A Foreign Country - Charles Cumming, 2012

'Vanished. Five days ago. Nobody has any workable idea where the hell she's gone or what's happened to her.'.

Have you ever been in the embarrassing situation of a wedding where the bride never comes or a party where the birthday guy decided go somewhere else but the place the party is waiting? If so, think now on a thousand times worse situation where the just appointed head of the MI6 evaporates from the map few weeks before she takes her new role. The wedding and the party look a lot smaller now, right?

Amelia Levene requested some days off prior starting her new functions and suddenly dissappears, nobody have a single clue and it is necessary to take hand of an old sea wolf that knows her well and who may have a second chance in life accepting the mission, field office Thomas Kell.

'I am an officer with the British Secret Intelligence Service. Yes. To all intents and purposes, I am a spy.'

Tunisia is the main scenario where the veteran spy will look for Amelia, his tricks and instinct are intact and his mind is resourceful. Kell will not have problems to find her but the problems will begin when he will find the reason why she was missed and that the MI6 is the last to know about this.

Keep an eye on:  Just like in the classic spy movies, the typical stages like hotels, bars and exotic landscapes will provide one of those stories full of vintage style.

I've got this book because Charles Cumming is a very recurrent writer mentioned by friends and some followers of Simplyreaders. Now I clearly understand the reason and it is because Cumming has a special narrative gift to give us a fantastic portrait with tasteful colors in a few pages and later invites us to keep watching the image for a long time enjoying every single stroke.

Rule One of SIS was never to moan, never to show weakness.

Very recommendable
ISBN: 9780007337866
www.harpercollins.co.uk