A Foreign Country: A Novel (Thomas Kell #1) (Paperback)
August 2012 Indie Next List
“Thomas Kell is a spy, or at least he used to be. He was 'asked' to retire -- which means he was forced out -- by the SIS, the British Secret Intelligence Service. But then Thomas is called back in because he's the best person to track down his old partner, Amelia. She is slated to become the next chief of SIS and has disappeared. Thomas discovers Amelia has secretly met up with the son she gave up for adoption many years ago, something that could ruin Amelia's career. Thomas is out to find her, protect her story, and redeem his life as a spy. As in all good spy thrillers, this one is full of intrigue and suspense, and Cumming is an expert storyteller.”
— Leigh Ann Giles, Western AS Bookstore, Bellingham, WA
From the internationally acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of The Trinity Six, comes Charles Cumming's A Foreign Country, a compelling tale of deceit and betrayal, conspiracy and redemption.
On the vacation of a lifetime in Egypt, an elderly French couple are brutally murdered. Days later, a meticulously-planned kidnapping takes place on the streets of Paris. Amelia Levene, the first female Chief of MI6, has disappeared without a trace, six weeks before she is due to take over as the most influential spy in Europe. It is the gravest crisis MI6 has faced in more than a decade. Desperate not only to find her, but to keep her disappearance a secret, Britain's top intelligence agents turn to one of their own: disgraced MI6 officer Thomas Kell.
Tossed out of the Service only months before, Kell is given one final chance to redeem himself - find Amelia Levene at any cost. The trail leads Kell to France and Tunisia, where he uncovers a shocking secret and a conspiracy that could have unimaginable repercussions for Britain and its allies. Only Kell stands in the way of personal and political catastrophe.