Bibliography: Thomson, Keith. (2010). Once a Spy. New York: Doubleday. ISBN: 978-0385530781

Plot Summary:  When down on his luck  gambler Charlie brings his father Drummond home from the social agency that found him wandering the streets and his father’s apartment explodes, he starts to wonder if some of the old man’s mumblings about spies and covert operations might actually be true.  When he and his old man find themselves on the run not knowing who the bad guys are, he knows.

Critical Analysis:  Describing this book to others I realize how strange it sounds…there’s this older man with Alzheimer’s who seems to be delusional, thinking he used to be a spy, except that it turns out he was, and now that his mind might betray him, the people he used to work for definitely will.  At any moment in the story you never know if he is present in the moment or not, a plot device that creates both suspense and humor at the same time.  And it is funny and snarky and witty and poignant all at once.

I recently wrote about another book saying it was the most original idea for a mystery series to come along in some time.  Well, this book breathes new life into the sameness of spy thrillers and at the same time shows a picture of a man and his son coming to terms with his failing mind and their strained relationship with one another…the fact that they have to do that while people are shooting at them just adds to the immediacy and intimacy of the story.  I hope that Thomson has many more such books to write, I am looking forward to the next one.

Review Excerpts:  “[W]ildly original debut, a darkly satirical thriller, features an unlikely, if endearing, father-son spy duo…Poignant themes of love and redemption underpin an action-packed story line that includes exotic locales, high-tech gadgetry, and international intrigue.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Thomson’s sharp humor, swift pacing and surprising twists are refreshing antidotes to the sober, overcooked, underwritten thrillers crowding the market.”–Kirkus Reviews

“First-novelist Thomson has his tongue firmly in cheek in this clever, engaging, and frenetic tale….his knowledge of spook’s tools, techniques, and mind-sets builds verisimilitude, assuming that readers can suspend disbelief to accept that Brooklyn and rural Virginia are teeming with spies. A terrifically entertaining thriller.”–Booklist

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