Alias Emma by Ava Glass

ALIAS EMMA by Ava Glass is an exciting British spy story and an Amazon Best Book of August 2022. Glass’s debut work with this pseudonym deserves the many accolades she has received (author Lisa Gardner: “Totally addictive … Once you start reading, you won’t stop.”). There are chase scenes, cliffhangers, and twists similar to Michael Herron’s Slow Horses (on Apple+) or the Australian TV show Wanted (on Netflix). The main character, who uses the name Emma Makepeace, is a young secret agent tasked with her first real mission: get Michael Primalov, the adult son of Russian dissidents, safely across London. There are a few complicating issues, though, especially since Russian spies with full access to London’s many CCTVs are after them. Emma has been mentored by Charles Ripley who taught her “There are three things that will keep you alive in this business … One: Paranoia will protect you. Two: What you don’t know will kill you. Three: You must always have an escape plan.” Emma and Michael need all that and more as they travel mainly on foot and at night from one side of London and across the Thames to MI6’s offices. It’s a harrowing chase: disguises abound and quick thinking is essential (“No calls. No tech. Move fast. Stay dark.”). ALIAS EMMA received starred reviews from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. Highly recommended; read the beginning excerpt here.