The Spy and the Snake: An Exhilarating New Novel from the Author of the Good Housekeeping Reader Favourite

THE NEW TRAILBLAZING NOVEL FROM INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR, MANDY ROBOTHAM

One mission. One fake husband. One very real problem.

Maggie Flynn has finally earned her place at of MI5-but with promotion comes paperwork. No more disguises, no more danger, just meetings, memos, and the quiet realisation that life feels a little too safe.

With her daughter away at university and her spirited mother pursuing her own adventures, Maggie's days in London are starting to feel decidedly ordinary. So when the chance arises to return to the field, she doesn't hesitate.

The assignment: fly to Budapest and pose as the wife of a notorious British defector in order to smuggle him back to the UK. It should be a straightforward operation. But Maggie Flynn has never done straightforward-and what's waiting in Budapest is anything but routine.

As Cold War tensions simmer and shadows linger on every corner, Maggie finds herself navigating a city steeped in secrets-and drawn to a mysterious stranger who may endanger the mission... or steal her heart.

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Readers LOVE The Spy and the Snake!
'For those who like spy stories with half-truths, lies and deep suspicion, this book is for you!' 5* review
'A witty, well-constructed spy story... delicious' 5* review
'An amusing, page turning novel, complete with suspense, a smattering of romance and great characters' 5* reviews
'A book you can't put down... I thoroughly enjoyed it' 5* review
'A great thriller that keeps you gripped from start to finish' 5* review
'I loved the characters, humour, suspense and the setting in Budapest... A real treat' 5* review

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Praise for M.J. Robotham:

'A gripping story and great 60s detail, Mrs Spy is the female answer to Harry Palmer' - Ian Moore
'Dark, twisty, and thoroughly entertaining, Mrs Spy is a Thursday Murder Club for spies' - Ava Glass
'Maggie Flynn is a true original: a smart, intrepid, middle-aged spy with acute instincts and aching bunions' - Gill Paul
'I loved this book: an absolutely gripping and heartwarming story... we need more heroes like Mrs Spy!' - Jane Bailey
'Robotham has taken the invisibility of the middle-aged woman and turned it on it's head' - Emma Flint
'Exciting, alluring, seductive' - Clare Whitfield

Author: M. J. Robotham
Publisher: Aria
Published: 07/07/2026
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.15h x 6.21w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9781035921997


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 04/10/2026 pg. 1
Publishers Weekly 05/11/2026
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2026

About the Author
M.J. Robotham saw herself as an aspiring author from childhood, but was waylaid by journalism, birth, children and life. After twenty years as a midwife and a Creative Writing MA, she is a full-time author, writing historical fiction as Mandy Robotham. She lives in Gloucestershire with her partner.