Podcast: Reviews of RED SPARROW and THE KREMLIN'S CANDIDATE

I've participated in another episode of Shane Whaley's excellent spy-themed podcast Spybrary, one that went live last week. (We recorded it in the spring, shortly after the release of the Red Sparrow film.) In it, Spy Write blogger Jeff Quest and I discuss Jason Matthews' Red Sparrow trilogy, and the Jennifer Lawrence film adaptation. Matthews' Red Sparrow is one of my favorite spy novels of this century, but my feelings about the sequels are more complex, as are Jeff's. Listen to the podcast to hear them!

Also be sure to check out all the previous episodes of Spybrary that I've been on:

Episode 6: John le Carré's Call for the Dead
Episode 18: John le Carré's A Legacy of Spies
Episode 19: Desmond Bagley's Running Blind
Episode 49: Donald Hamilton's The Interlopers

From those links, you'll find all episodes available on iTunes, Google Play, and all your favorite Podcast listening apps. You can also download them. And if you really like Spybrary, consider backing it on Patreon!

Discussing A LEGACY OF SPIES on the Spybrary Podcast

On the latest episode of the Spybrary Podcast, I join host Shane Whaley and Spywrite's Jeff Quest to discuss John le Carré's brand new Smiley novel, A Legacy of Spies. At the beginning of the summer, Shane and I discussed the first Smiley novel, Call for the Dead, so it feels appropriate to end the summer discussing the latest one! Furthermore, Jeff and I have been trying to do a podcast together for a few years now, so I'm really happy that Shane finally made that happen. I will be posting a full review here of A Legacy of Spies later, but in the meantime, listen to the podcast to hear my feelings on the book.

Listen to Episode 18 of The Spybrary Podcast (A Legacy of Spies) here, or subscribe on iTunes.

Listen to Episode 006 of The Spybrary Podcast (Call for the Dead) here,

Read "George Smiley: An Introduction" here.

Purchase A Legacy of Spies on Amazon.

Talking le Carré on the Spybrary Podcast

I'm a guest on the latest episode of the Spybrary Podcast, where host Shane Whaley and I discuss John le Carré's debut novel, Call for the Dead. Call for the Dead was also the debut of one of the greatest characters in spy fiction, George Smiley, whose more famous outings include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. We also touch on the 1966 film version, The Deadly Affair, which was adapted by Paul Dehn in the same remarkable three-year period in which he also penned Goldfinger and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. It was a pleasure talking spy fiction with Shane, and I hope to do so again in the future.

Listen to Episode 006 of The Spybrary Podcast here, or subscribe on iTunes.

Read "George Smiley: An Introduction" here.
Read my review of Call for the Dead here.
Read my review of The Deadly Affair here.

Purchase Call for the Dead on Amazon.
Purchase The Deadly Affair on Amazon.