Like its predecessors, Alias Emma and The Traitor, The Trap offers a compelling read with an excellent plot, brisk pacing, and captivating characters, particularly Emma. This series has earned a spot at the top of my reading list.

This third installment of the series may be the best (so far). I found this to be fast paced and engaging. Emma heads to Scotland to determine what the Russians are up to. She’s in an unfamiliar city and, for the first time, is works with a partner, a local detective. Surprisingly, the partnership appears to work, and the case moves along. This thriller has everything you’d expect bad guys, chases and secrets galore. The author has set us up for the next installment and I can’t wait!

Definitely a fun and fast-paced spy thriller!! This is the third book in the series featuring Emma Makepeace as the spy FMC, but I read this as a standalone and it works! 🙌

I do have the first two books on my TBR - just haven’t had time to read them yet! But I’m definitely looking forward to going back to read both!! 🤓

Definitely recommend to fans of fast-paced, quick reads and spy thrillers! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Ava Glass for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

The Trap is the third book in Ava Glass’s Alias Emma series. I have not read the first two in this series but that was not a problem with thoroughly understanding this story. With that said after reading The Trap I am now going to read the first two in this series as I am now a fan of Emma Makepeace. Emma works for a top secret government agency. The G7 summit is taking place in Edinburg. There is a threat against the summit. Knowing a Russian agent is in Scotland but not what he is planning or where, the story begins. Emma is faced with countless challenges along the way. Never having worked with a partner, she is now partnered with a Scottish member of their drug squad to serve as her guide in this unfamiliar country. Her guide is Kate Mackenzie another strong female character. Emma must also decide if she is willing to do what it takes to be a honey trap. This was a page turner. I enjoyed the main characters being smart, strong female leads. So many twists and turns. I liked the thought process that took place to unravel this operation. This book is a definite must read as well as the first two books in this series. I am looking forward to reading what Ava Glass has in store for Emma next time.

I’ve been a fan of Emma Makepeace from her debut in Alias Emma (#1 in this series) and this latest did not let me down! It was an entertaining combination of espionage, thrills and chills (without a lot of graphic violence or involved technology) with a touch of glamour and romance. A great quick read featuring a female British spy in the tradition of James Bond.

Unfortunately, The Trap got off to a slow start but just as I was considering a dnf... it took off at a fast pace that had me turning pages right through the exciting conclusion with a hint of what’s to come for Emma. I also noticed a couple of plot lines that sounded a bit familiar from the previous titles... Emma’s undercover work and suspicions that there was a traitor on her team. Between the initial pacing and familiarity in the story, there was just enough to knock off one star. Despite the four stars, Emma gets my continued support and I’ll be waiting anxiously for #4!


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great addition to the Emma series! Again another great engaging read that pulls you in from the start. I really enjoy the plot with the blend of spycraft and politics and feels very credible to actual global events. Can't wait for Book 4!

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy.

I love the Emma Makepeace books but note that you have to read them in order. First is Alias Emma, then The Traitor, and The Trap is the third installment. We find Emma having to find out what the Russians have planned for the G7 summit.

Emma has to go undercover (of course) and get close to a man who has ties to the Russians involved. She has to romance him, get close to him, and try to get him to divulge what he knows. Is he a willing participant with Russia? If so, Emma might be in grave danger.

These books are so much fun, tightly written, and feature an excellent, strong female main character. And while some thrillers feature graphic content, these are mostly rated PG-13 for more sensitive readers. I highly recommend this series.

I can't remember how I discovered this series, but I am so glad that I did! This is the third book, but it can be read on its own. It is well written and action packed, and the main female character is great. It was a quick read for me, or perhaps it was quick because I didn't want to stop reading once I started. :) Our patrons have enjoyed the first two books in this series, and I feel sure they will enjoy this one as well.

If Emma Makepeace has no fans, it's because I'm dead.

For three years in a row now, I get so excited for September because it means a new nail-biting, action-packed adventure with my favorite spy, and The Trap was no exception!

With the Global G7 Summit days away, Emma and her team are tipped off to an assassination attempt the Russians are planning. The only problem is, they have no clue who they are targeting. As many of the worlds most powerful leaders arrive in Edinburgh, Emma and the Agency have only a week to figure out who the target is to stop the assassination.

As always, I loved living in Emma's secretive, dangerous world, and couldn't stop reading because the action picks up from the very first scene. Without spoiling it, I was elated to see one of my favorite characters make a reappearance, and I loved a new character we meet who feels like she might show up in more books in the future.

Fans of action packed spy thrillers, know that you will love every book in this series!

If you want a propulsive storyline that takes you from London to Scotland, to Rome, and back to Scotland - all while trying to prevent an assassination at a G7 summit, this is your book! Reads like an action film, but with better character development. I thoroughly enjoyed this third in a series. It comes out right after Labor Day, and feels like a great read to pop in your last trip to the beach bag -- or, to save for the first chilly evening in front of the fire. Either way, give yourself time to enjoy it, because you are not going to want to put it down. Propulsive plot, but also a little subtle exploring of female friendship in a male-dominated field, and some found family mixed in. Highly recommend.

The third in the Alias Emma series, this was another great book.

I always think of a female James Bond when I read these books! Fast paced and thrilling, with great characters. In this book there is a Russian threat against the G7 Summit in Edinburgh, and Emma works with police office Kate Mackenzie to figure out what the threat is, who is the one to execute the threat, and how to protect the summit. The baddest of Russian bad guys, Vladimir Balakin, is in town and the two women must start by tailing him to figure out who is meeting with and why.

I loved the interaction with Kate Mackenzie, as Emma was not impressed to have to work with a partner in the beginning. I loved the return of the characters that Emma works with, such as Ripley, Martha who is a whiz with disguises, and Zach who is the whiz with the tech toys. Emma has to go undercover as the plot unfolds, and she's not too sure of the outcome.

All in all another winner from Ava Glass and I can't wait for the next one.

4.5 ⭐️

I absolutely love this series. I never thought I would like a spy novel, but here we are. This series always has the right mix of badass women, suspense, and just a pinch of romance (or potential). I loved how this one played out and how little tidbits from the previous books make their way onto the page. I hope there are many more Emma Makepeace stories!!!!!

5⭐️

Ava Glass has done it again-- another phenomenal Alias Emma book down with hopefully a dozen more to go 🤞🏼 I loved the first 2 Alias Emma books and this one did not disappoint. Like... espionage, a badass FMC, undercover operations, and found family? Yes please, to all of it.

This book, #3 in the series, follows Emma as she works with The Agency to discover what the Russians have planned for an upcoming world leadership conference ... the only catch? They don't even know what the possible threat would be and all help from the British government has been rescinded. Translation: The Agency is on their own, completely off the books. No help. No outside aid. No idea of what they even need to prevent. To get closer to the truth, Emma is assigned her mark: a charming billionaire who seems to be in cahoots with the bad guys.

Now for the review...

Let me say, it's about dang time the world gets a female spy hero to rival the best of them, (including James Bond), and Emma definitely meets all the criteria needed for a compelling, badass action FMC. This book has a little bit of everything, which is why I loved the last 2 Alias Emma novels... including, but not limited to, hints of romance, steamy undercover assignments, heart pounding action sequences, elements of found family, and a satisfying ending.

I loved seeing Emma mature through all three books and I especially adored the little easter eggs Glass threw in from her first two books. While this book caaaan technically be read as a standalone, it's much more impactful to read at least the first book in the series to understand a bit about Emma's background and her first case (the subject of whom plays a small role in this book).

One thing I also think Glass does well is keeping each book original and enticing, with unique characters and unique, fast paced plots. Nothing feels recycled and I love that our MC is so likeable and all around a good person.

Overall this is one of my favorite series and I was SO excited to read this! Very glad to see it did not disappoint and I got to see Emma grow in her own small ways as well. 10/10.

The G7 is being held in Edinburgh and The Agency has received information that the Russians are planning something dire for the members of the summit. Emma Makepeace and a small group from The Agency head there to try to figure out what is planned and stop it. Several things are getting in their way. First they are not sure what exactly is being planned and how many people are involved and there seems to be a leak in the local police department which is a big hinderance to all involved. And with only one week to find the threat and stop it time is not on their side.

3.5 stars

Emma Makepeace is back and ready to put it all on the line again.

This is the third book in Emma's series, and while it can be read as a standalone, readers will benefit from getting to know Emma better through the first two books. Character development isn't always a main focus of this genre, so any extra tidbits from earlier efforts should come in handy.

While this book definitely brings the action and some suspense, for me, it is the least engaging of the series, and this is because of a growing relationship between Emma and another character. The conversations around what Emma may choose to do and her (what I found to be odd) feelings around that just weirded me out to the point of distraction.

I'll keep going with this series because I have enjoyed it overall, but I hope we'll get back to other elements of Emma and less...expected developments in other areas.

I had ambivalent feelings when I started this book. I haven’t read the first two in the series and had no background on the main character, a British intelligence officer. So, at first, I felt this was a run of the mill spy thriller. But as the story unfolded I changed my tune and just may return to read the first two.

Russians are the bad guys and planning something for the G7 summit in Scotland. Will Emma be able to find out what before a major catastrophe shatters the meeting? At the same time she must battle her own thoughts on what she may have to do to avert disaster.

A good thriller!

Courtesy of Bantam, Netgalley, and Goodreads, I received the ARC of The Trap by Ava Glass, third in this series of British spy thrillers featuring Agent Emma Makepeace. Set in Edinburgh during a G7 conference amidst very current events, the clock is moving as Emma and her cohorts work to avert a disaster. This is suspense at it's utmost! I couldn't stop reading! Highly recommend!

2.75 stars

I've been pretty 'meh' about this whole series but this book is probably my least favorite.

It has all the pacing problems of the previous two. The balance is off between upbeats of action/mystery and downbeats of introspection. The only thrilling bit happens in Rome -- everything else feels too easy.

It's hard to connect with Emma. The story is told in a third person limited PoV, which is fine. But that seems to have tripped up the author because we're often told how Emma is feeling instead of seeing and experiencing it alongside her. Again, things seem too easy for her. <spoiler>And what was with the Michael interlude? I can guess the impact something like that would have if it had been done well but it wasn't. As it stands, it doesn't add to the story.</spoiler>

The narration is ridiculously repetitive. Not only does it recap the previous stories in an awkward, info-dumping kind of way, but it also repeats information from chapter to chapter. The number of times I groaned and shouted "Yes, we know!" was unacceptable.

Once again, the ending was a letdown. But I'd go further and argue that the way the whole 'Russian plot' played out was a disappointment. There were so many opportunities for a nuanced, twisted, always-keep-them-guessing conspiracy and instead, it was kept very simple. I feel cheated out of a good mystery.

I won't be continuing with this series and I don't see myself recommending it.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Bantam, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Another on the edge of your seat thriller starring the intrepid Emma Makepeace. The plot felt urgent and believable. It was fun to meet up with old characters and be introduced to a couple new ones too. This latest entry lacked the bite-your-nails urgency of the first and second books but was still enjoyable. I'll be tuning in for the next installment! I'd love to see this adapted into a movie/tv show!
My thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.