A Spy by Nature, Charles Cumming
A Spy by Nature, Charles Cumming
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A Spy by Nature
A Novel

Author: Charles Cumming

Narrator: Simon Vance

Unabridged: 11 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/28/2007


Synopsis

This is what they told me a long time ago.

Only make contact in the event of an emergency.

Only telephone if you believe that your position has been fatally compromised.

Under no circumstances are you to approach us unless it is absolutely necessary in order to
preserve the security of the operation.

This is the number.

Alec Milius is young, smart, and ambitious. He also has a talent for deception. He is working in a dead-end job when a chance encounter leads him to MI6, the elite British Secret Intelligence Service, handing him an opportunity to play center stage in a dangerous game of espionage.

In his new line of work, Alec finds that the difference between the truth and a lie can mean the difference between life and death—and he is having trouble telling them apart. Isolated and exposed, he must play a role in which the slightest glance or casual remark can seem heavy with unintended menace. Caught between British and American Intelligence, Alec finds himself threatened and alone, unable to confide in even his closest friend. His life as a spy begins to exact a terrible price, both on himself and on those around him.

Richly atmospheric and chillingly plausible, A Spy by Nature announces the arrival of British author Charles Cumming as heir apparent to masters like John le Carré and Len Deighton. A bestseller in England, it's the gripping story of a young man driven by ruthless ambition who finds himself chasing not just success but survival.

About Charles Cumming

Charles Cumming is a British writer of spy fiction. He was educated at Eton College (1985-1989) and the University of Edinburgh (1990-1994), where he graduated with 1st Class Honors in English Literature. He's been described as "the best of the new generation of British spy writers who are taking over where John le Carre and Len Deighton left off."


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mal

A Spy by Nature, Charles Cumming’s first novel, is the semi-autobiographical precursor several subsequent espionage stories that have caught the attention of reviewers and the reading public alike. The Trinity Six, the most recent, was a deft and ingenious reimagining of the familiar story of the fi......more

Goodreads review by Michael

I had mixed feelings about this novel as I found it difficult to read quickly. I just couldn't get into a rhythm with the story. The characters were OK. The plot was OK. But the language was..something. Eloquent? Beautiful? Not sure what the correct word is to describe it. After a few chapters, afte......more