It start's a little slow, but when the action picks up it's really fun. It made me laugh and chuckle several times. I liked how it portrays Colombia and the setting of the book in general. I would say that It is a great summer read!

I sometimes pick up books outside my comfort zone in order to try something new. This was one such story. It is a spy novel, as the tagline rightly claims. It is also a little more than that because we have a person who usually has a desk job decide to do something extraordinary to stay with the woman he has fallen for.
Oliver does not want to leave Columbia, but his higher-ups have decided that peace has come to the country and most active intelligence operatives should be moved to places with a higher possibility of terrorism. Unable to explain his actual job to the woman he is seeing and reluctant to part with, Oliver finds himself doing something extraordinarily crazy. He decides to make up his reports, finding it surprising how easy it is to make up reports where no fact-checking is required.
He is not having the last laugh, though, because it looks like his fabricated intelligence has a life of its own and everything seems to be happening at cross purposes. The chaos was entertaining. There were a few scenes I appreciated the humour in what the author was trying to do.
The writing was simple and straightforward, making fun of the bureaucracy at higher levels and what the 'minions' have to deal with.
It was a fun book in a city with politics that I have only a faint understanding of. There is a lot of action towards the end, and the pacing was pretty easy to read. I would recommend this book to readers who find this review or the blurb interesting because it is a different story than my more common reads and, for that, worth the effort.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is based on my own reading experience.

Magical Disinformation is a witty spy novel set in Colombia. It was a unique take on a genre in that it attempts a lighter treatment to some heady characters. I liked it. It was an interesting angle for a spy novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫- {MAGICAL DISINFORMATION - Lachlan Page}

Hooked by the cover, stayed for the action! I don’t think I have ever read a spy thriller 🔎 before so this was a little out of my wheelhouse, but I actually really enjoyed it! Oliver Jardine is a British Intelligence analyst who falls in love with a saucy local Colombian woman named Veronica 💃🏼. When her Majesty’s government decides its time to transfer him to his next location he is heartbroken and in hopes of gaining clarity on how to extend his stay, he travels into the high altitudes of South America to visit a shaman. Under the effects of ayahuasca, with tiny yellow butterflies falling from the sky around him, he decides to become the spy that lied for love (sweet right 🥰)and concocts an elaborate story about a network of brothels being visited by Israeli mercenary and US Secret Service agents. Surprisingly the government extends his stay but informs him he must do the ground work himself and produce video evidence of his investigating to back up his claims. Before he knows it he finds himself in immersed in the world of criminal gangs, cartels and cocaine trafficking. His sources start getting picked off one by one - gun shot, cyanide poisoning, gas leak…all the death and lies start to chew at his subconscious until his love for Veronica is the only truth thats left! 😦

💭First of all the setting was fabulous - Bogota, Columbia - think lots of rum 🍹on the beach, breeze from the ocean 🏖and beers 🍺 in open air bars with salsa music in the background. All the “intelligence” that was gathered was usually over a cigar and drinks with characters full of swagger and juicy information. Could I always follow the information? No! Im not a spy for goodness sake’s! But it was definitely entertaining and I could follow along enough to get the gist. The characters were all full of charm and charisma. I don’t feel like I got to know Veronica enough to care if Olivers whole plan actually worked out but I could buy into her being the “honey trap” that made him at least attempt it. The whole scene where Oliver is hallucinating up in the jungle from some twisted juice flows perfectly with the humor of the book. I’d say this was just the right amount of spy/humor/action to ease me into this genre!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm not sure what I just read, but it was a lot of fun and had me snorting with laughter. Netgalley asks for help categorising books and I don't know if this fits into any genre. Is cozy-thriller-comedy-of-errors a thing? Essence of Carl Hiassen mixed with a pinch of Le Carré?

Could be read by Yr9+ - will be appreciated by older readers who see the subversion and pastiche of thriller tropes.

Very entertaining. I enjoyed the story and humor along the way. It's a light read, and not great literature. But probably a good story for those that don't want a cozy story.

I appreciate the free review copy for review!!

I haven't read many spy novels as it isnt something that really appealed to me, however for some reason this book really appealed to me, and I loved it. The story was engaging and captivating and I couldn't put it down. A great read.

The plot is amazing. The writing kept me engaged. It wasn't too lengthy nor too short. that's why it didn't seemed boring to me. in the end it was a nice read for me.