By Julie F.

Alias Emma by Ava Glass is a strong debut novel, a spy thriller with a lot of clever nods to the history of the genre. Even though Kim Sherwood has recently published two books in her series about a woman in the double-O universe (Double or Nothing and A Spy Like Me, both authorized by the Ian Fleming estate), you could reasonably consider Glass’s main character, Emma Makepeace, as part of a tradition of propulsive action and daredevil exploits reminiscent of Fleming’s James Bond. In terms of Emma’s quick thinking and survival skills, there are also shades of Emma Peel from The Avengers. Finally, Emma’s handler, Ripley, might make you think of two disparate characters who nonetheless pull all the strings and hold most of the cards in their respective fictional espionage worlds: the enigmatic George Smiley from John Le Carre’s novels and Mick Herron’s obnoxious but brilliant head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb. (Side note: It’s a testimony to the acting skill of Gary Oldman that he has portrayed both Lamb (Slow Horses) and Smiley (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) to great acclaim. Both are fantastic performances and well-crafted productions.)

Ava Glass sets a remarkable pace from the start in this non-stop story of a day in London, with Emma working to avoid compromised CCTV cameras (and the Russian spies who are monitoring them) as she tries to get across the city to the headquarters of the covert agency that secretly employs her. She’s towing a reluctant traveler along with her: Michael Primalov, a doctor whom the enemy has already attempted to kidnap or kill. Michael needs to be in witness protection because of his mother’s past history as a Russian scientist who traded secrets. Emma uses all of her smarts, tradecraft, gadgets, and skills to outwit the villains at every turn. The duo hope to connect with Emma’s supervisor, Ripley, but when they don’t know who to trust, even communication via regular secret channels is fraught with danger. At moments, this wild tale might make the reader feel like the pair couldn’t possibly cope with one more setback as Emma and Michael avoid explosions, are chased by Russian assassins, and even take a detour into the famous tunnels of subterranean London. If the reader is willing to suspend their disbelief a little bit, a fun thrill ride full of bravery and energy also reveals something meaningful about the two people at the heart of the tale and the changing dynamic between them. Emma takes the lead, but Michael makes improvised use of his physician’s skills as well, and they grudgingly learn to trust one another – at least enough to get them through this arduous journey across the city.

If you like spy stories with women protagonists, I highly recommend the following novels:

Restless by William Boyd

Red Widow and Red London by Alma Katsu

Transcription by Kate Atkinson

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

And if you read Alias Emma and enjoy it, there’s great news: Ava Glass has already published a sequel, The Traitor, and there’s a third book (The Trap) coming in fall 2024. Sounds like a series that’s ripe for a film adaptation – perhaps Gary Oldman will be available to play Ripley!

Julie is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch who finds her work as co-editor of Chapter Chats very rewarding. She loves gardening, birds, crime fiction, all kinds of music, and the great outdoors.