Foreign Country, A

Description: Perfect for fans of John le Carre, a gripping and suspenseful spy thriller from 'the master of the modern spy thriller' (Mail on Sunday) Six weeks before she is due to take up her position as the first female head of MI6, Amelia Levene vanishes without a trace. Her disappearance is the gravest crisis MI6 has faced for more than a decade. There has been no ransom demand, no word from foreign intelligence services, no hint of a defection. Should news of Levene's disappearance leak out, the consequences would be catastrophic. But for disgraced MI6 officer Thomas Kell, the crisis offers a chance for redemption. He is approached by his former employers and ordered to find her. Kell's search takes him first to France, then North Africa, where he discovers an extraordinary secret hidden deep in Levene's past. It is a secret that could fatally compromise Britain's national security - and for which Kell could pay with his life. This is another first-rate intelligent thriller which will cement Cumming's reputation as one of the most engaging British novelists writing today.

Review: 'The spook tradecraft is unerringly accurate ! We are in Smiley country, but with extra 21st century nuance ! Cumming has an exquisite touch and we should treasure him' Daily Mail 'A rollercoaster of a ride ! Bang up-to-date and well-written spy thriller' The Sun 'Powerful ****' Mirror 'Don't start this novel close to bedtime: you are likely to be up for most of the night to find out how it ends. It grips the reader's attention from the first page, and there is no skipping paragraphs. Every word matters ! It is all eminently plausible ! A fast-moving treat' The Scotsman 'Refreshing, plausible and effective ! Best of all is the sheer pace of the narrative ! This book is perfect travel reading because, once you've started it, it's not easy to put it down' The Spectator Praise for Charles Cumming: 'From the first page to the last it has the ring of absolute authenticity. Tautly written, cleverly plotted!it reminded me strongly of the early books of John le Carre' Robert Harris

Author Biography: Charles Cumming was born in Scotland in 1971. He was educated at Eton and graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1994 with First Class Honours in English Literature. In the summer of 1995, Charles was approached for recruitment by the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). A year later he moved to Montreal where he began working on a novel based on his experiences with MI6. A Spy By Nature was published in the UK in 2001. This is his sixth novel.