A Reluctant Spy

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 missing 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?

Right place. Right time. Wrong man.

Endorsements

'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' — The 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 twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' — Financial Times

'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' — The Sun

'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

'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' — I. S. Berry

'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