REVIEWS

Praise for Free Agent




‘A retro-cool romp as spare of prose as it is cleverly convoluted of plot. Duns has ingeniously caught both the spirit of an era and the spirit of the books which made that era the golden age of spy fiction.’ – The Daily Telegraph. (Also a Daily Telegraph Thriller of the Year 2009).

‘Deep knowledge of espionage and classic spy novels informs this excellent debut.’ – The Guardian

‘Duns’s terrific debut will draw inevitable comparisons to early John le Carré, though the lead character, turncoat British Secret Service agent Paul Dark, is a complete original... Seldom has a thriller plot taken more unseen turns as Paul searches for the truth about his past and the reality of his present. Readers will eagerly await the sequel.’ – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

An action-packed novel very much of the John le Carré school, with an intriguing and unusual premise.’ – Irish Independent

‘Superior fiction, with an unexpected twist.’ – Library Journal

‘A cross between James Bond and Jason Bourne... carefully researched so the history is credible, even instructive... The action is fast and violent and so is the hero.’ – Literary Review

‘A rattling good yarn, ­told with the pace of a Bourne movie and packed with espionage tradecraft as convincing as John le Carré. It also achieves the near-impossible by persuading the reader to care for, indeed cheer for, the villain of the piece.’ – Shots Magazine

‘Duns’s tightly coiled plot recalls the paranoia of Len Deighton's early works and the tension of Adam Hall's Quiller novels.’ – The Chicago Sun Times

‘[A] cracking debut thriller… ­a diabolically clever novel that will keep you guessing until the final moments.’ – BookPage

‘Duns debuts with a thriller offering more spins than a Bolshoi gala, as an MI6 agent combs Nigeria for a lost love who can untangle a labyrinthine scheme devised during World War II... Delectably tricky.’ – Kirkus Reviews

‘Agent Paul Dark trails a double agent in this appealing debut... Dark fits his namesake, and the story line has plenty of twists and turns. A series to watch for fans of cold-war espionage.’ – Booklist

‘A wholly engrossing and sophisticated spy novel set against a forgotten corner of 20th century history. Fascinating and compelling.’ – William Boyd, author of Restless and Any Human Heart

‘An authentic espionage novel with accurate tradecraft and intelligence operatives who act with intelligence. If you like vintage John le Carré, you'll love Free Agent. Set in the Cold War, packed with history and tension, it's a must-read for any true spy-novel fan.’ – David Morrell, author of First Blood and The Brotherhood Of The Rose

‘Terse, sardonic, and knowing, Free Agent is a take-no-prisoners exploration of loyalty, duplicity and love. I dare anyone to put this book down after reading the first electrifying chapter.’ – Eric Van Lustbader, author of The Ninja and The Bourne Sanction


Free Agent is a sleek, fast-paced tale of espionage and international intrigue that held me utterly entranced. Duns is an exceptional talent. As I rapidly turned the pages, I was transported back to the heyday of spy fiction and reminded of the best of le Carré, Deighton, and Forsyth. Recommended without reservation.’ – Christopher Reich, author of Numbered Account and Rules of Deception

‘Jeremy Duns offers an entirely original and fascinating take on the classic spy novel in this provocative, fast-paced thriller. He is a compelling new voice in suspense fiction.’ – Jeff Abbott, author of Panic and Run

‘Utterly riveting, Free Agent by Jeremy Duns is an international espionage thriller par excellence. Lyrical prose, unforgettable characters, and a fascinating plot that doesn't release the panting reader until the last page makes this spy ride unforgettable. Free Agent is the beginning of a classic series that's sure to be a huge hit.’ – Gayle Lynds, bestselling author of The Last Spymaster and The Coil

‘The spirit of Len Deighton is alive and well in Duns’s first-class debut.’ – Charles Cumming, author of A Spy By Nature and Typhoon


 Praise for Song Of Treason (aka Free Country)


‘A blast from the past... a taut and tortured exploration of betrayal on the national, ideological and personal levels simultaneously... A cleverly twisted tale of intrigue and deception, this is a masterly excursion back to the bad old days of the Cold War.’ – The Times

‘With its subtly deployed late-60s feel, Free Country is a treat for fans of traditional Len Deighton-style thrillers.’ – The Guardian

‘Three-part homage to the morally ambiguous Sixties thrillers of le Carré and Deighton... nuanced to the hilt.’ – The Daily Telegraph



 Praise for The Dark Chronicles 
(omnibus of Free Agent, Song of Treason and The Moscow Option)

 
‘A trio of gritty spy yarns featuring British double agent Paul Dark... Flashbacks aside, the entire span of the three novels covers but a few months in 1969, the latter installments finding greater depth and resonance in developments of the first. The weight of Duns’historical detail is impressive – each tale includes a lengthy bibliography – and the whole of the trilogy is much greater than the sum of its parts. The immediacy of Duns’ writing grabs and suspends the reader in a beautifully realized heartbeat of recent history.’ Kirkus Reviews