NEWS

Posted on 2 October, 2026

David McCloskey is hailed as the best spy novelist around… And with a brand new book hitting the shelves on 8^th October, we had to see about it!

OVERVIEW

London Station, McCloskey’s fifth novel, what if the CIA and MI6 started spying on each other?

We see the return of a fan-favourite character, Artemis Procter from Damascus Station (don’t worry, though – it’s a standalone story!). The fiery CIA agent is hoping to get her hands dirty in the field but instead, thanks to a turn of bad luck and the introduction of a new and unconventional CIA Director, she is sent to London to act as Chief of Station there. It’s a role she does not particularly enjoy.

Soon, alliances shift, colleagues clash, old friends become adversaries and the special relationship isn’t feeling so special. When agents on both sides start dying, and secrets start leaking out to hostile foreign actors, everyone is forced to think carefully about who can and can’t be trusted.

London Station offers incredible insider knowledge brought to life in the skilled hands of a bestselling novelist. It’s tense, political, and a refreshing take on the modern spy novel.

WHY WE CHOSE IT

David McCloskey is a major voices in contemporary espionage fiction, and we’re excited that he has brought his latest spy thriller to London, the home of James Bond.

There is an interesting similarity between Ian Fleming and David McCloskey: both draw on first-hand experience of the intelligence world in their fiction, albeit in very different ways. Fleming served in British Naval Intelligence during the Second World War, while McCloskey worked as a CIA analyst before turning to fiction.

Fleming transformed the world of intelligence into the mythology of James Bond: exotic locations, elaborate schemes, glamorous love interests, larger-than-life villains… His books capture the excitement and fantasy of espionage, creating a world where the extraordinary feels entirely natural.

McCloskey takes almost the opposite approach. His novels are firmly rooted in the contemporary world of intelligence, drawing on real geopolitical tensions, institutional relationships and the complexities of modern espionage so, rather than escaping from reality, London Station gets its tension from how close to reality it feels.

What better way to explore how the spy novel has changed, and whether the reality of espionage is any less exciting than 007?

THEMES TO CONSIDER

– Tradition – What does the novel suggest about the changing nature of the “special relationship” and the way modern espionage differs from the Cold War model?

– Anger – How do anger, resentment and revenge influence the characters’ decisions?

– Love – Think about the roles love and relationships play with the espionage-heavy plot.

REVIEWS

Antony Beevor – ‘Quite literally, this is not just McCloskey’s best book by far, it is the best spy novel I have ever read: brilliantly written and plotted’

Simon Sebag Montefiore – ‘Brilliant, wildly compelling, thrilling read that I couldn’t put down. One of the best thrillers I’ve ever read, propulsively realistic & prophetic. His creation Artemis is becoming a classic. David McCloskey is the top spy thrillerist of our lethal era’

Charles Beaumont – ‘An immensely enjoyable and gripping read, but also an essential account – perhaps the first one – of a major shift in world politics: the end of the transatlantic alliance. Right on the nose, very funny and hugely insightful. We are lucky to have a writer of David’s quality to be the person writing it’

Alex Gerlis – ‘A real treat for all espionage fans: a stylish and clever thriller which poses the question “what if the CIA and MI6 began spying on each other” and answers it with a gripping plot featuring the welcome return of Artemis Procter. Highly recommended for all spy fiction fans and beyond’

Tim Shipman – ‘Superbly written, with atmosphere, intelligence and tension, it reminds you of the best of Graham Greene. There can be no higher praise’

Sunday Times – ‘McCloskey is the best spy thriller writer working today’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst. While at the CIA, he wrote regularly for the President’s Daily Brief during President Obama’s tenure, delivered classified testimony to Congressional oversight committees, and briefed senior White House officials, Ambassadors, military officials, and Arab royalty. He worked in CIA field stations across the Middle East throughout the Arab Spring and conducted a rotation in the Counterterrorism Centre focused on the jihad in Syria and Iraq. David holds an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, where he specialized in energy policy and the Middle East.  He is the co-host with Gordon Corera of the successful The Rest is Classified podcast and lives in Texas with his wife and three children.

His first novel, Damascus Station, set in Syria, was the bestselling debut spy novel of its year and shortlisted for a British Book Award. His second, Moscow X was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month and a Sunday Times Thriller of the Year. And his third, The Seventh Floor, was a Sunday Times Bestseller. His most recent novel, The Persian, entered at no 3 in the Sunday Times Bestsellers chart in January and is out in paperback on 2 July. London Station is his fifth novel. His novels are in print in more than fifteen countries and are under development for film and television.

London Station comes out on 8^th October, so be sure to order a copy in time to read along with us! And stay tuned for an interview with the author coming soon…