The Hidden Line

'Goodman combines traditional elements - the nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré - with the topicality of 2020s technology' SUNDAY TIMES

THERE IS ONE CALL A SPY NEVER WANTS TO MAKE.

The SIS 'Hidden Line' - a secret number for spies in the field - rarely rings, but when it does it's always someone in deep trouble...so when a terrified call comes in, SIS goes on high alert. The voiceprint matches a former operative who has been out of the service for a decade - and who insists on being debriefed in 'The Box', a London townhouse that's actually a secret, soundproofed, impregnable fortress.

As recent recruit Jamie Tulloch debriefs the agent, an armed kill team murders the overnight staff at The Box, kills the lights and locks the armoured doors. Isolated with a man he barely knows, Jamie must live long enough to unwind the agent's story, one bullet at a time...

Beyond The Box, strange events are occurring. SIS files are released by anonymous sources. An MI5 officer is found on a Sussex beach with no memory of how he got there. Unidentified drones are buzzing the Prime Minister's country residence. And a strange website appears, with dozens of timers running down...with panic rising across the country, the SIS must race to understand this mysterious, psychological warfare. Will they find the attackers before the timers run out? What happens when they do? And why the hell isn't Jamie Tulloch answering his phone?

Praise for David Goodman:

'If you think you've read every twist in every area of the genre, think again. Don't start it last thing at night, or you might miss breakfast' VAL MCDERMID
'A propulsive, intelligent, ripped-from-the-headlines spy novel that's guaranteed to cost you hours of sleep. Highly recommended' DAVID McCLOSKEY
'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' THE SUN
'A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' I.S. BERRY
'In the very top tier of espionage fiction' M. W. CRAVEN
'An excellent debut with terrific pace...will grip you to the end' JAMES SWALLOW