Agatha Christie - Destination Unknown (1954)

This is another of Christie's standalone spy thrillers.

Hilary Craven, amusing name since she's trying to kill herself in Morocco when the story begins,  is enlisted by a British agent Jessop to impersonate a missing scientist's dead wife. Scientists have been disappearing all over the world and Jessop believes Hilary is his best hope of locating where they've been spirited off to.

I really liked the journey across Africa and the different ideologies for the characters - these made up their different reasons for disappearing the way they did. They all thought they were going to their version of Utopia. In reality a very wealthy man was collecting 'resources' that the world would pay heavily to use. Christie wasn't blinded by the illusions thrown up to stop people seeing the realities of life - in the end it's always about money. Greed makes the world go round. Quite sad really, since money doesn't exist yet so much harm is done to acquire it.

Agatha Christie - They Came to Baghdad (1951)

This is one of Christie's spy thrillers, inspired by her time in Baghdad with her archaeologist husband.

It begins with a secret summit of superpowers - set to meet in Baghdad. Only a powerful organisation - opposed to capitalism and communsim - is out to sabotage the talks. Enter Henry Carmichael, a spy who has information that could out the ring of saboteurs. Unfortunately, he dies in Victoria Jones' hotel room before he can tell anyone more than 'Lucifer Basrah Lefarge'. The first time I read this book I felt really depressed by Carmichael's death - he'd fought so hard to survive, chased across the Middle east, then dies in Baghdad just when he reaches safety. It just felt too cruel - and still does.

Victoria is only in Baghdad on a whim, wanting more adventure than her life had brought so far. After being filled in on the situation by Mr. Dakin (there's always a spider manipulating the spy web), Victoria leaps into the fray, carries on Carmichael's work, helps solve the mystery and meets her future husband archaeologist Richard Baker.

It's an enjoyable thriller. I've read it twice now and I know I'll read it again and again. It's just one of those annual books. No matter how many new books come out, there's only so many books that call to you and want to be kept on your shelf forever and always to be read at least once a year. For me, this is one of them.

Rhys Bowen - Queen of Hearts (2014)

This is the 8th book in Her Royal Spyness series. It takes Lady Georgiana Rannoch to America, accompanying her mother as she heads to Reno for a divorce. Georgie's beloved Darcy turns up on the trail of a jewel thief and they all end up in Hollywood, solving a murder, making a movie and drinking cocktails with the amorous Charlie Chaplin.

It was a fun book and I'm relieved to see Georgie and Darcy's relationship moving ahead. The whole will-they-won't-they in the previous books was annoying. I was hoping Darcy would get hit by a bus and Georgie would have a chance to fall in love with someone who loved and respected her, not just using her for her aristocracy connections.

Definitely read this series, the whole Darcy-Georgie thing is a small part of the fun and chaos that happens when she's solving mysteries or sent on 'errands' for the Queen. The only sad part is whenever Georgie has tea with the Queen - there's so many luscious cakes on the table, but etiquette says you may only eat what the Queen does, and she only eats a small slice of bread. So poor Georgie always leaves afternoon tea hungry. Take pity on the poor girl your majesty, please!

Robin Benway - Also Known As (2013)

Maggie Silver is a brilliant safe-cracker and teenage spy. Spending her childhood roaming the world with her spy parents, solving world crises, trying not to get kidnapped and keeping her life 'beige' is all she has ever known.

Until New York.

The spy ring Maggie's parents work for suddenly thrusts her on a solo mission at an expensive private school with the lives of every spy in the organisation at stake. No pressure, right?

Benway writes a fun novel. I really liked the characters and the plot progression. The ending of the mission seemed a bit sudden, but it was really more a backdrop for Maggie's introduction to high school and a normal teenage lifestyle. Any girl who has ever wanted to be a spy will love this book... I did.