - he 'don't do official'. But when his best friend is killed by Russian anarchists, Wiggins sees that the role of secret agent could take him towards his sworn revenge.

Tracking the Russian gang, Wiggins meets a mysterious beauty called Bela, who saves his life. Working for Kell, he begins to unravel a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the munitions factory.

Fast paced, action packed, full of twists and violent, sometimes poignant shocks, The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy marks the arrival of a brilliant new writer.

©2017 H. B. Lyle (P)2017 Hodder & Stoughton

What listeners say about The Irregular: A Different Class of Spy

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So much fun!

Easy and fun listening experience. Looking forward to book 2 and further adventures of Wiggins and Kell.

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2 people found this helpful

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Wonderful story

Fresh take. Good narrator. Quite enjoyable. Really wonderful and refreshing addition to both the mystery genre and also a new view of Sherlock Holmes.

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captivating!

The characters are well developed and the method and skill used to incorporate Wiggins' past and present is seamlessly and expertly written. This ingenious story is perfectly accented and delivered by the narrator and I will look for more works by both author and narrator.

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Dashing & Inventive!

I want the world of Sherlock Holmes to live on forever. This new series brings my wish to life. Huzzah!

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