JUDAS 62: The gripping new spy action thriller featuring BOX 88 from the master of the 21st century spy novel (BOX 88, Book 2)

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I was rather surprised to see some of the reviews for this novel saying that it was even better than its predecessor, Box 88. I found both timelines equally fascinating, the younger Lockie and the differences in the more mature and reflective man in the present, and the many ways in which Toby Landau in Dubai exhibits similar qualities to the younger Lockie.

Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The switch to modern times shows how things have changed with the use of technology and a different type of intelligence game.

The Spanish Game was described by The Times as one of the six finest spy novels of all time, alongside Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Funeral in Berlin and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Also, it was a little bit interesting to think about how other countries handled Covid— at least if what was written here was true. In this case, though, I found the 1993 timeline dragged—which is unfortunate, since it takes up over half the book. The second Box 88 novel concerns Lachlan Kite's second job for the organisation, back in 1993 when he was a student, given the task of extracting a Russian scientist who wants to defect, and then later during the pandemic, when the Russians have put not only the defector on an assassination list, but also the alias that Kite was going under back in the 90s.

Matters get a little more difficult when Kite’s actual girlfriend from London, Martha, suddenly shows up in Voronezh with no idea that he was there operating under the name Peter Galvin. The story just didn't feel as tight as I'd expect and, although it was OK to not have a bunch of twists and turns as the action unfolded the fact that there really weren't any was a bit disappointing. I’d be interested in a future book that drops Lockie’s past adventures and focuses entirely on a contemporary plot, but I’m not keen to read another lengthy story about him in his 20s.

I really enjoyed Box 88 but this one has a very slow start, it’s convoluted, gets bogged down in unnecessary background and it makes my head spin! Comparisons to Le Carre are way off-beam though I think as Cumming is less cerebral and more “obvious” in his plots and character motivations. Spanning London, Russia and Dubai, Judas 62 is an old school espionage thriller that aficionados of the genre will love! I don't usually have anything but praise for Charles Cumming, but I did think this was a bit too long.

Once again Charles Cumming melds Lockie's early life and career with the present to create the underlying storyline for the overarching plot. Where freshly recruited Kite abandons his summer plans to carry out the Aranov operation at short notice.Cumming’s stories have potential, but when it comes to the books in their entirety, they just fall a little short (and long) with what I am looking to read. Superbly constructed, it never hurries, but evokes the world of espionage in a way the late John le Carre would have much admired. That same president can accuse his opponent's son of corruption while his own children enrich themselves in full view of the American people. If talk of temperature-taking, mask-wearing, social-distancing, limited-capacity restaurants, etc is a trigger for you— you might not want to read this one. For Kite to think back to the man he had been in the summer of 1993 was to remember a different person: richer in feelings, hungry for experience and obsessed by the possibilities and complications of sex.