The Scarlet Papers

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THE BOOK THOSE IN THE KNOW ARE CALLING THE BEST SPY NOVEL OF THE YEAR

*** One of the 50 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2023 in the Daily Telegraph ***
*** A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 ***
*** A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 ***

‘Superbly constructed in an elaborate twisty spy yarn. It’s highly unlikely that there will be a better espionage novel this year’ THE SUNDAY TIMES

‘A breathtaking thriller. A classic in the making’ PETER JAMES

‘Hugely impressive and compelling’ WILLIAM BOYD

‘A natural-born storyteller’ JEFFERY DEAVER

___________

London, present day

Historian Max Archer is invited to a clandestine meeting with legendary Cold War spymaster, Scarlet King.
Her offer to share the explosive secrets born of over half a century at the heart of global espionage would be life-changing.

But Max has little reason to trust a woman whose name is a byword for deceit and ruthlessness.
Soon he is on the wrong side of the law and on the run. As the net closes tighter around him he must somehow discover the truth.

Because it’s not just his life on the line – but also the fate of the Western world . . .
___________

‘Intricate and fast moving, it weaves a thrilling spell’ DAILY MAIL

‘Smart, slick and totally gripping . . . The Scarlet Papers is always credible, always startling and almost painfully human. A total triumph’ TONY PARSONS

‘A masterpiece’ TIM GLISTER

*** DISCOVER MY NAME IS NOBODY AND THE INSIDER, FURTHER SPY NOVELS BY MATTHEW RICHARDSON ***

Chosen by many readers as the best spy novel of this year—Daily Telegraph, 2023

Superbly constructed and written with flair, it manages to debunk John le Carré’s world and to reaffirm its mystique. It’s highly unlikely that there will be a better espionage novel this year—Sunday Times

Standout—Guardian, Books of the Year 2023

A natural-born storyteller—JEFFERY DEAVER

A shot in the arm for thriller fans—THE TIMES

Blissfully ingenious—Daily Telegraph

A breathtaking thriller. A classic in the making—PETER JAMES

This is the most impressive espionage debut since Mick Herron’s Slow Horses. Filled with fast-moving action and a fine line in threat, it weaves a thrilling spell—DAILY MAIL

Hugely impressive and compelling—WILLIAM BOYD

Look out for The Scarlet Papers . . . Engrossing—STEVE CAVANAGH

Magnificent—Literary Review

Smart, slick and totally gripping . . . The Scarlet Papers is always credible, always startling and almost painfully human. A total triumph—TONY PARSONS

A masterpiece—TIM GLISTER

Grand in scope and packed with fascinating insights—MICK HERRON

An extraordinary novel—HOLLY WATT

Addictive, original and outrageously entertaining . . . Matthew Richardson proves himself a writer of huge talent and skill—CHARLOTTE PHILBY

An epic read!—JEREMY DUNS

Sprawling, ambitious, inspired by real events—Financial Times

Superbly constructed and written with flair … this might be the best spy novel of the year—Sunday Times

Superbly constructed in an elaborate twisty spy yarn. It’s highly unlikely that there will be a better espionage novel this year—Sunday Times

The Cold War is given a new twist … Impressive, superior spy stuff—Shots Magazine

Intricate and fast moving, it weaves a thrilling spell—Daily Mail

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy meets James Bond—Historical Novels ReviewMatthew Richardson studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford. After a brief spell as a freelance journalist, he began working as a researcher and speechwriter in Westminster, and has also written speeches for senior figures in the private sector. He is the author of My Name is Nobody and The Insider.GB