#BookReview of Solitary Agents by David Goodman | @davegoodman.bsky.social

[ About Solitary Agents ]

EVERY TRAITOR WAS ONCE TRUSTED….

Jamie Tulloch and Sam Li never intended to be spies. Jamie, a former exec at a tech company, found himself caught up in a mission and discovered a taste for the secret world while Sam, a burnt-out corporate lawyer, was unexpectedly talent spotted by MI5. When both are plunged into covert training, they find themselves pitted against each other for their final evaluation – Exercise Red Poacher.

Every year, MI6 trainees must evade capture, infiltrate sensitive sites and report back with the right intel, while their peers at MI5 try to stop them. But things take a sinister turn when they witness the apparent murder of one of their fellow recruits. Is it all part of the exercise? Or is someone trying to weaponise this game of spies into something far more deadly?

[ My Review ]

Solitary Agents by David Goodman published June 4th with Headline and is described as ‘a gripping spy thriller’.  Goodman’s 2025 novel, A Reluctant Spy, book 1 in this series, was winner of The Old Peculier McDermid Debut Award and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize.

In A Reluctant Spy Jamie Tulloch got more than he bargained for when he joined forces with The Legends Programme, a British secret intelligence operation. When his first mission went dramatically wrong he was thrown in at the deep end, impersonating a trained field agent, and mixing with some very hostile foe. Now, Jamie is restless so puts out feelers to his contact in the agency. He wants to be more deeply involved with the SIS (British Secret Intelligence Service), he wants to feel that energy rush, that sensation of being alive and doing something useful for his country. His timing proves to be lucky as the intelligence agencies are recruiting for both MI5 and MI6. Jamie is given the opportunity to join an elite group in a training compound where he will compete in Red Poacher an exercise that will give his superiors the chance to extract the individuals who have the ability to succeed in covert activities.

Sam Li is headhunted for the same exercise. As a corporate lawyer she is unfulfilled in her day-to-day role and her ability seems to be a good fit for MI5. She is very sharp eyed, efficient and relentless in pursuing her objectives. Red Poacher sounds like the perfect vehicle for Sam Li to display her talents but when she gets caught up in some inexplicable activity she soon realises that the world of espionage is much closer to the surface than she ever thought.

Jamie is out in the field obeying his instructions and evading capture in this game of wits and skill. He encounters some unusual activities but is convinced that the game is still afoot even as the stakes are raised and his life feels under threat.

Sam Li and Jamie Tulloch find themselves tangled up in something far bigger than they could ever have expected and, as the adrenaline surges through them, both seek out the truth…but at what cost?

This story, once the real drama begins, is very much a pulsating one, with swiftly moving scenes and heart-pounding moments that carry the reader forward on a tense and fast-paced journey. With national security at risk, there is a combination of strategic manoeuvring and tactical decisions all played out against a backdrop of bureaucracy and red tape.

I hadn’t read A Reluctant Spy so I was one step behind at the beginning but I soon caught up with the plot. For the best reading experience I would however recommend that you start with book one in order to get a better insight into the mindset of Jamie Tulloch. Solitary Agents is almost dizzying at times, as both location and characters move at a chaotic speed. At times murky and foggy, the tension mounts, creating a story that most definitely requires focus and plenty of coffee! An engaging spy thriller, Solitary Agents is a book I would recommend to all who enjoy their Le Carré blended with the frenetic action of Mission Impossible. Highly entertaining.

[Thank you to Headline for a copy of Solitary Agents (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review]

[ Bio ]

David Goodman is an author of espionage and speculative fiction. He lives in East Lothian, Scotland with his family.