A Spy's Most Difficult Cover Yet...Single Mum

 

Cover copied from bookshop.org

I, Spy by L.M. Kemp is a fast-paced suspense thriller full of intrigue, rogue operatives, and preschool drama. And can I just say how awesome that title is for a book about a former spy who is brought back into the espionage game while simultaneously raising her four-year-old daughter. Talk about serving a dual purpose. 

This novel hooked me right away with action and danger almost from the first page. But beneath the high-stakes missions, spies and secrets runs an undercurrent of just trying to make it as the single parent of a very young child with all of the anxiety, love, tenderness, guilt and sometimes sheer boredom that engenders. Add to that fact the isolation Kendall has been living in with her daughter Rosie to keep them both safe from her past and you have a character dynamic there that is layered and complex. All parent-child relationships tend to be that way, but for Kendall things are ramped up even more because of who and what she was raised to be. Not only is Kendall a past spy, but she was raised to be one by her single mother who was also one. This background leaves her constantly questioning her own parenting skills since she doesn't feel she ever had a real role model to fall back on herself. Kemp makes this dilemma an interesting source of conflict for Kendall as she tries to be a different sort of mother to Rosie.

After the life that Kendall has been living for the past four years in hiding is discovered by unknown agents, she is forced to call in a favor from her former handler, Rico. In return for offering her a secure safe-house for her and Rosie to seek refuge in, Rico asks Kendall to undertake a mission for him. One that she will be perfect for, spying on one of the other parents at her daughter's new school. It seems like a relatively low-risk assignment. That is until Kendall realizes that Rico hasn't told her all the facts and that the tech firm the parent works at is developing spyware that could have darker and deadlier consequences than anyone could've fathomed. But despite feeling a bit rusty after four years of living as a civilian, Kendall is still sharp, highly-skilled and lethally dangerous, especially against anyone she thinks might harm her little girl. 

This book kept me turning pages with all of its twists and short action-packed chapters. It is definitely a 'just one more chapter' type of novel. The character development for Kendall, Rosie, and other side characters you meet along the way was also top notch. But what I'm most impressed with is the way the author was able to seamlessly weave together the spy world with the world of single parenthood. It was highly entertaining to see the way Kendall carries out surveillance and counter-surveillance at the same time she maintains her daughter's school day schedule, watching the clock for instance, while she's gathering intel to make sure she isn't late picking up Rosie. Using parent volunteer opportunities and social media stalking to infiltrate parent groups and develop contacts among the adults connected with the school while also helping build costumes for the school play. 

As a thriller this was a fun and gripping one while still being emotionally compelling. While it is full of the secrets and intrigue you would expect from a spy novel, it also explores the complexities of figuring out one's identity not only as a working adult, but also after one becomes a parent and responsible for someone else. I'm very pleased that this is the first in a series, as I will be waiting in avid anticipation for the next installment. I, Spy will be out this Tuesday May 5th if you'd like to pick up your own copy. 

For my next review in a couple of weeks, I'll be featuring a clever YA mystery that is Agatha Christie meets Veronica Mars entitled The Agathas. The blurb and book cover below are both copied from bookshop.org.

Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks they know what happened. But they're wrong. Two unlikely friends come together to solve the case in this fast-paced, fun, modern Agatha Christie inspired thriller.

Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex–best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke will be coming back. . .
 
Enter Iris Adams, Alice’s tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn’t have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke’s grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter’s whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn’t so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.
 
In order to get the reward and prove Steve’s innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need—the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there’s anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it’s the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.