Category: In the Media

This month, it’s for God, Club and Country.

Seth Thevoz is quoted extensively in an article for The Telegraph, about the recent news that Pratt’s Club will be admitting women. While not the end of civilisation as we know it, an interesting debate about shifting sensibilities in Clubland.

“It’s embarrassing, in this day and age to admit you belong to a men-only club. You have to admit to work colleagues you can’t take colleagues to White’s [where women are not even allowed past the door] for drinks, for example. So it isn’t just that clubs need to recruit women, it’s that they need to recruit men who aren’t embarrassed to say they belong to a men-only club.”

This then prompted German Television to run an interview segment for Tagesschau.

The Women Behind the Few by Sarah-Louise Miller was reviewed for The Past magazine.

‘The Women Behind the Few is a tribute to those who devoted their wartime years – and youth – to serving the nation and who overcame, as Miller puts it, ‘prejudice, endured social ostracism and sexism on a daily basis and [who] smashed stereotypes with a clear ability to do what was required but not expected of them’. Well said. This book is a great read, and I highly commend it.’

Sue Dobson appeared in a two-part episode on the podcast Cold War Conversations. She talks about her childhood and what life was like under apartheid, her journey to joining the African National Congress, her recruitment into the armed wing, and her training in the Soviet Union.

Her remarkable story can be found in her memoir Burned, out now.

Fr. Mark Vickers received a splendid review in the City Journal:

‘Well-researched, well-written and unflaggingly lively, Vickers’s book is a model of insightful biography. It is also witty, judicious, and tailor-made for that elusive customer, the general reader. […]

Vickers’s most striking achievement in God In Number 10 is to humanize his prime ministers by showing their struggles to find faith in an office demanding faith at every turn. That most of them failed to do so only underscores the dignity of the effort.

In God In Number 10, a brilliant biographer has recreated them with illuminating empathy.’

Finally, Henry R. Schlesinger’s Honey Trapped, was well reviewed in the New York Sun by Carl Rollyson, the biographer of a great spy-detector, Rebecca West.

‘You will learn some tradecraft, such as the “verbal parole”: an exchange in which, say, the expected answer to, “Haven’t we met in California last summer?” is, “No, I think it was the Hamptons.” Or the use of “signal sites” — in one instance pasting an upside-down postage stamp on a neighborhood map outside a Starbucks to indicate a passport had been delivered.

If you want to be even more up-to-date, check out the last part of Mr. Schlesinger’s book that deals with “cyber honey traps.” That online dating service you are using? Watch out. A number of Israeli soldiers have been fooled, and the consequences have not been sweet.’

Congratulations to Michael Smith who was long-listed for the CWA’s Gold Dagger for non-fiction for The Real Special Relationship (Simon & Schuster). Furthermore, the Henley-based writer will appear at this year’s Henley Literary Festival alongside Sir John Scarlett, former MI6 Chief, to discuss how UK and US politicians and secret services work together.

Sue Dobson’s explosive memoir Burned: The Spy South Africa Never Caught, continues to attract world-wide attention. The BBC World Service aired their two-part programme live, which can be listened back here.

The popular US podcast Spycraft101 also interviewed her here.

Sarah-Louise Miller appeared in the Aspects of History magazine featuring The Mobilisation of Women in Another World War. Her new book, The Women Behind the Few is out now.

She also wrote an article in issue 118 for the magazine History of War.

Finally, listen as Mary Novakovich shares her insider’s perspective on the best places for an authentic meal or an impromptu concert in Croatia for the Wanderlust Magazine podcast.

Spies and secrecy are the theme for April.

Sarah-Louise Miller celebrated the publication of her new book THE WOMEN BEHIND THE FEW (Biteback) in a media blitz, appearing on the popular We Have Ways of Making You Talk podcast with Al Murray and James Holland.

The Daily Mail ran an article about the WAAF. Dr. Miller, tells how members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) overcame prejudice and smashed stereotypes. RAF chiefs initially feared women were too gossipy and prone to hysterics for vital military work in the Second World War.

She also wrote an exclusive article for the Daily Express below.

She also appeared with Professor Alice Roberts for a brand new documentary series on Channel 4 called Fortress Britain. She can be seen in episode 2.

You can catch up with History Hit Podcast with Dan Snow too here.

In the run up to publication of BURNED (Vine Leaves Press) on May 16, Sue Dobson was interviewed for a two-part BBC World Service broadcast called Lives Less Ordinary, entitled ‘The Spy who Wanted to bring down Apartheid.’

Sue Dobson was a white South African who risked her life as an ANC secret agent.

This can be listened on catch-up here. It will broadcast on the BBC World Service in May.

Lucy Hooft’s sequel to THE KING’S PAWN – HEAD OF THE SNAKE (Burning Chair) – was published on March 30th and was included in the Financial Times’ thriller roundup by fellow spy writer Adam LeBor, describing her ‘fine eye for detail‘ in a story that ‘moves seamlessly‘.

Holly Watt, journalist, crime writer and winner of the 2019 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, said, ‘It’s so exciting to see a powerful female character like Sarah Black emerging. A fast-paced espionage thriller that feels fresh and exciting – and takes you to some shocking places. It will keep you up far too late!‘

Acclaimed veteran spy writer David Brierley’s return from the cold, DEAD MAN TELLING TALES (Safe House Books), received high praise as Mike Ripley’s Book of the Month in Shots Crime & Thriller eZine saying it was, ‘written with all the sly cynicism of the spy world, along with some wonderful descriptions of a country coming to terms with a changing present while living with memories of a cruel history, this is Brierley’s first novel in more than twenty years and an elegant reminder of what a fine writer he is.‘ An enjoyable conversation between Ripley and Brierley can be heard at the Spybrary website too.

It was also written up at Beyond the Books as ‘an absolute cracker of a book. The story is so skilfully woven together. I couldn’t put this book down from the very start. The research must have been immense. The authenticity of the story just placed me there, in Latvia.‘

A short roundup for a short month.

Fr Mark Vicker’s new book GOD IN NUMBER 10, was well received by the Church Times.

Mary Novakovich wrote a piece for the Times 2, about her roadtrip in Croatia with her mother on the theme of dementia.

Mary also featured as Anne Diamond’s guest on Viking TV, to talk about her book and Croatian cuisine.

We welcome the new year with several agency authors in the media.

Lucy Hooft was interviewed on the Curtis Brown Creative Writing Course blog. Lucy Hooft studied their six-week online Write to the End of Your Novel and Edit & Pitch Your Novel courses in 2018. Her debut The King’s Pawn (book one in The Sarah Black Series) is out now with independent publisher Burning Chair. She spoke about the lifelong friends she met on our courses, her love of thrillers and her journey to publication.

Mary Novakovich had a Croatia feature in print in ⁦Times Travel. Her new Croatia travelogue, is shortlisted for the ⁦Stanfords Travel⁩ Travel Book of the Year award.

She even shared her diet tips with the Daily Telegraph!

There was also a review of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS for The Past Magazine and a review for Graydon Carter’s Airmail digital magazine.

In this month’s media roundup of agency authors, you can’t keep a good book down as Seth Thevoz’s Behind Closed Doors, was named by London’s Heywood Hill bookshop as one of the “10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR!” 

The TLS also gave the book a terrific review, describing it as ‘“Exuberant, rollicking… Behind Closed Doors is full of amusing anecdotes and waspish character sketches.”’.

In podcast news, Andrew Jeffrey was interviewed on the Spycraft101 podcast about his book A Taste for Treason, out now. You can also read the the preface to Andrew’s book, completely free here.

Staying on the spy podcast theme, Henry Schlesinger was interviewed on the International Spy Museum’s Spycast to discuss his newest book, Honey Trapped: Sex, Betrayal, and Weaponized Love, which explores the fascinating relationship between sex and spying.

And… you know about Benjamin Franklin in Paris as a “bon vivant, wily diplomat and aging lion,” but read Henry’s article about him as the “Founding Forger” engaged in disinformation and fake news during the Revolution!

Sarah-Louise Miller reveals the forgotten history of the intelligence battle that set up a decisive victory at Midway on the History Hit podcast. Her new book is available for pre-order and published on March 16th 2023.

Lucy Hooft appeared on two podcasts to discuss her debut spy novel The King’s Pawn: The Writer’s Routine and The Hobcast. Her novel is inspired by a real life event no-one has heard of, and takes place around the South Caucus region, which few people know about.

Finally, a double for Mary Novakovich and C. J. Schuler, whose books appeared on Wanderlust magazine’s best travel books for 2022.

And in wonderful news, as Mary’s book ‘My Family and Other Enemies: Life and Travels in Croatia’s Hinterland’. was shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year. Published by Bradt Guides.

In this month’s media roundup of agency authors, Tim Stanley gave Fr Mark Vickers’ new book, ‘God in No. 10’, 4/5 Stars in The Daily Telegraph.

Andrew Jeffrey’s A Taste for Treason was well reviewed in The Times.

And Mary Novakovich’s My Family and Other Enemies was reviewed in the Literary Review.

‘Guidebooks tend to tell readers why it is worth going to see somewhere today. Novakovich has written those too, but this book explains what lies behind what is worth seeing. The human hinterland is as fascinating as the landscape.’

Agency author Dr Sarah-Louise Miller recently appeared on an episode of the currently airing series of Channel 4’s My Grandparents War. Sarah travelled to Greenock in Scotland to film for the episode and was tasked with explaining to actress Keira Knightley what her grandmother’s Second World War service entailed. Keira’s grandmother, Jan, worked for the US Army’s 5th Port in the Transportation Division, and helped to organise and execute the movement of Allied troops for the D-Day invasion. The episode can be viewed on catch-up on All 4 here.

Mary Novakovich appeared on the True Travel Podcast and her book is now available worldwide.

Seth Thévoz was interviewed for The Chap Magazine, which is available in all good newsstands now or you can download the digital edition here.

He also joined Kate on the Betwixt the Sheets podcast to reveal the secret history behind some of London’s most famous members’ clubs, from 1693 to the present day.

Listen back to the History Hit’s Betwixt the Sheets podcast.

Michael Smith’s THE REAL SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP continues to garner stellar press. The Times Literary Supplement (right) featured it as a lead review with an introduction by the editor in chief. It was described as “a lucid account, rich in anecdote and detail.”

The Cipher Brief, a daily email put out by a US organization which produces reports on intelligence issues by former prominent spooks, also published its own review and notes “Smith’s careful research enables him to challenge a few myths.”

The book was also reviewed in Country Life Magazine by Allan Mallison.

“Michael Smith was an intelligence professional before turning to journalism. There are few as qualified as he to put the whole story together and few who could tell it with such cogency. He relates the 80 years’ cooperation between the intelligence communities (principally the SIS and CIA) in astonishing and revelatory detail, with pace, clarity and authority. It is, quite simply, magnificent.”

And by John Rathbone, the Financial Times’ security & defence correspondent, who said:

“Michael Smith, a former military intelligence officer and author of several books about spying, handles the material judiciously and writes with élan.”

Mary Novakovich’s MY FAMILY AND OTHER ENEMIES published August 18 and was featured in Country Life (right). She also appeared on DK Travel’s Where To Go podcast, the Travel Writing World podcast, Destination Food Drink and Monocle Reads: Meet the Writers.

Seth Thevoz’s BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was reviewed in The Spectator Australia, noting “despite the vastness of its ambition, Behind Closed Doors serves as a well-researched one-stop introduction to the complex social history of the club.”

The London Review of Books also wrote an illuminating essay about the book and Clubland in general.

The book was also reviewed in The Financial Times, saying:

“This well-researched romp through the history of the capital’s private members’ clubs overturns many myths along the way… Compendious and entertaining, Behind Closed Doors: The Secret Life of London Clubs is the result of thorough research, lightly worn. Thévoz writes with energy, conviction and amusement at the ever-changing variety of human congregation and its foibles.”

Caroline Boggis-Rolfe’s ADRIATIC published on August 15 and she appeared on The History Hack podcast.

Henry Schlesinger also discussed honey traps on the Spycraft 101 podcast.