The Private Life of Spies

Spy-masterful storytelling * Sunday Post *Marvellous… shows off Alexander McCall Smith’s accomplishment as a storyteller as its very best * Undiscovered Scotland *There’s nothing not to like about Alexander McCall Smith when you read his latest collection of six short stories on the business of spying… These are a half dozen beautifully shaped, delicious morsels, which I devoured even faster than McCall Smith could write them… full of character and detail * Australian *Massively entertaining and thought-provoking * Booklist (starred review) *Based on extensive research and with a fine grip on the slippery nature of the world of espionage, these underhand dealings range from Algeria in 1924 to a modern-day clerical cabal in the Vatican… Delightfully old-fashioned and prudent of prose, McCall Smith unspools his tales * Daily Mail *Taken together, the two parts echo each other. Each story provides a unique cast of characters and distinctly different plots, each offers a gentle portrait of people and society. And each is guided by the mastery of a consummate storyteller, offering another treasure to his already glittering library * New York Journal of Books *

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of over one hundred books on a wide array of subjects, including the award-winning The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. He is also the author of the Isabel Dalhousie novels and the world’s longest-running serial novel, 44 Scotland Street. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. Alexander McCall Smith is Professor Emeritus of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh and holds honorary doctorates from thirteen universities. He was knighted by the King in 2024.

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