September 2011 Book of the Month.

Longisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2011.

Europe is still littered with the darkest secrets of the Cold War. And the most deadly revelation of them all is about to be made when Gaddis, a Russia expert stumbles across the existence of a further protagonist in the Cambridge spy ring of the 1950s involving Burgess, Maclean and Philby. Both Moscow and MI6 will use everything in their power to keep their fragile peace intact. But why murder people to hide secrets that should by now be history? Gaddis starts to understand - far too late - that he is closing in on a discovery that will shake Europe to its foundations!

If you like Charles Cumming try John Le Carre
Maxim Jakubowski recommends: Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carre

Comparison: Joseph Finder, Henry Porter, Alan Furst
For more see our Author 'Like for Like' recommendation system
 

Synopsis

Hard-up Russia expert Dr Sam Gaddis finally has a lead for a book that could set his career back on track. He has staggering new information about an unknown sixth member of the infamous Cambridge spy ring - a man who has evaded detection for his entire life. But when his source suddenly dies, Gaddis is left with just shreds of his investigation, and no idea that he is already in too deep. He is threatened, betrayed, hunted - and alone. To get his life back, he must scour a continent still laced with lies to find the truth behind the Trinity Six.

Reviews

Praise for The Trinity Six:

'An utterly absorbing and compelling novel. A brilliant re-imagining of events surrounding the notorious Cambridge spy-ring
William Boyd, bestselling author of Restless

'Sheer excitement'
Daily Telegraph

'Often talked of as a potential heir to John le Carre, Cumming confirms here that he's a reliably classy storyteller ! an assured and richly enjoyable thriller'
Sunday Times

'Delicate and supremely controlled, this is a spy story to be savoured, not rushed'
Daily Mail

'None of the new generation of spy writers lives up to the standard set by Deighton, Forsyth and Le Carre. Enter Cumming, a long-awaited light at the end of a very long tunnel ! This is today's spooks at their most ruthless, with Sam, a heroic if naive amateur sleuth, taking international hitmen and beautiful female agents in his stride to get to the truth. As good as Le Carre -- praise indeed' Guardian

Praise for Charles Cumming:

'From the first page to the last it has the ring of absolute authenticity. Tautly written, cleverly plotted!it reminded me strongly of the early books of John le Carre'
Robert Harris

'The master of the modern spy thriller'
Mail On Sunday

'If Cumming keeps up this standard he deserves to become an institution in his own right'
The Times

'Not since The Honourable Schoolboy has there been a satisfactory spy novel about Britain's relationship with China. Typhoon, with its deep plotting, flawed characters, climactic conclusion and undercurrent of mistrust is another step in the footprints of the master'
The Times

[Top Ten Thrillers of 2008] 'It's hard to pull off the combination of thriller and romance but Cumming does it seamlessly -- plus he's working on a big canvas. He has already established his reputation with his modern take on the spy novel but here he vaults to another level. Great stuff
The Observer

'Cumming has clearly researched widely and his portrayal of life among China's louche foreign community is particularly convincing, if depressing. This novel adds to his reputation as one of the UK's best young espionage writers'
Daily Telegraph

About the Author

Charles Cumming was born in Scotland in 1971. He was educated at Eton and graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1994 with First Class Honours in English Literature. The Observer has described him as the best of the new generation of British spy writers who are taking over where John le Carre and Len Deighton left off . In the summer of 1995, Charles was approached for recruitment by the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). A year later he moved to Montreal where he began working on a novel based on his experiences with MI6. A Spy By Nature was published in the UK in 2001.   Author photo © Toby Madden More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation