Absolutely brilliant. One of my best reads this year. A senior Russian spymaster arrives in Edinburgh a few days before a G7 summit is to be held there. Emma Makepiece's team along with M15 and M16 are brought in to investigate the threat. Fast paced analysis, chase and internal politics all get going. Although Emma is tough and will do whatever is necessary, she also human with feelings.
It's one of those books that you can't put down but suddenly it's finished and you wished you hadn't read it so quickly. It is also a pleasure to read a book with a single time line following one storyline - no chapter for each character which keeps repeating or jumping timelines.
I would advise reading the series in order as two very good books would be missed. Can't wait for the next one.

I absolutely loved The Chase and The Traitor, the first two books in this series, so was thrilled to be invited to join the blogtour for this latest book.
As the above synopsis mentions, Emma, who works for a secret government department, is in Edinburgh for the G7 summit, to stop an assassination by a very high profile Russian agent. She doesn’t know who’s been targeted, so needs to find out ASAP!
Emma doesn’t know Edinburgh at all, so needs a guide. She’s paired up with Kate Mackenzie, a member of the drugs squad who would much rather be catching criminals that being a travel guide to a spook! Needless to say Emma and Kate don’t get on, until things take a very interesting turn.
My goodness this book was tense, but so good, just like the previous books. Once again I loved Emma and I also loved Kate Mackenzie, she was a great addition to the team, trying to catch the assassin. I loved the way the trap was set, and enjoyed the twists and turns that inevitably came, and didn’t want to stop reading when real life threatened to interrupt.
I’m not saying any more as I’ll definitely spoil it for you, except that Ava Glass has written another fantastic book in this favourite series of mine. I hope there are many more books to come!
Highly recommended if you enjoy fast paced spy thrillers!

The Trap by Ava Glass is book 3 in the Emma Makepeace spy series. It is published on 1 August. Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK/Cornerstone and the author for the advance reader copy. A G7 Summit is being organised for Edinburgh. Tensions are rising between the West and Russia and China. Emma follows a high-ranking Russian FSB official to the Russian Embassy in London and is sure something big is happening. Emma is an agent in a very secret group of the British Secret Service, a group that deals with the Russians. Emma makes a great spy. Born of Russian parents, she is so very focused, committed and driven, determined to keep Britain safe. She loves working alone so is not pleased when Ripley, her boss, gives her a local copper as a guide in Edinburgh. There is great tension through the story, and you get a good sense of the world of spies and the secret life they lead, the secrets that they keep. I found it hard to put the book down, found it gripping. If you haven’t read the previous books in the series which are great reads too, I would start with those first. Some events from those books are mentioned in The Trap.

I really do love this series and this latest offering, The Trap, is an absolute belter. So relevant, so very current, and so scarily plausible you have to wonder, at times, if you were really reading true crime rather than fiction. The Trap sees our favourite spy, Emma Makepeace, on the trail of a very senior, and dangerous, Russian Intelligence Agent, Balakin, who has travelled to the UK for unknown reasons. Perhaps nothing too unusual there, and with diplomatic immunity in play it is very hard to find out what the reasons for his visit might be. But in the run up to the G7 summit in Edinburgh, the trip puts everyone on high alert, and it falls to Emma to try and make contact with the very prominent businessman who has acted as host to the Russian, to try and find out just what the Russians are up to.

I really like the character of Emma. She is exactly the kind of kick ass heroine that the thriller genre needs. She is capable, has great intuition, and also has the skill of being able to speak Russian courtesy of her own heritage. But what is hey here, is that Ava Glass has not made her infallible. She is capable of mistakes, and she has faced her share of personal challenges that just go to highlight how inherently human she is. She is definitely unlucky in love, and understandably sceptical of having a partner accompany her on this latest mission. If you read the first two books, you'd understand why. You'll also understand a little bit more about why one decision Emma makes really is out of character, and could well put her whole career in jeopardy. The decision is driven very much by what occurred in the alst book, something that Emma is still smarting over as we meet up with her again, so, for once, I'd really say that this series is best read in order to get the very best out of it.

That small error in judgment aside, Emma is on top form as she and the wider team travel to Edinburgh to try and prevent whatever nefarious plot the Russians have hatched. And yes, she has a partner, local cop, Kate Mackenzie, who is to act as local guide to Emma and provide her with some back up on what is to be her most personal mission yet. Emma's role, is to set up a honey trap something she has not yet had to do and which causes her a moment of doubt about the mission. Mackenzie is another strong female character, able to hold her own in spite of some allegations and suspicion that is thrown her way. After a rocky start, she and Emma do make for a really good team and I hope that it's not the last we see of her.

The book is packed with the usual blend of political bartering, spy antics and tension, and more than the odd scene of real threat and action that just keeps the scenes racing along. From covert reconnaissance around London, thrilling chases, and fight scenes that really get the adrenalin pumping, both Emma's and mine as the reader, I was completely drawn into the story from first page to last. The secret that the Russians are guarding so closely, the reason for their sudden presence in the UK, well, let's just say it is mighty plausible given the heightened tensions globally right now. The tactics employed really do ring true and I did kind of feel sorry for one of the characters at one point, the naivety of their belief that they had any real say in what was to come to pass.

If you like a fast paced, tense, thrill ride of a story where anything could, and possibly will, happen, one that has brilliant characters and a very strong female lead, then you definitely need to read this series. From the very first book it has captured my attention and I just eat up the stories that Ava Glass produces. One of my top action series of the moment, and most definitely recommended.

Very interesting and more so as the author has worked for the government so she knows stuff

This is a thrilling journey filled with spies and all kinds of political problems

I loved the energy which fuelled the novel

what a ride

I love reading a book that's based where I know, with this being based in Edinburgh I was able to picture everything very clearly. The storyline is great, not so much a thriller but a good book about police work and MI5.
Would love to read the next one, assuming there is one!!

I'd already read the first in this series so I was delighted to receive an ARC from NetGalley. I love the character of Emma Makepiece and this time round she has a partner in Katherine Mackenzie. I hope she will be staying in the series.

This time round the setting is not the French Riviera but Edinburgh, a much colder place. The G7 summit is about to take place there and the Russians have an evil plan to disrupt it and show up the British government, We are kept guessing as to what is going on and it's all very exciting. An enjoyable read and I look forward to the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is the 3rd instalment of the Emma Makepeace spy series. I found it a little slow going at times but by about 40% of the way through I was hooked. I was sure that that I had guessed the ending. but amazingly I hadn't - this book was not at all predictable.

Ava Glass really does write well and manages to trick you into thinking you know the ending. Hopefully we will be getting a 4th instalment very soon!

This is a fantastic summer read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Synopsis
Emma Makepeace is back at work at the Agency after her last undercover assignment and this time she is sent to Edinburgh to help foil a potential terror attack on the G7 summit. She is partnered with a police officer but there is a leak, who can Emma trust and can she stop the attack?

Emma Makepeace works as a British intelligence officer, with an agency so secret that it doesn’t even have a name. Most people in the Government doesn’t know it exists. This agency hunts Russian spies, and in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Russians are in town - in particular FSB agent, Vladimir Balakin, and this is one very dangerous individual.

Edinburgh is hosting the upcoming global G7 summit, and intelligence suggests that the Russians are planning a high profile assassination - but who is the target?

Emma is sent to Edinburgh to find the answer to that question, and prevent it from happening, however, she will have to take a step further than she has in previous assignments, but if that’s what it takes, then so be it!
As the world leaders arrive, Emma’s task looks increasingly daunting as the days and hours count down to the start of the G7 summit!

Our protagonist, Emma, has the intelligence and feral instinct for survival that makes her an ideal intelligence operative - she loves her job and is perfectly happy working alone, however this op needs as much manpower as possible and Emma finds herself saddled with a partner in the form of Kate Mackenzie from Police Scotland, and she’s definitely not happy about that. However, it’s both interesting and surprising to see how this partnership pans out.
This is a terrific thriller fuelled by pure adrenaline, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from author Ava Glass. This is a brilliant series that delivers on every level.

This is the third book about Emma Makepeace, and her handler Ripley, spies, who work for the secretive Agency, and the series gets better with every book.
In this book, a top FSB officer turns up in Edinburgh just before the G7 conference. The Agency has to find out what the Russians have planned and stop them before the conference starts. It's an action packed race against time, the writing is fast paced and I read this in one go. It was great to meet the previous characters again, especially Martha, and enjoyed new character Mackenzie. Recommended.

What a great book. I read it within 24 hours and couldn’t put it down. It’s fast paced, gripping and extremely intense. From start to finish I was entranced and felt like I was part of the case/ investigation. Can’t wait to see what else is in store for Emma Makepeace and Mackenzie.

5 stars!

Step aside James Bond as Emma Makepeace once again takes center stage! Emma Makepeace is back in thrilling, high octane action as the coolest UK intelligence agent yet, as she heads to Edinburgh to stop Russian interference with a pending global G7 summit.

As all the top world’s leaders start to head to the summit, a top Russian oligarch, top level spies and muscle men get spotted indicating that a high-level Russian assassination may be in the works. Emma and her team at The Agency set up operations in Edinburgh to head off the assassination. All sorts of internal intelligence agencies politics get triggered along the way, along with what seems to be an insider mole feeding information to the press.

Trying to infiltrate behind the scenes to figure out what the Russians are up to, Emma has to make the difficult decision to go undercover as a “honey trap” which may mean having to resort to sex to gain a Russian’s insider trust. The moral dilemma, and Emma’s increasing ambivalence, runs through much of the novel – a resonant counterpoint to male agents typically being more readily willing to sleep with the enemy as need as opposed to the more nuanced personal feelings that a woman brings to the table. Emma feels both fierce and dedicated to her team, as well as vulnerable and uneasy about using her sexuality as a weapon. Also, Emma feels genuine attraction to the Russian Nick, which throws into issue how she’s had to sideline personal relationships in order to do her intelligence work. The intricacies of these feelings as Emma sorts through them shows the gift of Ava Glass’s character building of Emma.

Secondly, Emma who’s used to operating as a lone ranger, gets assigned to partner with a woman on the Scottish police force in her undercover work. As Emma moves from suspicion to trust, and from disparagement to admiration, a deep friendship between the women emerges.

Good luck trying to stop somewhere in the middle of this lightening fast read!

Next book in the series, PLEASE HURRY!

Thanks to Ava Glass, Random House, Penguin and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced spy thriller.
Part of a series so reading the previous book may give insight to some of the characters.

Looking forward to the next installment

4.5 stars!

Fast paced and addictive, the next instalment of the ALIAS EMMA series is another readable delight. I raced through this one in a matter of days. Armed with new characters and an alluring plot, Ava Glass expertly crafts her spy novels in a way that keeps you gripped and guessing. I absolutely love the way Glass places you right in the middle of the action. No page is wasted in this book - there’s not a boring moment within. The reader joins Emma Makepeace for another thrilling mission, and it’s her most deadly one yet.

“She has one week to catch a killer…”

Set tensely in the lead up to a G7 Summit in Edinburgh, intelligence agent Emma Makepeace has one task: stop a high profile assassination from happening to the British Prime Minister. This book is fuelled with political intrigue and unputdownable prose. We fly from London, to Edinburgh, to Rome and back again, and with twists and turns at every step I couldn’t put this book down. Stylish, sophisticated, and driven by high stakes, I was hooked until the very end. THE TRAP is out in August 2024 - but the first two books in the series are out now, so what are you waiting for? Highly recommend!!

4-5 stars
Emma Makepeace #3
Emma works for an ultra covert spy agency led by Ripley.

All security agencies are on high alert because of the G7 meeting to take place in a weeks time in Edinburgh. A major concern is why FSB agent Vladimir Balakin has arrived in London. Why is he here? Emma and other agents, including MI5, tail him to the Russian embassy. Is an attack planned or disruption of the G7 in some way? They later that Balakin has registered a new flight plan and is heading to Edinburgh and so are the team with Ripley as lead. They have seven days to figure it out, seven days to work out what is planned. Emma just knows something bad is about to happen, the signs are ominous but are they all walking into a trap?

This is a really good series and Ava Glass continues to deliver. Right from the start this one pulls me in and engages my full attention. You can’t help but pick up the tension in the air as it comes in waves off Emma as Balakin’s actions continue to puzzle.

Emma is a really good central protagonist, she’s likeable and very smart and here there’s a little (just a little) touch of vulnerability, as the job she has to do here shows how conflicted she is about some of the actions that she’s required to take. She gets a partner in Edinburgh in Mackenzie and this is good for Emma.

This novel is a good blend of spy thriller combined with politics and a lot of it feels credible as actual events are referenced to give it believability. There are news media inserts about the G7 which are a good contrast to what’s going on frantically behind the scenes. After a few slick moves from Emma, it’s game on. There are misdirections, red herrings, a cat and mouse scenario, traps and more traps, huge risk and danger. It makes for exciting reading.

The setting in Edinburgh is a great atmospheric backdrop for what unfolds but the action also moves to Rome, enough said!! The author does atmosphere by the truckload!

As the tension builds towards the end, I ponder if it’s yet another trap. The finale is breathtaking and makes for exhilarating reading. However, I ask myself if that scenario is something the Russians would actually set up?? It’s fiction, so flow and go and it’s all good!

Overall, if you like spy thrillers and you haven’t read the series then you are missing a treat.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

More class from Glass!
We were pitched into the story immediately, with a journalist setting out the scene as Edinburgh prepared for a G7 Summit. The Agency had its work cut out, with no intel, to find out why top Russian spies and an oligarch were on their way to Scotland.
Plenty of thrills and action as Emma Makepeace is reluctantly paired with a Scottish police woman who will be her guide in Edinburgh. Emma has to overcome her personal aversion to operating a honeytrap to lure wealthy Russian Nick into divulging his links with the Russian heavies. Glass deftly creates believable characters who have all the idiosyncrasies you would expect from people who have to live different lives to keep us safe.
As with its predecessor, this would make a terrific film!

Ava Glass's Emma Makepeace spy thrillers get better with every new book - and as she started on a high with a tense chase through a London night, that is quite an achievement. This latest installment sees Emma and other Agency staff in Edinburgh ahead of a G7 summit. A top Russian spymaster is in town but they have no idea what he's planning. The only solution, to get as close to his contact as possible, whatever it takes. And time is ticking down...

What sets these books apart isn't the taut plotting and the genuinely breathless feeling of peril but Emma herself. She's clever, talented sure, but she's also human and with every book her conflict grows as the toll her work takes deepens. And a chance encounter on an Edinburgh street just enhances that conflict.

Another fabulous outing for Emma and the team. Highly recommended.