"From the beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series comes a new short story collection: half spy stories, half tales of revenge, all highlight the kinder, funnier, and gentler side of espionage and retribution. In this dual collection of short stories, Alexander McCall Smith brings his trademark humor and warmth to inventive tales of spying and vengeance. In one story, a spy dropped deep into enemy territory manages to disguise himself--quite...

"Targeted by a hitman and under threat of his past being exposed by the media, Alex reluctantly turns to MI6. But their help doesn't come cheap: they need Alex to spy on the activities at a GM crop plant. There he spots Desmond McCain, a high profile charity organiser, who realises that Alex is on to him and the real plans for the money he's raising. Kidnapped and whisked off to Africa, Alex learns the full horror of McCain's plot: to create an epic...

In Israel during the Yom Kippur War, a Soviet MiG fighter plane unexpectedly lands, catching the attention of NASA flight controller Kaz Zemeckis. Unbeknownst to him, the arrival of the plane sets off a dangerous chain of events involving spies, lies, and Cold War secrets. The Soviet pilot onboard offers invaluable information about the legendary MiG-25 "Foxbat" fighter plane. Kaz must navigate the risks and trustworthiness of the defector as he accompanies...

"Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she's living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement. But when a body turns up in Maggie's driveway, she knows it's a message from former foes who haven't forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends--all retirees from...

Provides in-depth analysis of the life, works, career, and critical importance of John le Carre.

"1995: In the wake of the Rwandan genocide, 24-year-old spy Lachlan Kite and his girlfriend Martha Raine are sent to Senegal on the trail of a hunted war criminal. The mission threatens to spiral out of control, forcing Kite to make choices which will have devastating consequences not only for his career at top-secret intelligence agency Box 88, but also for his relationship with Martha. 2023: Eric Appiah, an old friend from Kite's days at school...

Waking up in Paris with no memory of who she is, a young woman discovers that she is the identical twin of a rogue spy and, to stay alive, must team up with a very grouchy, very sexy, very secret agent to unravel a deadly conspiracy and clear her sister's name.

"For a century, the Panama Canal has served as the path between the seas. Control of this vital waterway is the difference between free trade and chaos in world markets. So when Panamanian President Rafael Botero asks for a show of support against the socialist opposition, his old friend President Jack Ryan can't turn down an invitation to visit the country, but what seems like an ordinary opportunity to preach the values of democracy quickly turns...