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.

I just read *The Trap* by Ava Glass, and let me tell you, I was hooked! 😍 Like, imagine James Bond, but make it Emma, the most badass British spy EVER. Yass queen! 👑 I don’t normally read spy books but this one was a perfect one to start with.

So, the story kicks off with our spy girl Emma zooming over to Edinburgh for the G7 Summit (fancy, right?), and that's when things get WILD! The twists and turns had me gasping, clutching my pearls, and flipping pages like a madwoman!

Emma is seriously everything – smart, fierce, and always two steps ahead. And can we talk about the plot? It’s like a rollercoaster, and I didn’t want to get off! 🎢 You never know who to trust or what’s coming next, and I was living for every second of it.

If you’re into spy thrillers with a side of glam and a whole lot of action, *The Trap* is totally your jam. Five sparkling stars from me, darlings! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Run, don't walk, to grab this book – Emma Makepeace is calling, and you definitely want to answer! 💃✨

In Ava Glass’s newest book The Trap, Emma Makepeace is back and her objective is to make sure security at the upcoming G7 conference being held in Edinburgh protects the high ranking world dignitaries attending. The problem? Russian spy Vladimir Balakin arrives in Scotland with his henchman and an unknown at his side. The plan? It’s up to Emma to go undercover once again and find out who the mystery man is, what his role since the problem is, and what the plot is by the Russians to disrupt what will be sanctions against them by the G7 leaders. With Ripley, IT expert Zach, and Adam assisting her, along with a female Scottish police officer (whose role starts as someone to help Emma navigate the streets of Edinburgh but quickly turns into something bigger) named Mackenzie, Emma is working with a short window of time to keep the peace at the conference.

Glass develops some new, robust characters in this one that you hope to see in future books. She also revisits a ghost from the past that almost distracts Emma from her case. The setting of Scotland is a welcome change. The Trap is another thrilling ride of espionage and malicious government interference. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on September 3, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheTrap #AvaGlass #RandomHousePublishing #Ballentine

This whole series has been so much fun. It’s high action and fast paced, two things I really enjoy in a thriller. I did feel that this book wasn’t quite as action packed as the first two, but it was still a lot of fun. This one is also a little more predictable and the twists weren’t as twisty. I did enjoy learning more about Emma and her life as a spy, this is always fascinating to me, and this aspect of the book did not disappoint. Because of the pacing of this book, you won’t want to put it down, and I forgave a lot of the predictability because I was having so much fun. I like that we got introduced to a new partner for Emma. I really liked her, and I hope that the author finds a way to keep her around in the next book because two strong female spies is just amazing.

While this book is part of a series, I do think you could read it as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading the first two because they are awesome and so much fun.

Another great chapter in the Alias Emma Series! couldn't stop reading the book. The story line is so good! The characters are evolving with each book

I love the Emma Makepeace series! THE TRAP was an excellent thrid outing for the wily spy, as fast-moving as her debut ALIAS EMMA and as twisty a plot as last year's THE TRAITOR. The more I get to know Emmas, the more I want to continue following her exploits.

I can't get enough of Emma Makepeace! The Alias Emma series by Ava Glass is a great thriler and easy to read in one sitting! I couldn't put this down on a recent flight. In this story, Emma travels to Edinburgh to assist with the G7 Summit. Old and new friends are involved and the mystery has twists and turns. These are always timely with the world situation with Russia and its interesting to see how Glass utilizes recent events in her storylines. Emma is the ultimate female British spy!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Once you start this book, there’s absolutely no stopping.

It’s fast moving from the first page. Emma Makepeace is a secret intelligence officer working with a small team of experts. They are searching for a Russian military assassin with a possible attack on the upcoming G7 Summit in Scotland. The group headed up by Charles Ripley includes pros that are highly skilled with computers, police work and military combat.

The G7 includes the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. There’s not a lot of time to make sure that they are free from danger while they’re on official business. The team knows it can’t be cancelled when they learn that a highly skilled Russian spy has just arrived. The team is under intense pressure to find out what Vladimir Balakin is planning. As they move quickly sorting through pieces of information, I am feeling like I have to read the pages in a hurry. I can sense the pressure; the stakes are high.

This story feels real like it could happen which makes it even more tense. That’s why I love reading books by Ava Glass, a former crime reporter and civil servant. The author knows exactly what it takes to make a great thriller with the topic, characters and setting. Her stories never let up until the end. While the British spy, Emma Makepeace, can be found in two other books, this one can be easily enjoyed as a standalone. However, of the three, this is my favorite.

My thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of September 3, 2024.

I have not missed a single book in this series. Emma Makepeace, the female James Bond, is a bad a$$ and always on a mission. While they can be read as a standalone (each book is a mission) I would highly recommend reading them all in order. Emma’s character continues to grow and each book picks up where the last ended.
I personally love a great spy novel, and the topics covered in this are so relevant to things going on in the world today. We have new characters (I am anxious to see if they show up later) and a visit from a dark haired man that Emma was especially glad to see. Whatever Ava Glass has in store next, I will NOT miss it
Thank you for Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

I haven't read the prior books in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. While there is lots of action, the story is somewhat predictable, Other parts require the reader to suspend disbelief. The ending was a bit underwhelming, and I am not sure if I will pick up future books in this series.

This third novel featuring Ava Glass' the female equivalent of James Bond, Emma Makepeace, is a novel you'll want to devour this summer. Fast paced as always, you'll find yourself staying up late to read just one more chapter of this book. The story takes us to Edinburgh for the G7 summit, where Emma is in charge of bringing in a Russian expatriate who has been caught up in a plot to target the leaders gathering at the summit. In the days leading up to the event, Emma must seduce her target, all while working with a partner in the local police force who are suspected of leaking important details of the covert mission to the press.