Throughout there is a pervading underlying sense of tension which cuts right through the book as you read which gives a real feel of drama and suspense Like any great spy novel you are given just enough doubt cast on the characters and the way they are written and portrayed so that your never quite sure about each and their motives.

It was the “whiff of the Great Game” about the remark – the sense of “immense ruthless practicality and efficiency” co-existing with “a great dollop of Buchan-esque romance” – that Naughtie has been trying to capture in his series of historical thrillers about MI6 agent Will Flemyng. He published the first, The Madness of July, in 2014 – “I thought it would be fun, not a magnum opus or anything, but the type of story that I would want to read myself” – while on the home straight of his 21-year stint as presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme. It is a read which in essence is all about character, however, combine this with a multifaceted plot line which had me hooked from the get go, there is a fluidity about the plot which keeps the story moving along seamlessly. the twists are sometimes subtle which adds an extra dimension to the suspense their intelligence – this makes a huge difference for a speaker. In the Oxford audience I encountered many experts in the field my book covered and even one of the ambassadors I’d quoted The Oxford festival is the most elegant and atmospheric of literary festivals. It’s a pleasure to both attend and perform there. And the review is here! So honoured that I’m the first stop on the @headofzeus blog tour for James Naughtie’s newest novel “The Spy Across The Water”Faces from the past appear from nowhere at a family funeral, and Will Flemyng, spy-turned-ambassador, is drawn into twin mysteries that threaten everything he holds dear. The Spy Across the Water is the latest novel written by James Naughtie, and the third book following Will Flemyng's adventures. Ex-spy and ambassador in Washington DC, our story starts with the funeral of his brother Abel, who was killed in strange circumstances. Will is there not only to say goodbye, but to gather more information about how he died and who killed him. The Spy Across the Water is the third instalment in James Naughtie’s spy series featuring the three Flemyng brothers – Will, Abel and Mungo. In fact, we’re down to two brothers now which is not a spoiler because Abel’s funeral is the opening scene in the book. However, the circumstances, if not the place, of Abel’s death are still a mystery, something Will is determined to discover more about. When he does it forms one of the threads of an intricately woven tapestry that is the hallmark of all good spy thrillers. The historical situation is embodied in a perfect way, becoming an excellent reflection of how tense were those times. While all of those characters are just part of Naughtie's imagination, this novel could pass as historical fiction, due to how accurate is in some details.

There is a third Flemyng brother, Mungo, who lives on the family estate in the quite beautiful Highlands of Scotland where all the boys were brought up. He is an historian and knows a little (not any real detail) about the lives of Will and Abel. The estate provides an ideal location for clandestine meetings. The peace and quiet of a walk around the loch or up into the hills is in stark contrast to an earlier adrenaline powered gun chase through the streets of Chicago. The change of pace and location works really well. You can really tell that Naughtie loves his native Scotland. He is a BBC radio correspondent and presenter who has spent several decades travelling the world as a journalist. He writes with authority both on international espionage and diplomacy – and also on the Scottish countryside that is so dear to him.The Spy Across The Water is a work of fiction. But it could very well be fact. References to events of the time (for example the Kim Philby spy exposé, and its impact on the intelligence services) add to the illusion.