The second novel of this series follows on from the shock ending of the first novel. There is a new mission for protagonist Kate as she now has to establish if the new prime minister is a Russian mole. The journey in this sequel is very much a repeat of the first with some new characters thrown in for good measure. The story is very slow burning but as le Carre did the slow-burn spy yarn so well, Bradby seems to sometimes lose his way with the plot and steers Kate in the direction he has seen best fit the situation. Another major difference from those classics from the old literary spymaster is that the ending is somewhat a damp squib, obviously paving the way for a third novel in the series. I hope that the next book is a bit more pacy.

Big props to a female agent that is trying to juggle work, clownish husband, and unruly teens and trying not to get killed in the mix. The character development is a little thin and Kate comes across and bland and neurotic, which is somewhat relatable, but not terribly exciting. A (too) Slow build leads to an intriguing third act, which overcomes the repetitive mentions of insomnia (shouldn't she put her wakefulness to good use and do some work instead of complaining about how she can't get to sleep). I'm intrigued and look forward to the next installment.

I received the free ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for honest review.

I have not read the first book in the series , but I still enjoyed this book. The book is fast paced and characters are well written.
This is the spy thriller where main character Kate who leads MI6 Russia relation is shown proof that British PM is a spy for Russians. In exchange, the high ranking officer of SVR wants asylum in UK and wants their account unfrozen.

To complicate things , Kate has 2 teenage kids who are going through the emotions as they can not meet their father regularly. Kate's husband Stuart (code named Viper) was proven a traitor and spy for Russians in the previous book and lives in Russia. Kate has to deal with her sick mother with whom she does not shares the great relationship . Kate has to hire a new assistant whom she does not trust as her old assistant was murdered in the previous book.

Someone is working again Kate in MI6 and she needs to find out who that person is.
The ending is not conclusive and that is disappointing for me but that means there will be another book in the series hopefully where there will be closure for Kate.

Following on from the first book in this series, Kate finds herself in the thick of things once again. Previous events mean that not only is her professional life difficult but her personal life is in a bit of a mess.

This story has Kate questioning her instincts so much, and not all of her decisions are the right ones.

I am really enjoying reading more about Kate and can’t wait to see what comes next.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy.

I had seen a separate review recommending reading the first book "Secret Service" in the series, and I'm glad that I did. Whilst this book does touch on elements from the first book, if I had been reading this book first there is a chance I would have become annoyed at not knowing why certain elements were talked about or actions taken.

It's great to read a modern day spy thriller, that doesn't need to be set in the past and the Cold War like a lot of spy thrillers tend to do. It had some interesting facts or details about the areas that the novel is set, and deals with major story points well without dragging them out too long.

If you like a good spy thriller, this is a great book to try, but would also recommend reading the first book to give some more background to characters and their actions.

This was a free ARC received from NetGalley in return for an honest review

This is a brilliant spy novel with an outstanding protagonist.

Britain's MI6 honcho Kate Henderson takes her teenage children to Venice to visit their self-confessed Russian spy father Simon. He now lives in exile in Moscow. While there she is lured away to meet with a Russian spymaster who presents an almost too good to be true offer. He is on the losing side of a power struggle in the Russian intelligence apparatus, facing imminent arrest or worse. His offer to Kate: he (and his family) will defect to Britain with conclusive evidence that the current British prime minister is a Russian mole. They want safe sanctuary in return.

This is an excellent sequel to the author's "Secret Service" which introduces Kate and spins the backstory to this one. It's a slick and brisk spy yarn story: full of red herrings and blind alleys. There's an undercurrent of infighting at the top of the British government and within MI6. Kate's ambitious boss is desperate for the top job at MI6 as the current head faces his wife's terminal illness. All of this has Kate travelling incognito into Russia in order to confirm the Russian's story. Kate dominates the story as she deals with the Russian defection. At the same time, she faces family problems of her own: her dementia-challenged mother and her teenaged children cut adrift by the loss of their father. Her own sanity is under stress attack by too little sleep due to insomnia. The suspense is intense as the story peters out to an oddly abrupt ending following an explosive denouement. It leaves this reader wondering whether there will be a follow-up. I hope so.

I received a complementary advanced reading copy of the eBook for review from the publisher Atlantic Monthly Press via Netgalley. The comments about it are my own.

This book was one of the better books I have read this year. The story is good, fast-paced. The characters are well-written. There were some parts that seemed a bit off to me but that's probably because I haven't read the first book in the series.

Picking it up immediately and looking forward to the next.

Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for giving me an ARC.

I spent a good time reading this book.

"Double Agent" is my second book from Tom Bradby. It is the sequel of "Secret Service", but both books can be read independently. Kate Henderson who is the head of the Russian Department at MI6 continues the investigation related to the betrayal of the British PM who is supposed to be an agent recruited by the Russians. This is a very difficult investigation and Kate is likeable and overwhelming throughout all the story. Usually strong and very confident, this time she seemed really lonely and appears stressed and depressed. She is very worried about her children and has many questions about her future. Her work does not satisfy her as much anymore and she doubts the loyalty of some of her colleagues. I really liked her character.

The plot is well designed and Tom Bradby succeeded to led readers in many directions. The story is full of twists and in many parts of the book we hold our breath following Kate in Berlin, Russia, in Georgia and many other places. There were many unanswered questions left in the end, so it assumes that there will be a third book, which is a good news.

"Double Agent" is a good reading and I highly recommend it for people who like thrillers and spy stories.

My rating in 5 stars.

OK standalone

I don't exactly understand the logic of some of the operations, I don't understand the ending, and I don't understand the title but I liked this book anyway. This is the second book in the series and I have not read the first. Nevertheless, there was no problem with understanding. Mr. Bradby integrates backstory so smoothly you don't know it's there. I'm sure reading the books in order would be better but don't worry if you are starting here.

Kate Henderson is head of MI6's Russia group and has clearances of the highest level. Around her swirl the intrigues of the Russians, who have lost nothing of their Cold War skills in the intervening 30 years. At home the situation is no less perilous. Ambitious civil service and political appointees wrestle for favor, terrified of damaging their or their boss's reputations.

Is the Prime Minister an active Russian asset or not? Are the defectors who have come forward pledging to expose real? Which is worse – destroying the sitting government or having a PM who passes everything on to the enemy?

Kate's superiors are careening around White Hall out of control. Loyalties are unclear. Kate's health is getting worse. The children are grumpy teens. Her traitor ex-husband is miserable. This can't go on.

I read "Double Agent" quickly and was aware of how much I was enjoying it even as I said to myself "Why are they doing it that way?"

In Tom Bradby’s sequel to Secret Service the question behind the Prime Minister’s treachery is the driving force behind Kate Henderson’s investigation. Her husband Stuart had previously been identified as Viper, a Russian mole who is now living in Moscow. Meeting in Venice to allow their children to see their father, Kate is forced to meet with Mikhail Borodin, whose father is a high-ranking member of the SVR. Mikhail offers video proof of the PMs perverse nature that was used to blackmail him as well as records of payments from Russia to his accounts. In exchange, he is requesting asylum for his family, access to all of their assets and freedom to travel. Time is of the essence and he must have a written guarantee from the Foreign Secretary.

Kate takes the request back to her superiors, but it is met with some skepticism. Mikhail had referred to a coup by the GRU against the SVR but they are unable to confirm his story. There is also the question of whether the tape is real or is it an effort by the Russians to discredit the PM and disrupt the government. It falls to Kate to find a way to verify Mikhail’s story.

Kate is dealing with a new deputy that she was forced to hire. Suzy is ambitious and after reviewing files she questions whether Stuart is really Viper. She also questions some of Kate’s decisions. Dealing with Stuart’s betrayal, a family that was torn apart and the pressure to find the truth is causing sleepless nights and anxiety attacks. She and the other members of her team are also under surveillance by the Secret Service after suspicions of another mole arise. Tom Bradby offers a story of murder, deception and misdirection that will have you burning through the pages. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Publishing for allowing my review of this book.

Not with a bang, but with a whimper

It’s essential immediately to acknowledge the quote above from Hollow Men by T S Eliot, but it’s very apt; the details of which will be covered later.

This is the second in what might well be a series. The first is Secret Service, and many reviewers have suggested it’s important to read them in order. I would heartily endorse this as it’s clear from the start that the characters each have a history which is vital to a good understanding of their motives and characters.

Probably because I hadn’t read the first book, I found Double Agent flat and uninspiring. The writing itself was first class, but it lacked passion. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, However, there is a horrific death of someone close to one of the main characters, which didn’t seem to affect her at all in either her subsequent actions or her approach to life.

Kate Henderson is a high-ranking MI6 employee. She is separated from her husband, who lives in Moscow (for reasons explained in Secret Service) and balances her role with bringing up two teenage children. Against her better judgement, she is persuaded to take the children to see her husband and goes to Venice, where the proverbial hits the fan, and the fun begins.

The plot then takes the reader around Europe as Kate at times seems to be chasing shadows trying to determine whether the incumbent PM is a Russian spy. Who to trust and what to believe is the critical element in the story.

Unfortunately, as suggested in the description, the ending is most unsatisfactory. It sort of tails off without any definitive conclusion. This is most probably intentional on the part of the author in preparation for the third in the series but for someone who hadn’t even read the first it was doubly disappointing. So only 3 stars but from the other positive reviews the strong advice is to read Secret Service, and then Double Agent and your view might well be very different.

mr zorg

Elite Reviewing group received a copy of the book to review.

A good follow up to Secret Service which needs to be read first.

A bit to much angst for my liking, but lots of doubt about what is really going on kept me reading and an ending that leaves a good opening for a third in the series.

The title's unforgivably dull, but don't let it fool you. That's the only dull thing about Bradby's new spy novel.

Whether you like it or not, this is what the modern spy novel has become. Not James Bond standing astride the world vanquishing villains and seducing beautiful women, but a slightly insecure housewife who drinks too much, takes too many sleeping pills, and worries about her children. It's the 2020 version of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD.

The day of John le Carre has passed. But when anyone asks me what has become of the spy novel since then, I'm going to point them to Tom Bradby.

I'm grateful to the publisher for giving me an advance look at a truly fine piece of work.

Love this mission impossible style story. Love that the agent is a woman. Love that it seems completely plausible in todays world. Great read.

A great sequel to "Secret Service" which goes deeper into the world of cloak and dagger and lies, which define the modern day spycraft. The name itself - "Double Agent" - makes us suspect anyone and everyone, along with Kate. Struggling with her husbands' betrayal in the previous book, she still has to navigate her job, dealing with untrustworthy bosses and a new subordinate, who may be a spy for MI-5, and, of course, Russian agents.

The novel shows us a world which is not black and white, but shades of grey.

I don't want to write about the plot - it's engaging and has some great twists, so I wouldn't want to spoil the fun.

I do hope Kate will return again. She is a great character.

"Double Agent" is the second in a spy thriller series with blancmange titles (the first was called "Secret Service") that is very ambitious, Le-Carre-level ambitious. Starring MI6 spy Kate Henderson, whose entire family and circle of friends seem to be involved in the secret world, the series involves convoluted mazes of treachery and high geopolitical drama. Kate is kidnapped in "Double Agent" in order to be offered a high-level defection that claims to bring proof that the British Prime Minister is a spy. The plot sweeps from London to classic spy locations such as Berlin and across the Russian border, the storyline is paced fast and tightly. Kate herself is an engaging espionage hero, seemingly brave and talented, yet wracked by insomnia and tension (I won't spoil a key plot element, but she should be anxious, a result of the first book's betrayals). Tom Bradby, a TV anchor and documentary maker, is a smooth stylist who comes close to showcasing the secret world's depth and ambiguity. I read the first three quarters in a rush of adrenaline, then had to blink while the finale's gymnastic plot gyrations overwhelmed the book's characters and themes. If I turned the last page with a slight sense of letdown, I'm hanging out for the next volume, and what more can one ask for from a spy thriller?

Another brilliant read by Tom Bradby!

Its the type of book that is full of action and it takes you on a breathtaking ride from England to Venice and Russia.
Kate Henderson is back and she has to deal with a possible defection of a prominent Russian and his family. In exchange, they will give evidence to MI6 that the new prime minister is a Russian spy......or is he? Who can she trust? Is the evidence real or fake?

This book follows directly on to Secret Service and I would recommend you read them in order. If you don't it will be difficult to follow the storyline as it unfolds.
It is very well written and you can see the author is very knowledgeable on the subject.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The author's earlier novel, Secret Service, was a good read and I looked forward to reading another tale about M16 agent Kate Henderson. The novel did not grab me from the beginning, but I stuck with it. When Kate took off to meet Sergei in St. Petersburg, the novel was off and running and met all of my interests in reading spy novels. I understand that there had to be a set up to the story, but it was all a little dry. Mr. Bradby sure made up for any shortcomings as we try to determine if the British Prime Minister is a Russian agent. There is also the ever popular suggestion of a mole in the department. The backdrop to all of this is that Kate is a mother of two children and the former wife of a spy, who now lives in Russia. That part left me wondering, but it helped make the family an important part of the story. So I recommend Double Agent. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Another fine outing from Tom Bradby, “Double Agent”, an intelligent follow-up to last year’s “Secret Service”.

This one picks up where “Secret Service” leaves off. Kate Henderson, a senior intelligence officer at MI6, is dealing with the fallout from the events of the previous book – the high-level mole in British Intelligence, the exposure of her husband as a spy and his flight to Moscow. One would think that Kate might get a break and be left alone with some time to recover, but life (especially in espionage thrillers) doesn’t work that way. On a getaway vacation with her two (hostile) children, where they can meet with their father, she gets another opportunity thrown in her lap – a Russian defector with a potential bombshell – the British Prime Minister is actually an active Russian spy.

And away we go. The book really focuses on three different aspects of the story. Of course, there’s the main storyline – is the PM really a spy? Is what the defector telling Kate true, or is this an elaborate set-up? Kate races around Europe, defying her bosses, even turning to old friends once again with disastrous consequences. She isn’t sure who to trust and where everyone’s true loyalties lie.

The second aspect is the office politics, the internal turmoil, the wheels within wheels of the Intelligence Service. Kate’s boss, Ian Granger, is looking to take over as Head of MI6, his naked ambition coloring all of his actions, while his not-so-secret office romance (with Kate’s friend/deputy) falls apart, adding another layer of tension to the situation. The current Head of MI6, Sir Alan Brabazon, has to deal with Kate’s bombshell as he cares for his dying wife. And Kate has a new deputy from MI5, who questions everything that Kate had done and is doing, always putting herself in the middle of every situation, her motives and loyalties unclear.

And the last aspect is Kate’s personal life. Her husband is sorry for what he did, hoping for some sort of reconciliation. Her two children are angry and surly, pushing all of Kate’s buttons and lashing out at her for dad’s defection. Sergei, an old friend (who should have been a lover?) enters the picture as well. Kate is spiraling downwards both physically and mentally, dealing with depression, insomnia, and the uncertainty and pressure of figuring out who to believe and what to do about it.

Mr. Bradby once again writes a smart, thoughtful thriller with strong characters and a complicated (in a good way) plot. I would recommend reading “Secret Service” before this novel, but you should actually read all of his books (“Master of Rain” and “White Russian” are two of my favorites). I am hopeful that we will meet Kate once again.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grove Atlantic/Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

The second Kate Henderson novel is a continuation of the exploits of people high up in the organization of MI6 with all the good points of the previous book. A kidnapping of Kate in Venice leads her into a situation in which the British Prime Minister might be a traitor working for the Russians. She is presented with a teaser indicating his guilt and promised all of the file if the individual presenting it is granted asylum in Great Britain. Her working through the facts of the allegations spreads through the highest echelons of the government as well as bringing her into a secret trip into Russia to interview the individual presenting the file.
The characters portrayed in Mr Bradby's book have personal pictures of them showing normal situations and private problems that do sometimes conflict with their work. In Kate's place she has two teen age children with their normal motivations living with her since she is divorced from her husband. Her feelings about the rupture with her husband are shown as complexed as those of any individual's emotions would be in a similar situation. Additionally, the normal politicking present in any organization affect the thoughts and actions of the people involved. For example, one of her fellow executives is going through the personal trauma of his wife dying from inoperable cancer and having to face that while going through the problem of giving asylum or not to the people demanding it in order to release the information of the Prime Minister's guilt. Kate's group is also obviously caught up in the possibility that the file of the PM's guilt might not really be anything but a misinformation campaign by Russia.
The novel is an interesting read and while not a red hot all night draw is certainly a book that will cause the reader to seek out future works by Tom Bradby and enjoy them.