The Darkling Spy

Wilson's smart, finely written sequel to The Envoy mines an underutilized place and period of cold war history: Berlin, 1956. William Catesby is a diplomat in the English embassy in Bonn, but pretty much everyone understands that he's really a spy. Despite leftist leanings and a penchant to go his own way no matter what his orders, he's slowly rising in the ranks of the secret service, mentored by his boss, Henry Bone. Catesby's American friend, CIA agent Kit Fournier, is attempting to betray his country after falling in love with an Englishwoman spying for the Russians, and while Catesby is sympathetic, he's happy to interrogate Kit and trick him into talking. Meanwhile, the Americans are trying to persuade a German spy, code named Butterfly, to defect, and Catesby goes on the hunt for this deadly and elusive creature. More George Smiley than James Bond, Catesby will delight those readers looking for less blood and more intelligence in their spy thrillers. (July)