Courtesy of Netgalley and Penguin Random House, I received the ARC of Alias Emma by Ava Glass.. This fast paced London based spy thriller has compelling characters involved in a time driven adventure with a remarkable new heroine, Emma, working for the Agency
Ava Glass writes with great attention to descriptions and detail. A definite page turner that I couldn't stop reading....I loved this book!

Wow, I hope this book is the first in a series for Emma Makepeace. She is courageous, smart, has excellent instincts, and is dedicated to the mission at hand, and I loved her immediately. This book moves along at a very quick pace involving all things action-oriented and I could not read fast enough. At times my heart beat so fast just wondering how she would make it through the night and I had to know how everything would get resolved. Please, Ava Glass, make this into a series. I need more missions involving Emma!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alias Emma is a fast-paced spy thriller that follows newly minted spy Emma Makepeace as she tries to keep herself and her charge safe from Russian assassins as they make their way across London.

I, like many people, automatically think James Bond when the word “spy” is mentioned. While I have never watched a James Bond movie and never really plan on it, I have started reading more books with spies in them – primarily historical fiction. But Alias Emma is a contemporary novel with a modern day spy who also happens to be young and female. After finishing Alias Emma, I am starting to think that maybe spy thrillers are a thing I enjoy. I can guarantee that you have never read a more compelling foot chase as this one.

Alias Emma is high-octane from the start. I was quickly pulled into the story and did not want to put it down. (Sadly, sleep called and I had to take a break before I finished.) I found my heart racing as I journeyed through current day London with Emma trying to avoid all CCTVs after it had been hacked. I loved that this story was much more brains than brawn and had a heroine with whom I could identify.

Often in thrillers, character development falls to the wayside. However, Ava Glass created characters with some depth. While the story took place in the present, there were a few flashbacks that helped sparse out Emma’s background and character. I liked that Glass developed the characters primarily through their actions, rather than telling readers what to think. It allowed the plot to speed along without story nor character development suffering.

Overall, I really enjoyed Alias Emma and highly recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers. It was a smart, refreshing change from the typical domestic or psychological thriller. I am crossing my fingers that Ava Glass will give us more adventures of Emma Makepeace in the future. If not, at least film and TV rights have already been optioned!

This one was a unique twist on the spy thriller as operative Emma Makepeace must make her way across London in 12 hours dodging spies and London's vast CCTV camera network. It is a perfect summer vacation read and can easily be read in one day. Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book!

Who knew a spy novel could be so much fun? There were nods to several of my favorite books and movies in the same genre: a little bit Kingsman, a little bit James Bond, a little bit Mission Impossible. Throw in a little romance and you've got the makings of an action-packed, suspenseful, page-turning book with a ballsy female spy at the helm. Mission one has come to an end and I'll be on the edge of my seat until Ava Glass writes the next one. I'm hooked - loved this one!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would. Really good story that I read in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't put it down. The basic story was about a female British spy and one particular assignment she was given and carried out. The way the story was told explained her history with the agency and why she became a spy along with all the twists and turns of carrying out the assignment. It was so exciting and I just couldn't wait to turn the page to see what was going to happen next and how she was going to handle it. I will definitely look for more books by this author.

Emma is assigned to bring in a Russian living and working in England before he is assassinated. She must first convince him that he is in danger. Then, they must get to a safe place while evading the assassins.

Alias Emma by Ava Glass is the story of one night--mostly. It is also the story of how Emma arrived at that one night. It is complicated. All Emma had ever wanted to be was a spy. Maybe because of her father. Maybe not. She had been military intelligence and then been recruited. She was still learning. Someone was killing off Russian scientists who were now retired but had defected years earlier. Ripley had called her to get this guy across town to MI6, to safety. He was a young man, a doctor. His mother was the scientist, but he was at risk, too. First she had to convince him. Michael. It wasn’t easy but he finally decided to come with her and ended up hiding in sewers, nearly drowning in the Thames, gunshots, and more. She did finally get him there but even then she wasn’t sure they were the good guys.

Emma was an interesting personality. Very well-written. Even as the reader we learned only what she wanted us to know. Very guarded but clever, obstinate, and friendly. She had learned all her lessons well and extrapolated even more. She was young, but she is going to be good. Michael, once he was convinced, was all in. He ran as hard as she did and came up with ideas to help, often. He didn’t begin to understand. Emma wasn’t sure she did, but she knew her goal and she raced toward it. One of the problems was, she didn’t know for sure who the good guys were, or at least in some cases. It was the insecurity that bothered her. It was a clever book, although mostly just one big chase scene, but with several stories interwoven. The two main characters were excellent, their motivation bled through. The supporting characters were good enough. Amazing to go after innocents because you had once been hurt. I enjoyed it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Alias Emma by Bantam, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bantam #avaglass #aliasemma

This one did not for me. I didn't connect with the characters, and though the plot was fast moving, I wasn't invested in the storyline.

This is a wild ride of a spy novel with an interesting female protagonist, Emma Makepeace. Ava Glass has crafted a rollercoaster of a read that I couldn’t put down full of twists and turns that will leave you breathless and turning pages as fast as you can read. I’m hoping Emma shows up in another adventure soon! My thanks for this advance copy of #aliasemma to #netgalley and the publisher. This review is my own.

I enjoyed this fast-paced spy story. There is so much happening through one night. All Emma has to do is get a man from one side of London to the other. Easy, right? When her boss disappears, his assistant tells her that there isn't anyone to help her. So, she has to do it old school. As they walk across London, Russian spies are there at every turn. How do they keep finding them? Who can she trust? Will they make it?

This book was an absolute delightful read! Emma Makepeace is a secret agent who is tasked with getting the son of Russian defectors safely to protective custody. She and her charge, Michael, must get across London to MI6 within 24 hours, without getting caught by Russian agents and the CCTV all through the city. This will take all of Emma's skills as an agent to get them to safety.

I love spy novels and this one did not disappoint. I can't wait to read the next book by Ava Glass. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

Nothing is much better than a juicy spy novel to lose oneself in. This one has a smart, strong superwoman. She's a highly trained, intuitive and quick thinking young agent. This pulse pounding story is set in London and is described with vivid details. Having never been there, this made me long to see the famed Thames river.
Emma is undercover on her first mission, like a baby bird learning to fly, this will determine if her mentor's faith is well placed. She is on her own now. It could also end her life. Some of the scenes are quite dramatic and perhaps exaggerated. That's what makes it fiction and didn't detract from the overall plot for me.
Ripley is her handler at the Agency. He saw her potential, trained her and pushed her relentlessly.  Now he needs her to convince an unwilling target to accept protection. Should be a simple persuasion job, right?
There has been a series of murders. The targets of these brazen assassinations have all been former Russian scientists. The Russians are sending a clear message to the British government. The British agency must stop whoever is behind this. Married nuclear physicists, Dimitri and Elena Primalov, are identified as the next possible targets. They've already been put into protective custody. Their son, Michael, is a dedicated and caring young physician. He wants no part of giving up his career, upending his life and going into hiding. He flatly refuses.
Emma's mission to convince Michael of the danger he is in becomes a race to safety. There is nonstop action, twists and turns. There were some hidden plot surprises and some things I deducted early on. That didn't keep me from reading past bedtime to see how it ended.
There is everything needed to make this an entertaining read, suspense, thrilling scenes, romance, traitors, spies and death defying chases along with good character descriptions. This is an author I had not previously read but, would in the future.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advance digital copy of "Alias Emma" by Ava Glass and to Random House, Ballantine. These are my honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

Super Spy and make it a woman? Yes, please! Alias Emma by Ava Glass is a fun read. I loved seeing a woman kick ass, and run…a lot. This was extremely fast- paced (and not because of all the running). I could see this being made into a Netflix series with Emma, making a really interesting character.

This book is perfect to pack for a long journey, or to read while stranded somewhere. Page-turning suspense drops ex-military Emma into the vortex of a high-stakes undercover British secret service mission to protect Michael, the son of Russian nuclear scientists. Many twists and turns through the streets and alleys of London, where surveillance cameras make hiding nearly impossible. But Emma has serious skills and is determined to succeed in her first big assignment. Romance eventually sparks between these two, but never fully ignites, due to the top secret circumstances. Hopefully there's a sequel in the works, propelled by family secrets, double-crosses, a quest for revenge, and the ever-present threat of vindictive Russian officials.

ALIAS EMMA hits the right notes for those in search of a James Bond story that rings all-too-true when real-life tensions between Europe, and Russia are sizzling.

Alias Emma was a super fun spy thriller set in London. I devoured this book in a day! It is extremely fast paced and one of those books that keeps you saying “just one more chapter.”

Sometimes I find spy thrillers to lean too much into procedural jargon, but this book was just action packed and fun! I really loved the setting in London and loved following the characters around the streets and neighborhoods of London. This book was a journey in the best way. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

This is a book that is begging to be a series. I just *have* to know what happens to Emma, a clever and innovative young British spy just beginning her career. The ending leads me to believe that my wish may come true. I foresee many thrilling new assignments for her in coming books as this one was a great read, exciting and hard to put down.

An action packed thriller where an inexperienced agent must bring in a target being chased by a legion of Russian agents. This is one of those "sound effects" books. The ones where you yell oh no and look out and i told you not to go in there. You know, the ones where your husband looks at you like you're crazy? Exciting, entertaining and a darn good story. Is there plans for a series? A movie? Either would be great!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for a review.

When Emma Makepeace (not her real name) is interviewed for a job with the British secret service during her time serving in the army, she assumes she will be hired. But it is not until some time after she is discharged that she gets a mysterious message to appear at a mysterious location for a mysterious reason. She is accepted and is given rigorous training as to how to do undercover work, but now she is posing as the girlfriend of a wannabe revolutionary and thinks her talents are being totally wasted.

That soon changes when she is once again summoned and given an assignment to persuade a physician to enter the witness protection program with his parents. He has refused previous contacts, and Emma has no more luck, until she saves him from a kidnapping. But when she checks in with her Agency, there is no support available and she must get the two of them across London on her own!!

What follows is quite an adventurous, maybe harrowing, night.

First, let me say that spy thrillers are not my usual go-to genre, but I was attracted to this one by the thought that a female spy is the main character. Emma Makepeace works for the secretive Vernon Institute, an agency that gives her clandestine assignments. The new task she has is to find and secure Michael Primalov, a Russian expatriate whose mother is seriously in danger from Russian assassins. Michael thus becomes a high level target and Emma’s job is to get him safely to MI6. Of course, the assignment sounds easy but it proves to be extremely difficult as her resources are cut off, she has to hide from assassins who seem to know her every move with Michael, and she does not feel quite up to the task without support. The setting makes the story as Emma travels around London, hiding and creeping about looking for a safe place to stash Michael while also trying to contact her bosses who have gone silent. This was like a female James Bond thriller, with a young woman who showed determination, tenacity and ingenuity in her quest to defeat the Russians and safeguard her client. I enjoyed the fast pace and the short chapters that seemed to make the action flow quickly and seamlessly from one scene to another, all of them capturing the breathless need for Emma to succeed. The characters were as well developed as possible considering that the entire novel was built on secrets that could not be revealed until the story progressed. I was somewhat dumbfounded at the high level assignment given to Emma who seemed more of a novice than a seasoned spy, but she rose to the task and did not disappoint me with her devotion to fulfilling the requirement, by any means necessary. This was an entertaining read, although not totally riveting. I very much enjoyed the British feel to the novel as well as the action that careened like a runaway train to a brilliant conclusion. Although all is not as it seems in the novel, the twists made it more likely to keep me reading and wanting more of Emma’s story.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”