Solitary Agents: a gripping spy thriller from the multi-award-winning writer

Paperback Published on: 05/11/2026
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Published 05/11/2026
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Coming soon
Published 05/11/2026
No stock available in any shop.

Synopsis

EVERY TRAITOR WAS ONCE TRUSTED....

'Goodman combines traditional elements - the nods to Buchan, Fleming and le Carré - with the topicality of 2020s technology' SUNDAY TIMES

Jamie Tulloch and Sam Li never intended to be spies. Jamie, a former exec at a tech company, found himself caught up in a mission and discovered a taste for the secret world while Sam, a burnt-out corporate lawyer, was unexpectedly talent spotted by MI5. When both are plunged into covert training, they find themselves pitted against each other for their final evaluation - Exercise Red Poacher.

Every year, MI6 trainees must evade capture, infiltrate sensitive sites and report back with the right intel, while their peers at MI5 try to stop them. But things take a sinister turn when they witness the apparent murder of one of their fellow recruits. Is it all part of the exercise? Or is someone trying to weaponise this game of spies into something far more deadly?

Praise for David Goodman:

'If you think you've read every twist in every area of the genre, think again. Our winner has found a new take and delivers it with pace and propulsive storytelling. A Reluctant Spy is a sparkling new entry in the canon, with a vivid and unfamiliar setting as well as a gripping cast of characters. Don't start it last thing at night, or you might miss breakfast." VAL MCDERMID
'A propulsive, intelligent, ripped-from-the-headlines spy novel that's guaranteed to cost you hours of sleep. Highly recommended' DAVID McCLOSKEY
'A gripping debut, perfect for fans of Mick Herron and David McCloskey' THE SUN
'A twisty storyline and convincing action scenes make this a very promising debut' FINANCIAL TIMES
'A twisting, edge-of-your-seat tale of mercenaries, greed, corruption, and espionage' I.S. BERRY
'In the very top tier of espionage fiction' M. W. CRAVEN
'An excellent debut with terrific pace...will grip you to the end' JAMES SWALLOW

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
  • ISBN: 9781035434152
  • Number of pages: 432
  • Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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Solitary Agents
A thrilling read
I am a fan of spy/espionage books and thought Solitary Agents would be my kind of read. And it was. But it did take time to get used to all the characters ... READ MORE
Anne Mosedale
Solitary Agents
Well written
With the initial jump in time from the opening scene and then multiple characters that were speedily introduced, it did take me a while to settle into the ... READ MORE
Maria's Book Musings
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Fast Paced and Compelling
Solitary Agents is the sequel to A Reluctant Spy. It follows two unlikely intelligence recruits Jamie Tullock and Sam Li who find themselves thrown into M1... READ MORE
Chrissie Mortimer
Solitary Agents
A good spy thriller
4+ starsJamie Tulloch never set out to be a spy but finds himself caught up in a dangerous mission in Zanzibar, becoming ‘A Reluctant Spy’ as part of the s... READ MORE
Celia Short
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Fast paced and twisty
Jamie is in his mid-thirties and bored of his unrewarding job as a software salesman. A while ago, he’d been caught up in something much more stimulating (... READ MORE
Andrew Smith
Solitary Agents
Enjoyable read
I thoroughly enjoyed Solitary Agents (Kindle Edition) book 2 by David Goodman. This is an amazing espionage fast paced action thriller which involves tw... READ MORE
Elizabeth Bennett
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
fast paced
This second novel by David Goodman continues with the main character and many supporting ones returning in a fast paced spy thriller. I hadn't read the fi... READ MORE
jean
Solitary Agents
couldn't put it down
Kept me glued to the page. Haven't read the first book but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the characters and the pace of the story.Trainee spook's from ... READ MORE
Helen Wilkinson
Solitary Agents
Top Notch Spy Thriller
Even better that A Reluctant Spy - a first rate thriller that had me gripped from start to finish. Full review at classicmystery.blog
Steven Barge
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Gripping
It took me a few chapters to get into the book, as each chapter introduced a new character. Then I was totally gripped. This was a totally thrilling read... READ MORE
CHRISTINA FULCHER
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Not For Me
This one wasn’t for me unfortunately. I hadn’t read the previous book in the series and I think that was part of the problem. It’s referred to frequently t... READ MORE
adrian dooley
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Fast paced spy thriller (2nd in series)
Lack of research on my part meant I went into this not knowing it was second in a series. I personally found it easy enough to get on board with the events... READ MORE
Ciaran Sundstrem
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Fast paced and intriguing
I thought Solitary Agents would be exactly my kind of read, and it was. However, it took me a little while to get into the story because there are a lot of... READ MORE
Peter from Oxford
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Highly Recommended
Solitary Agents is an excellent spy thriller from David Goodman which keeps the pages turning.Whilst it features some of the characters from the author”s p... READ MORE
Lee Carson
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Excellent thriller in the world of espionage
Oh my goodness, this is an amazingly fast-paced book that I completely fell head over heels for. Jamie Tulloch worked in tech. MI5 had headhunted him; par... READ MORE
Yvonne Bastian
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Another fast-moving and thrilling adventure for the reluctant spy.
"Solitary Agents" opens about a year after the events of "A Reluctant Spy". Jamie Tulloch has returned to civilian life, having departed the Legends progr... READ MORE
Martin  Paul
Solitary Agents
The many references to the first book are distracting
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. 3.5. I like spy stories but it took me a long time to get into this one. We a... READ MORE
am/am/am
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
Solitary Agents
Excellent follow up to A Reluctant Spy
Exciting book two that reunites Jamie and Nicola in another rip roaring spy saga with other characters we’ve already met and adversaries we haven’t. I am a... READ MORE
David  Roberts
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