I read this spy thriller in less than 24 hours! The story is about a young spy on her first big assignment: bring an innocent man wanted by the Russian government to safety. All she has to do is get him into MI6 before an assassination team gets to him first. Such a page turner. I especially loved that while there was a strong female protagonist, she was also fallible and didn’t treat the men in the story as idiots. (A big pet peeve of mine.) If this becomes a series, I will definitely keep reading.

Ever wonder what it would be like if James Bond was a woman? Well, Alias Emma is your answer. This is an action packed, British spy novel. Emma has a mission to complete and if you like the spy genre, this one’s for you!

This was just disappointing -- I thought it would be kind of thrilling but it was just boring. The characters were not well written. Especially for a book set during one day . . . ! I could see it being more of a screenplay/idea for a movie than a successful series of books. I probably wouldn't read more if a sequel came out.

Alias Emma comes out next week on August 2, 2022, and you can purchase HERE.

The sun was high as Emma closed the door of her flat and headed out. It was a perfect October day--crisp and clear, the sky an almost painfully intense shade of blue.

I picked Alias Emma simply from the description of a James Bond meets Killing Eve story, and I’m glad I did. I’d read several rom coms prior to this book, and it was welcome change. I loved the fast-paced nature of the book. I think it would appeal to wide audience.

Thank you to Ava Glass, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, Bantam, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is story of the longest night of Emma, the spy. The night I read this book felt like my longest night too but in a good way. I wanted Emma to go through the night, see the first rays of sunshine, and deliver Michael, her duty, right across the river to MI6 HQ. I wanted her to her to be the female Bond.

Emma needed convince Michael, who was son of a prominent Russian scientist, that he needed to come with her to a safe house. Everyone his mother knew died one by one and they were afraid Michael the son was the biggest leverage and next on the list. The only problem was Michael didn’t want to come. Once Russians started to raid the hospital he was working at, Michael changed his mind quickly. Emma and Michael started their night long journey across Thames when Emma heard she would be the only one on this mission.

More than the spy story, what this book made me think about is level of CCTV network we have in major cities. There is no running away from the cameras: they see you, they identify you, and they predict your next move. You really need go underground or into the sewer system to hide from those. It’s disturbing to think how much information we gave up about ourselves by just walking on the streets and what could happen if people who want to cause harm get their hands on this info.

Will Emma and Michael make it across London? This action packed novel starts with a bang and doesn't let up as Emma, who works for the "Agency" finds herself charged with bringing Michael the pediatric oncologist son of a Russian defector to the UK to safety as Russian assassins chase them. This moves back and forth in time to tell a bit of Emma's story but it's really more about the chase. Emma is a striking change to the usual action hero in this sort of novel- she's a woman. Every time you think you know where its going- that Emma and Michael are ok, somehow things change. The chapters are short and Glass knows how to build tension and telegraph danger. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's a very entertaining and fast (I had to know what happens) read that would make a great movie.

This book was so much fun. Emma is running through London trying to save a British citizen from Russian agents who seem to know their every move. Very suspenseful. Reads like a spy movie. I want more Emma adventures..

Vernon Institute secret agent Emma Makepeace has her first solo mission: bring Michael Primalov to safety. There are only two problems: Michael doesn't want to go, and the Russians have taken over the elaborate CCTV system in London called the "ring of steel," making it nearly impossible to move across the city without being detected. In addition, Emma's boss denies her additional help, leaving her stranded and completely alone. How will she make it to MI6 without any backup? Emma's first mission is turning into a race against time and survival is looking like a lost cause.

Wow, what a game of cat and mouse! This book was thrilling from start to finish. I was not familiar with the layout of London so I looked it up to try and orient myself in the city. This definitely helped me in understanding the route the main characters were taking and how hard of a journey there were undertaking. Just when I thought they were safe, some new obstacle popped up. I love how smart, quick thinking, resourceful, and resilient Emma's character was, completely relying on herself to make it through. I have recently gotten into espionage books because I like the added layer of mystery and there's always an underlying tone of excitement.

Definitely pick this up if you are looking for a strong, smart, female protagonist. I think the author has set it up as the start of a series, and I can't wait to see where Emma goes next!

This novel has been one of my most anticipated releases for this summer, so I was excited to receive an e-ARC from the publishers for my unbiased review. The cover is super intriguing and the description sounds like it would be a fun, fast-paced story. I grew up devouring every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on so I figured this would be the perfect one for me! However, I quickly realized spy novels are pretty different than detective novels. The first 1/4 of the book I settled in and was liking where the story was going, especially finding out more of the backstory of Emma Makepeace. But by the time I was 60% into the book, I found myself wanting it to be over already. I was getting tired. The pace made it feel like a spy movie (which is cool!), but I'd rather WATCH a spy movie than have to READ it, especially a car chase scene. Sometimes a great fast paced scene translates better in a film reel than having to read through it on the page.
In addition to that, I found myself getting bogged down by the constant flashback chapters that set up more of her backstory. It messed with the flow of the present and dragged timing down further when I just wanted to get through it. The ending was also not satisfying enough for me, and I actually felt like loose ends were tied up too much where I felt a "sequel ending" could have made the story more exciting (but I'm sure there will be more Emma Makepeace stories in the future!).
All in all, it's a decent spy story, but one that I would rather watch on screen than read on a page.

Emma is living her dream! She’s always wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a spy. For two years now, she has been working for the British Secret Service … Just call her Emma … Emma Bond! Just kidding. Emma’s first assignment was rather boring. Ripley, her boss, wanted her to infiltrate a possible terrorist group. After several months working for the group’s leader, she was of the opinion that this group wasn’t organized enough or radical enough to achieve much of anything.
Out of the blue she receives a more serious directive. There is a Russian cell of assassins working in the UK murdering former Russian citizens, people who had spied for the UK on Russian soil and defected to the UK. Ripley is moving the Russian ex-pats to safe houses but one couples adult child, Michael Primalov, refuses to come in. It is Emma’s job to convince him. She cannot believe how stubborn Michael is. He does not understand the danger of his situation even as bullets are flying and roving bands of Russians are trying to kidnap him. Who will win this tug-of-war … Emma, Michael, or the Russians?

Congrats to Ava Glass for her fantastic adult debut! This thriller is a must-read. It is chockful of action and suspense. As the start of a new series, I am looking forward to the next Emma Makepeace thriller. If you read Karin Slaughter, you will love Eva Glass.

SUPER fun thriller/ fast-paced chase through London. Emma is a great character - determined, resourceful, you definitely root for her! Emma is a spy, and needs to keep Michael alive and get him to MI6 - before the Russians get them both.

"Emma Makepeace is about to spend the longest night in her life.

She's on her first operation with a shadowy organisation known only as 'The Agency', assigned to track down and save an innocent man wanted by the Russian government

All Emma has to do is bring him in to MI6 before sunrise, and before an assassination team gets to him first.

But the Russians have hacked the city's CCTV cameras. There are spies all over London searching for the two of them. And her target, Michael Primalov, doesn't want to be rescued.

As London sleeps, a battle is taking place on its streets as Emma fights to keep Michael alive.

But what sort of reception await them if and when they get to MI6?"

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

I’m not a big fan of spy, intrigue novels, but this one really kept me glued to it. Ava Glass is a great storyteller and for me, didn’t just make this story about killing and violence. It was really a cat and mouse game, between the good guys and the bad guys, as Emma Makepeace is commissioned to deliver a Russian target to the protection of British ops and a safe house.
Their journey through the streets of London were dangerous and harrowing, as Emma tried to figure out if her own safety net was protecting her or helping the assassin to intercept them. I loved the relationship that developed between them, gave a little spice to the story.
Not a dull moment in this one, as the continued obstacles and unrelenting danger really did delay a bedtime or two. It is a great read and worthy of five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley, Bantam Books and the author for the ARC. I’ll be looking forward to a sequel, I’m sure there will be one! I understand there is a movie in the making, which I’m sure will be worth seeing. I’ll be watching for it.

Always gracious thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC privilege on this one, in return for an honest review.
Honestly and truly, I could rave about "Alias Emma" all day. It's the kind of book I'm always on the hunt for - a non-stop thrill ride that keeps you so glued to it that you literally can't stop furious page-turning until it's done.
And for any action and spy story fan who groans at the thought of having wait years and years until film producers figure out how to make another James Bond movie, here's the next best thing.
I can only hope it's the kickoff to a series, since it functions as an origin story for young Emma Makepeace, a fledgling agent on her majesty's secret service. She's the refugee daughter of a Russian father who turned on his country's brutal regime, spied for the West and paid with his life. So now Emma, ex-military and freshly trained in spycraft, is more than ready to take on any mission that'll help her exact some much desired payback.
And that's precisely what's handed to her when she's tasked by "The Agency" (apparently an amalgam of MI5 and MI56) to escort Michael Primalov, a pediatric oncologist, to a safe house. Because his mother's a prominent defector from Russia, that country's brutal, unforgiving GRU assassins have put him on the top of their hit list.......and they've already been able to murder other defecting escapees right on the streets of London.
From that point on, this book's off and running at maximum speed. A breathless, suspenseful all night chase ensues, as teams of armed GRU operatives pursue Emma and Michael through almost every London nook and cranny. Even worse for the imperiled duo,, the Russians have hacked into the city's vast CCTV system - so now they've got eyes on their targets everywhere, rendering the city a virtual no-man's land for a desperate but still resourceful Emma.
There's no way I could even stop reading this until all the fights, chases, hairbreadth escapes and twists played out to the very end..........and if "Alias Emma' is in fact the start of a series, I really wish the next one would come out.......well, how about yesterday? For anyone who can't get enough of action-packed espionage heroics (especially directed against the rogue, terrorist state of today's Russia), this one's a 5 star up-all-night treasure.

Emma Makepeace is a young British intelligence agent working for the Vernon Institute, a top secret agency that is an offshoot of MI5 and MI6. She is tasked with extracting the son of a Russian physicist defector to a safe location before the Russians can get to him. Set in London at a breakneck pace over the course of one long night, Emma and her initially reluctant charge must get across London without being apprehended. The Russians have hacked into the CCV camera system, thus complicating their route as they must evade the ubiquitous cameras placed all around the city, Something is also amiss at her agency and she's not sure she can trust anyone.

Emma is a terrific character - smart, resourceful, competent and self aware. In some chapters we learn about her backstory and training which rounds out her character development. The other main characters are well developed and believable.

This is an extremely well written thriller that I finished in just a couple of days. Ava Glass is a pseudonym for a prolific author who has written many best selling novels.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. I hope this is the start of a series for our heroine. It would also make a great movie. #AliasEmma

Emma Makepeace is not her real name. Nothing about her is what it seems. She works for a branch of the British government and her current assignment is to convince the son of a former Russian scientist to go into protective custody with his parents within the next twelve hours, but as a doctor he refuses to leave his patients. When Russian operatives try to capture him, he goes on the run of his life with the woman he knows as Emma.

This was an enjoyable, quick read. A spy thriller with great characters and a fast paced plot, It seems like the ideal beginning for a new series. if so, I will definitely be looking forward to reading more about Emma Makepeace. Strongly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/Random House for an ARC to review.

Haven’t read a spy novel this good in a really long time. Absolutely loved it.. Emma has a history with the Russians that cost her a parent, her revenge is to work against them as part of her job. Now, they are threatening another family and its Emma’s assignment to get the son to a safe house before the Russians can find him. She has the day to make it all happen and she’s not sure who to trust as her leader has disappeared and the man now in charge doesn’t have her confidence. Who is on her side and who might give her over? Great read.

Emma is a new agent with an intelligence agency in England when she receives her first solo mission - to escort the son of a Russian double agent to safety before he’s captured by Russian spies hot on his trail. The catch? She has to avoid all CCTV cameras, buses, etc., as the Russians have hacked the system. Alias Emma, the first of a new series, introduces us to Emma Makepeace who, judging by this introduction, is a welcome addition to this genre. The plot, which unfolds over 24 hours in and about London, is simple enough, but the action begins immediately and the pace continues throughout, keeping the reader engaged with the frantic cat and mouse game, and intrigued by just enough background tidbits that you’re eager to learn more. Loved the premise, and this is a quick and enjoyable romp in the spy genre. Looking forward to more in this series. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This debut spy thriller has a lot of promise. Emma Makepeace has been given her first big assignment: to convince an innocent man being hunted by the Russians to give up his life and go into hiding with his parents. Unfortunately, multiple Russian operatives are in London, have control of all the CCTV cameras, and Emma can't reach her boss. In one long, adrenaline-fueled night, Emma and Michael race all over London trying to reach safety at MI6. Because this is a fast-paced thriller, the constant interruptions of flashbacks to Emma's past really took me out of the story. There'd be an exciting scene, then I'd turn the page and have a chapter about some training op or other. I found myself leaving the flashbacks constantly to check email, cut my nails, play Sudoku... not ideal in a book that should have my interest on every page. That being said, this is a well-written, exciting (most of the time) book, and looks to be the start of a series. Now that the flashbacks are all hopefully out of the way, I will definitely be reading any future books by Glass. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for a digital review copy.

A spy, an asset and a race across London with the enemy hot on their tails - Alias Emma has everything that makes a spy novel great. The action is exciting, the mission is easy to understand with plenty of natural obstacles and the protagonist is charming. This was a fairly by-the-numbers spy thriller, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and devoured it in just two days.