Scrivendo con lo pseudonimo di Alan Judd, la cui opera è profondamente informata da una carriera che abbraccia il servizio militare in Irlanda del Nord durante i 'Troubles' e il successivo lavoro presso il Foreign Office. Queste esperienze formative forniscono uno sfondo ricco per la sua narrativa, che spesso attinge a temi di conflitto e dovere. Oltre ai suoi romanzi, è un analista della sicurezza riconosciuto e un collaboratore di pubblicazioni di spicco, che offre le sue acute intuizioni sia a narrazioni di finzione che a commenti approfonditi.
A young author unexpectedly receives an invitation from the renowned O.M. Tyrell after writing a harsh review of his novel. Following Tyrell's sudden death during their meeting, the author experiences a meteoric rise in his career, gaining fame and acclaim. However, he becomes increasingly haunted by his success. The narrator uncovers a mysterious manuscript, an enchanting woman linked to it, and a dark bargain that suggests achieving greatness comes with a heavy cost.
In a dangerous world nothing is straightforward. Not even murder. 'Judd...knows his stuff when it comes to the milieu of espionage.' The Times 'An elegant and informed British espionage novel.' Financial Times 'Authentic, clever and wonderfully entertaining.' Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6 'We can't think of a better Christmas read.' Oxford Alumni Magazine 'He saw Cleaner Bob arrive that morning, the morning of his death.' In the peaceful towns and villages of England, Cleaner Bob is washing windows, and people are dying in sudden and unexpected circumstances. When it becomes clear that the victims have a common history as Russian defectors, foul play is suspected and a hunt begins to locate their assailant, the lethal poison that killed them, and the mole who is leaking their locations. In a race against time, only one man has the connections and experience to crack the case before more people perish. Charles Thoroughgood, former head of MI6, is enjoying retirement in the Oxfordshire hamlet he calls home when the call comes in. A man of duty, he agrees to take part in a mission that will lead him into the heart of enemy territory and threaten to undermine the very values he holds most dear. Tense, engrossing and terrifyingly believable, the latest Charles Thoroughgood novel is a timely and brilliant reminder that Alan Judd is a master of the spy thriller and a writer of the very highest quality.
"Danger and dissent stalk the streets and taverns of Elizabethan England. The Queen's chief spymaster, Francis Walsingham, and his team of agents must maintain the highest levels of vigilance to ward off Catholic plots and the ever-present threat of invasion. One operative in particular - a young Cambridge undergraduate of humble origins, controversial beliefs and literary genius who goes by the name of Kit Marlowe - is relentless in his pursuit of intelligence for the Crown. When he is killed outside an inn in Deptford, his mysterious death becomes the subject of rumours and suspicion that are never satisfactorily resolved. Years later, Thomas Phelippes, a former colleague of Marlowe's and a man once much valued by Walsingham, finds himself imprisoned in the Tower. When he is visited by an emissary of the new king, however, it becomes clear that his long fall from favour may be reversed if he will furnish his monarch with every detail he is able to recall about his murdered friend's life and death. But just what is it that so fascinates King James about the famously mercurial playwright-spy, and does Phelippes know enough to secure his own redemption?"--Publisher description
The National Portrait Gallery's series of compact, fully illustrated,
historical guides to literary and artisticpersonalities and themes. Written by
well-known contemporary authors, they examine the lives, thoughts and
relationships within each selected group through works from the Gallery's
Collection.
