I really enjoyed this book. Just putting it out there from the start. I knew that the author was brilliant at creating characters you could both loathe and love and she has excelled herself in this book with a story which is part spy thriller, part psychological thriller, part domestic drama., Set across a dual timeline, Claire Kendal tells us the story of Holly Lawrence, a young woman whose sole ambition as a child was to become a spy and whose whole life is turned upside down after she falls in love with completely the wrong man.

Now, it’s fair to say that Holly’s life doesn’t exactly go to plan, adn whilst we meet her on perhaps the most important day of her young life, it is what happens after this day that really matters. She doesn’t quite see all her dreams come true, and the dreams she rewrites for herself soon turn into nightmares when she meets dashing Cardiologist, Zac Hunter. There are many warning signs that an astute readers will spot very early on in this budding relationship, the least of which is his standing, and reputation, within the hospital. It is easy now, with the benefit of a few years since this book was set, in 2017 and 2019, and much media coverage and growing awareness of the topic of coercive control, to know that Holly is not in a healthy position. And with all the early savvy she displays, I kind of wished she’d just had her eyes open. But they say love is blind, and it is a face from the past that forces Holly to take a long hard look at her future.

I actually really liked Holly, a few dubious life choices aside. She is quite astute and observant, even if a little blind to what might appear obvious to others. But then, in this, the author has absolutely captured the reality of life in an abusive relationship in that the victim is often the last person to see the truth. As her story is told across two timelines, we see two really different sides to her personality. The compliant Holly who will do anything for the love of her life, and a more determined and hardened persona two years later. She is very much shaped by her circumstances and decisions she has been forced to take, as well as overwhelming losses that would have broken lesser characters. I liked the way in which the author has explored her situation, creating a great deal of sympathy for her as well as a real need to keep turning the pages to see just how the whole thing would play out.

There is a real mixture of tension, mystery and emotion in this book. There are moments in which you can really feel the heartbreak emanating from the page, but the overwhelming feeling for me was one of intrigue. Why certain situations were happening, and why Holly was being pushed to spy on someone very dear to her really piqued my interest, and the more we moved into the story, the more complex and mysterious things got. There were many reasons and motives flying round in my head, but none really came close to what we were set to learn. I loved the mixture of characters, from Holly’s oldest and closest friend, Milly to the charismatic (always a warning sign) Zac. Even MI5 Operative Maxine held a kind of bizarre charm, even if she was very straight, and as focused and unemotional as you might expect from someone in her position. The way in which the author moved the action back and forth in time, with the slow reveal of the truth, really kept the tension building right to the dramatic showdown at the end which might not go quite as you might have expected.

I really flew through this book and I’m wondering why I waited so long to read it. If you like character driven stories, full of mystery and that underlying sense of jeopardy, then I’d say give this one a go. It definitely hit the spot for me.

Be careful what you wish for. After failing to realise her ambition of becoming a Spy, Holly is then asked by the woman who interviewed her for the position to become exactly that, a spy.

Alternating past and present timelines are used to tell the tale of some awful people, doing awful things and the subsequent fall out. It may not be the greatest, but it's entertaining enough to keep you along for the ride.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

I have always a loved a good spy thriller, and this one doesn't disappoint! It starts off with Holly trying to join MI5, then managing to work for them, and then with all the bells and whistles that forms part of that world! You continue to root for her to leave the abusive relationship and the ending was quite a thrill. Recommended.

Omg omg omg .......... this book was amazing I could not put it down I read every word on the edge of my seat I loved the story line, i loved the way the story just kept us guessing all the way threw I loved all the twists and turns and would defiantly recommend this book it was so believable and kept the reader engaged I love it

A riveting book with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. The different timelines are easy to follow.

Clever and well written thriller which really drew me in. Loved the ending which gave a very dark twist too.. Have read Claire Kendal before and would recommend.

There's a great debate between readers about how long you give a book before you give up on it. Two chapters, three, four? Halfway through maybe. Or like me regardless of how much you are struggling staying to the bitter end? Sometimes I regret this stubbornness (I'll never get the time it took me to read Mr Darcy, Vampyre back). But often I'm glad I did because sometimes you need the whole picture to enjoy it. And I Spy is one of those books. For the first third of the book it wasn't grabbing me. It all seemed a bit unlikely but its fiction, that can be forgiven. As more was revealed....well it was still unlikely but far more enjoyable as the characters became more rounded and the layers of the plot began to make more sense. So if you're willing to stick with a book please give this a try. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Good read, slightly convoluted but would recommend. - a few loose ends left which should have been tied up in my opinion

I loved the fact the plot is half psychological thriller and half spy. A great mix and the jumps between past and present make for a lot of intrigue and tension. I found it hard to stop reading. Can't wait for what Claire Kendal does next!

This one was a little far fetched for me. I am not sure it my attention was diverted and I missed key elements, but the timeline bounced around and seemed confusing.

Absolutely loved this. It’s a modern twist on a classic spy novel crossed with a thriller. Well written and compelling. I’d want to read more from Ms Kendal.
5/5 on goodreads and Amazon.

This one wasnt for me unfortunately. Confusing time frames, unlikeable waifer thin characters, totally unbelievable story line. I could go on.

When I finally did get towards the end I was thankful and thought the book couldnt annoy me any more but it did. A ridiculous ending that was I guess in keeping with the book but as a "surprise" ending it was laughable really.

Sorry but I have little good to say about this one unfortunately. Hopefully others enjoyed it more.

Many thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and Claire Kendal for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A complex story with twists and turns all over; leaving you wondering about the true faces of the main characters. Jumping forward and backward in time this book paints a story that will not bore you.

Got me hooked from beginning till the end!

Started off good, but waned towards the middle-end. I didn't like the ending and found it a little rushed. I also found the two timelines a little confusing. Still, plenty of twists and turns albeit slightly confusing.

A great book where you can never be quite sure what is the truth.

Holly wants to join MI5 but after her final interview with Maxine she is turned down. In moving on Holly starts working in a hospital and meets Zak, a charismatic doctor. Their relationship blossoms and they soon move in together but Holly is then approached by Maxine and is asked to spy on Zak. Will she do as asked or will she remain loyal to Zak ? Why are MI5 looking at Zak ?

Two years later Holly has moved and is now known as Helen. She is hiding from someone, but who ?

The story is written in the past and the present in different chapters, so it does jump around a little but it doesn’t get confusing. I love the way it is written as we get to know snippets of information that link the present to the past but it isn’t until near the end when everything suddenly fits together. A great psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

Written by Claire Kendal — Some little girls dream of becoming a nurse when they grow up, or perhaps a soldier, a doctor or even the next Beyonce. Holly Lawrence? From an early age, as she snooped behind the sofa, she dreamt of becoming a spy. Well you know what they say… be careful what you wish for!

From early on in this book, we learn that Holly’s espionage ambitions fell at the first fence when she fluffed her interview with MI5. So why, five-and-a-half years later, is she living her life under an assumed name? It’s complicated, and about to get even more so when MI5 comes knocking at her door once more.

Holly is now Helen, working as a ward clerk in the paediatric unit of a hospital in Bath when she comes face to face with a past she thought she’d left behind. It’ll take you a while to put all the pieces together in a book that jumps back and forth at will, often with little rhyme or reason, within that five-and-a-half-year timeframe. Holly/Helen has plenty to hide – and so, it appears, have the people she interacts with.

When Holly made a run for it a couple of years ago she had to take her elderly grandmother along too. Grandma is in a nursing home and seems to have a tenuous grip on reality, but it is something that she does which brings Holly’s world tumbling around her. It’s clear she is running from her former husband, but what did he do and is he about to catch up with her?

While we try to sort out what is actually going on, Holly is approached by MI5. They have a job for her to do, and it soon becomes clear that this isn’t the first time they’ve called upon her services… It appears that domestic noir with a spot of spook skulduggery is on the cards.

Kendal piles on the tension as Holly gets pulled deeper and deeper into danger. And slowly, slowly we begin to see a clearer picture of what has gone before… or do we? That scattergun approach to timelining leaves you feeling a little disorientated at times and is a definite minus for the structure of a novel that shows plenty of promise.

Claire Kendal’s debut, The Book of You, was published in a flurry of publicity. We reviewed it here on CrimeFictionLover and found the story a little confused and confusing. The same applies to I Spy. Thankfully, Holly is a different kettle of fish to Clarissa in The Book of You. She certainly has more gumption, and that deep-seated obsession with all things espionage is about to stand her in good stead but still I found myself having a bit of a love/hate relationship with this complicated character.

I much preferred the quirkiness of Holly’s Princess Anne-obsessed grandmother, and her best friend Milly is another well drawn addition to the cast list. Both offer the reader some welcome, original, light relief when the going gets hard, while other characters teeter dangerously on the edge of cliché.

So things move along a tad jerkily and the telling twist when it eventually happens seems a little far fetched, as does the final denouement, which offers a fully fledged “wait… what?” moment that doesn’t ring true. I Spy is a much better read than The Book of You, but this author hasn’t yet reached her full potential as a gripping storyteller.

Spying is at the heart of Nick Setchfield’s The Spider Dance. For more domestic noir, try Fiona Cummins’ The Neighbour.

HarperCollins
Print/Kindle/iBook
£3.99

CFL Rating: 3 Stars

This is another really good spy novel that I enjoyed over the summer. Holly has always wanted to be a spy but when she gets the interview she fails and has to reassess what she’s going to do with her life. Then one day she has a random encounter with a woman and child that sends Holly’s thoughts spiralling. The novel goes back and forth in time and you gradually get to understand who Holly is and what this woman has to do with her life. This is a book that takes genuinely unexpected turns at times and it kept me gripped from start to finish. I’m a fan of Claire Kendal’s previous novels but this one is now my favourite of hers. It’s such a great read and I recommend it!

I must admit I struggled reading this book and certainly had to persevere to reach the end. I found both timelines quite confusing and even when I had finished the book I still didn’t understand what the spy plot was really about. Sorry, but this book wasn’t the read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The book begins as we are introduced to Holly. Holly is being interviewed to become a spy, something she has wanted to be all of her life but she doesn’t make the cut.

Moving on with her life, Holly married Zak and just when you aren’t expecting it, a plot twist comes when Holly meets the woman who interviewed her to be a spy and asks her to spy on someone close to her. Something goes drastically wrong and Holly has to flee for her life.

This is quite the cleverly written story with plots and twists when you least expect them and the ending was perfect for this book, it wasn’t dragged out, it didn’t feel rushed and it wasn’t what I expected.