Book Review - Alias Emma by Ava Glass
In this novel a young undercover agent by the name Emma Makepeace is given the task of bringing in a young doctor who is the son of a Russian dissident living in the United Kingdom. The task seems easy enough, but soon turns into a deadly race for their lives.
Someone has been murdering Russian dissidents in the UK. Emma’s boss thinks that there is a pattern and the murderers are searching for one important scientist who had fled Russia years ago. The real danger is to the son of the scientist. Raised in Britain, he is now a medical doctor and has a very British disbelief that spies are running around London murdering and kidnapping. When Emma initially confronts him, he dismisses her and refuses to go into hiding. This leaves Emma no choice other than to follow him. That evening, outside his home, two Russian agents try to abduct him. Emma surprises them and is able to render one unconscious, but once the element of surprise is lost, the other Russian nearly kills her. The doctor knocks him out from behind and they take off.
Emma calls in for backup and for a pickup, but the Agency is unable to come to her help. Moreover, her mentor has gone AWOL. So Emma is on her own. She tries to lose the Russians, but they keep finding them. She realizes that the Russians have taken control of the CCTV system that covers the city of London. Now she has to figure out how to travel a few miles across a city covered in cameras that are all using facial recognition to locate them. Who can Emma trust? Has her own Agency been compromised? Will they make it, or will the relentless enemy track them to ground.
Alias Emma is an enjoyable novel with a thrilling pace. Once it gets started the action does not let up. You will find it hard to break away. This is the first novel by Ava Glass. Glass is a pseudonym for Young Adult author Christi Daugherty. The writing is superb. The characters are enjoyable. I look forward to more Emma Makepeace novels. The books hit the stores August 2. If you love great action, spy thrillers that keep you going then pre-order, or head out to your favorite local bookstore and pick up Alias Emma!