Highly entertaining, funny and charming but while not a typical spy story the references to how the world was in the 1960s kept the story not too far away from reality. A great read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Just loved this book. Easily read it during a quiet Sunday as it had me amused, involved and thoroughly transported back to the London of 1965.

Character driven, it is ultimately about the role of women in this MI5 and one person in particular, Maggie Flynn.

Forced to work to support her daughter her background leads her into the bottom echelons of the secret service. It seems she and her colleagues work on the bottom rung within MI5, as “watchers” but although they must display spy-craft they should never think they are spies.

Maggie’s husband was a spy but he concealed his involvement and role from his family throughout his life and elements only came to light when he sadly lost his life during an assignment.

The crux of the book is a desire to learn more about his role as an intelligence officer that leads Maggie to be suspicious about his work in his final weeks. This uncovers a conspiracy that may have ultimately cost him his life.

Brilliant locations and name dropping from the time; with a soundtrack of 60’s music and a catwalk of London fashion. The novel oozes style and conveys the changing atmosphere of the time. The story builds well, through the repetitive work of a dedicated watcher, where we see traits within Maggie that will enable her to confront the establishment.

I loved the many references to Maggie’s people skills, honed as a store detective; the ability to read people and judge criminal intent against social necessity. I really felt invested in her character, her integrity and desire to do right by others. With self-deprecating wit, a troublesome bunion and middle aged athleticism she retains the heart of a lion, Bond’s guile and the ingenuity of a Bourne.

An unusual but compelling spy thriller; with a convincing mystery that conveys intrigue and action to the end.

Mrs Spy was something of a slow starter for me, and I wasn’t sure where it was going. From the blurb I’d imagined Swinging Sixties, glamorous and frothy – it was actually much deeper and darker than that, and the story soon pulled me in.
I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, which is a good thing! It had flawed, believable characters – I loved sidekick Frank, and the heroine Maggie Flynn, on a mission to uncover the truth about her dead husband and the secret he’d stumbled upon.
There was a mystery and tension at the heart of Mrs Spy, and the threads all came together beautifully at the end. This was proper storytelling, unfurling and unhurried.
Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for the review copy.

Mrs Spy by Mandy Robotham is a spy/espionage novel but different in so many ways. It is set in the 1960 in a women’s eyes of Maggie Flynn.
Maggie Flynn is not a typical mum in the 1960’s. When her husband died, and she finds out that he was an MI5 agent in the time of the cold war. She decides to become a MI5 watcher herself with her partner Frank. A watcher is an agent who watchers and observes Russian agents and gathers the information back to MI5. But at the same time, she wants to find out what her husband was killed.
She is also a mother who has a daughter that is obsessed with The Beatles, who wants her mother’s influences to find tickets to the upcoming Beatles concert.
Mrs Spy a great read with a different aspect of a spy/ espionage thriller. This is full of action, and I love the character of Maggie Fllyn and her exploits. It is not a serious as others. The story has some humour in it too. This would make a great series and I hope to there is more of Maggie Flynn to come.

Mrs Spy is a gripping and atmospheric espionage thriller set in 1960s London, bringing a refreshing twist to the genre with its unforgettable protagonist, Maggie Flynn. Widowed and raising a Beatles-mad teenage daughter, Maggie is not your typical spy, but her work for MI5 gives her both purpose and a link to her late husband, whose own covert past was only revealed after his death.

When a chance encounter with a Russian agent suggests that her husband is not who she believed him to be, Maggie is thrown into a world of secrets, betrayals and deadly consequences. As she searches for the truth, she must rely on her intelligence, instinct and sheer determination to survive in a game where trust is a dangerous illusion.

M J Robotham masterfully captures the intrigue and tension of Cold War espionage, weaving a story that is both thrilling and emotionally compelling. Maggie is a fantastic lead—sharp, resourceful and defying expectations at every turn. It is refreshing to see a middle-aged woman at the heart of a spy thriller, proving that courage and wit are just as important as brute force.

With its richly drawn setting, complex twists and a heroine you cannot help but root for, Mrs Spy is a must-read for fans of historical thrillers. I would happily read more books featuring Maggie Flynn and hope this is just the beginning of her adventures.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A new take on the spy story - the first I’ve read that I could describe as Cosy Espionage. An entertaining group of characters and a lovely thread of humour running through.

A spy thriller set in 1960s London and follows Mags, a watcher for MI5 and widow of one of its operatives. The novel captures the atmosphere of the not so swinging Sixties and the gloom of the Cold War. I liked the characters and the fast paced narrative.

Loved Maggie. Tenacious, loyal, resourceful. Everything you would expect from a MI5 operative. Parts reminded me of Slow Horses, the department and jobs she was assigned to. I found it a really great read.

Let me start by confessing I got this book thinking it was a Michael Robotham novel only to discover it was actually a Mandy Robotham thriller. Thankfully the book turned out to be a very enjoyable read. This is a gripping historical fiction thriller that has an unconventional take of an espionage novel. Set in 1960’s London and features Maggie Flynn a covert operative for MI5 who multitasks between the demands of her spy career as well as raising a rebellious teenage daughter. .

Maggie’s life takes a disturbing turn when a Russian agent reveals he knew her late husband. Maggie had always believed her husband was a journalist so the insinuation at a betrayal from within sends shock waves. As Maggie investigates she realises that the enemies she faces may be a lot closer than she thought.

This is a fast paced novel that is well written and has some excellent characters. A book I never planned to read but would really enjoy it if there was a follow up story.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Aria and Aries for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Spy stories aren't usually my thing, but a middle-aged, single-mum spy? In 1960s London? With humour and sass and secrets? Yes, I'm sold!

Thanks to Aria and NetGalley for my review copy. Opinions are entirely my own.

Maggie Flynn isn't your regular spy - she's a 45-year old mum to a sassy teenage daughter (so far, so relatable!). She's also taken on a role with MI5 as one of their Watchers, the lowest rung of espionage, as she is tasked with following suspicious characters as she sports a range of disguises (although being a middle-aged/older woman renders her practically invisible....of course). She's working to support her mother and daughter, the latter of whom has expensive requirements for concert tickets (the Beatles in Maggie's case, Sabrina Carpenter in mine...still pretty relatable). When Maggie meets a captive Russian agent, she starts to uncover the secrets of her dead husband's spying career - and even bigger secrets that put her in extreme danger.

I really enjoyed this peek into 1960s London - there's lots of historical and cultural references, even though Maggie sometimes has curiously modern sensibilities. I also loved that the pace was fast - the later stages of the novel in particular are exciting as Maggie races through London to do what's right. And Maggie herself is a joy - she's tough, brave and wonderfully funny.

Overall, this is a fun and lively novel and one I'd recommend - you'll love Maggie, be caught up in her chaotic life and absolutely root for her to triumph. The only thing I don't love is the title of the book - it sounds far too cutesy and cosy for such a strong character!

Maggie Flynn is 45 and working as a 'Watcher' for MI5, who were her late husband's employer, she is fairly happy with life until the day she is sent to babysit a Russian defector. A chance conversation makes her think that he knew her late husband, was his death really an accident or was he killed deliberately?

Aided by Frank, a colleague and former police officer, she hunts for the truth. A thrilling read.

What a delightful and heartwarming read.
Maggie Flynn is a 45-year-old widow in 1960s London and has promised her teen daughter hard-to-find tickets to a Beatles concert, while dealing with the antics of her own eccentric mother. But Maggie has a lot going on – she’s also a spy, has to keep this a secret from her family and is dealing with a painful bunion that’s practically developing its own heartbeat.
She’s a watcher for M15 during the Cold War, and her job is to “watch, track, report” on the activities of Communists in London. This means days in and out tailing targets, reading body language, switching disguises and trying to ignore her growing bunion as she ponders that “James Bond was never in need of foot balm”.
But everything changes when Maggie is instructed to step in briefly to babysit a Russian spy defector at a safe house. He reveals he knew her late husband, Davy, a fellow agent, and that he was possibly betrayed by his own side. Thus begins a madcap, dangerous search to uncover the truth of what Davy was doing and why he was killed even if it means putting her own life at risk. Oh, and she still needs to get those elusive concert tickets.
The book takes place mostly over 10 days in May in 1965 and is filled with all sorts of pop culture references to the era. The story has plenty of suspense but still manages to keep things light as it moves along at a good pace. Maggie is a breath of fresh air, she’s an engaging and witty narrator who is well-supported by an interesting bunch of cohorts. It’s a charming story and let’s hope this was not a one-off outing for a new favourite spy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4* Mrs Spy - MJ Robotham - a sparkling, quirky and distinct espionage thriller set in 1960s roaring London.

Maggie Flynn is a widowed single mother, living with her Beatles mad teenage daughter and eccentric mother. By day Maggie is a ‘watcher’, the lowliest rung of MI5, observing ‘targets’ while wearing a plethora of disguises or, bunion permitting, following them to catch them in compromising positions. When Maggie’s family ties lead to an unexpected journey out of the city, she puts herself and those she cares about in the ultimate peril.

MJ Robotham not only brings 1960s London to life, but lights it up with a middle-aged character who you can’t fail to be utterly entranced by. With a wider cast of characters, not least Maggie’s colleague Frank, who also light up the page, Mrs Spy is an absolute delight. The plot zips along with a middling pace - it’s not high octane, it’s not Le Carre - it feels like a genre of its own. Hugely enjoyable and fingers crossed not the first outing for Maggie.

Thanks to Netgalley and Aria & Aries for an ARC.

Sent in 1960s Maggie became a spy when her husband Davey was killed in an accident. Maggie lives with her mother Gilda and teenage daughter Libby.She had to follow people thought to be spies for other countries dressed in various disguises. She finds out that her husband was murdered and goes about trying to find who killed him

What a completely unexpected story! Maggie, a middle aged lady with hidden talents. discovers that her husband was working for MI5, and that his death was actually a murder. She is herself, a Watcher, and we see her traversing London in the 60s, using any manner of disguises. The inimitable Frank is her sidesman. Memories of London in the 60s came flooding back to me, the coffee bars, the fashions, all so well drawn in this book. I'm not sure how probable the spying adventure really is, but it kept me gripped. Thank you for an excellent choice to red and review.

An enjoyable book that tells Maggie’s story, where she attempts to find out why her husband died and finish his work. Set in the 1960s world of espionage in swinging London.

Maggie Flynn is not the type of person you would normally imagine as a spy, but that just makes this book more enjoyable. It is a delightful and mesmerising read about a middle aged woman who finds herself in all sorts of scrapes whilst still keeping her day job a secret from her family. Brilliantly written, funny and engaging..

London, 1965, Maggie Flynn is an MI5 watcher, the lowest rung of the security service reporting on the daily activities of her targets. Life has been hard after her watcher husband died unexpectedly three years earlier, but she keeps going for the sake of her daughter and mother. However, a stand-in job suddenly reveals unexpected information about her husband's death and she is very quickly on the trail of something very dark at the heart of the British establishment.
What a brilliant plot! I could not put this book down as I followed Maggie's search for answers. The author's character descriptions really bring these people to life and you find yourself desperately wishing them on to succeed. The plot twists and turns as you discover more keeping the reader in pure suspense until the very end. I loved it!

Another fast paced and light hearted thrill of a read from Mandy Robotham! Mrs Spy is brilliant and full of great characters! I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc.

Fast moving and highly entertaining with an engaging main character.. My only quibble was that the book read more like a modern day novel than a period piece and it lacks the atmosphere of a genuine 1960s set drama, in fact occasionally I forgot what period I was reading about.