Spy Games

I have a confession to make: I’ve been binging on spy stories.

It started with Slow Horses, the first book in the Slough House series by Mick Herron. I was looking for something twisty but fun after months of heavy reading in the pandemic. The MI6 rejects of Slough House were exactly what I wanted. Zig-zag plots that move quickly with zippy language and characters as loveable as they are deplorable. Plus, I got to relive my London days through the book’s locations.

I followed that up with Killing Eve - the tv series, haven’t read the novellas yet. I loved the way each episode amped up the cat and mouse game between both women. I’ve been a Phoebe Waller-Bridge fan since Fleabag, but Killing Eve has confirmed it!

So, when it came time for a new story for Blue Sea Writers, I guess it was inevitable that my brain would turn to spies and assassins. The result was Sergei Is Not Russian, a tiny tale of intrigue. The story was partly inspired by a newspaper report that I read of ‘Igor the Russian’ - a fugitive on the run, wanted for murder in Italy and finally arrested in Spain.

The challenge for me was to write a story I knew nothing about, in the voice of a character I had no connection to and nothing in common with. It was a lot of fun to write. In a way, I wish I had more time with the story to take it further!

At the moment, I’m working on some new pieces that are more abstract. No more spies or assassins. It’s taking me a little longer to craft these stories. So, I’m not sure if they will be ready by my next post. But I will do my best!