Spy gets tangled in family drama, Cold War secrets

James Naughtie proved himself to be an excellent writer of spy stories with his debut thriller, “The Madness of July.” A veteran journalist for the BBC, Naughtie again writes about British spy Will Flemyng in his prequel, “Paris Spring.”

The story is set during the Cold War in the late 1960s, and no one knows who to trust. In Paris in 1968, everyone is talking about revolution. Flemyng, a ScottishAmerican spy working for the British Embassy, has a chance encounter on the metro with a man from East Germany; he suspects the man could give him some good information.

Head of Department Freddy Craven, Flemyng’s mentor, agrees that he should pursue the lead. But when Will meets with the East German again, he gives Will information that indicates treachery and possibly treason by Will’s brother, Abel, who is a spy for the U.S. Secret Service.

With his family in danger, Flemyng fears exposure and chooses to handle the problem on his own, without the help of Craven. As a result, he soon finds himself in deep trouble.

An award-winning female American journalist shows up in Paris looking for a big story. She’s murdered, and both the British and American embassies try to find out who killed her and why. Flemyng teams up with Maria, a journalist/spy to find answers.

Naughtie creates images of smoke filled bars, barricades burning in the street and dead letter drops in cemeteries. He also shows us the peaceful tranquility of Flemyng’s family home in Scotland, in the midst of woods next to a loch.

“Paris Spring” is a spy thriller that will take you back to the mysteries and clandestine meetings of the Cold War. The author captures it perfectly.