It’s weird straddling two worlds. I was born and raised in the Texas, and started my writing career there as a crime reporter. But I’ve lived in the UK as long as I did in the US, just about, and so I very much feel part of both. I don’t know if you’ve seen any of my recent TV or radio interviews but people often comment on my accent, which has got so mixed up over the years that it’s settled into a kind of Hepburn-esque mid-Atlantic lilt. And I also think this dual culture is reflected in my writing. The Emma Makepeace series are very, very British. Emma lives and works in London, for a determinedly British institution, with her closest ally being her extremely English, upper-class boss. And just as the first title in the series was a love letter to London, The Trap is a one to Edinburgh, the beautiful Scottish capital that captured my heart the very first time I visited.

BUT Emma is also half-Russian, and this seeps through into her personality and her actions in the most unexpected of ways. She feels that duality every day, and it changes the way she relates to her work, her colleagues and her environment. It never leaves you, that part of your heritage, that sense of having a foot in each place and of being somehow� both. And I think that’s why US release dates always feel so special to me. I remember all too well spending hours in my nearest Barnes and Noble, and what it was like to head into the city to pick up a new release I’d been waiting for. And the thought that people across the States could be doing that for MY book is still very special. Always will be, I think.

Anyway, all that is to say: if you’re in the US, I will be over the moon if you head out today and pick up a copy of The Trap. Here’s a little bit about it so you can decide if it’s for you�

Emma Makepeace is headed to Edinburgh for the global G7 Summit when her team is tipped off about a high-profile assassination the Russians are planning—but they have no idea who the target is. All they know is that Nick Orlov, a newly minted British citizen with strong ties to Russia in his past, is somehow involved.

With the eyes of the world on the summit, the agency assigns Emma a partner on the ground: Kate Mackenzie, a jaded Edinburgh cop who resents the implication that she needs help with her job just as much as Emma does. Despite their initial clash, Emma and Mackenzie forge a begrudging mutual respect in their hunt for a killer.

To stop the assassination in time, they have to get close�very close—to Orlov. Surrounded by the world’s most powerful political leaders in a gridlocked city, Emma must set a trap and use herself as bait.

With time running short, Emma faces the most perilous mission of her career. How far will she go to catch the killer?

P.S. Want to win a signed copy? where I’ll be giving away five copies next week!

I say this (almost) every time but I really do think this is my favourite book so far. It’s certainly the one I had the most fun writing, and I don’t just mean the “research� trip I took to Edinburgh� I love Emma, and I also love her new, somewhat reluctant, sidekick who appears in this novel � Kate Mackenzie is no-nonsense, quick-witted and headstrong, and I love everything about her.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s a little bit about The Trap so you can decide if it takes your fancy�

Emma Makepeace is headed to Edinburgh for the global G7 Summit when her team is tipped off about a high-profile assassination the Russians are planning—but they have no idea who the target is. All they know is that Nick Orlov, a newly minted British citizen with strong ties to Russia in his past, is somehow involved.

With the eyes of the world on the summit, the agency assigns Emma a partner on the ground: Kate Mackenzie, a jaded Edinburgh cop who resents the implication that she needs help with her job just as much as Emma does. Despite their initial clash, Emma and Mackenzie forge a begrudging mutual respect in their hunt for a killer.

To stop the assassination in time, they have to get close�very close—to Orlov. Surrounded by the world’s most powerful political leaders in a gridlocked city, Emma must set a trap and use herself as bait.

With time running short, Emma faces the most perilous mission of her career. How far will she go to catch the killer?

Something I LOVED about writing this one was getting to explore Emma’s feelings about being a honey trap. It’s not something she’s done before, and it isn’t something you see explored in spy novels very often � at least not from a female perspective. It’s normally the (male) spy getting ensnared by a seemingly entirely remorseless enemy. That’s not how it is for Emma, and getting to explore that inner struggle between Emma’s moral compass and her determination to do her extremely important job in the most effective way was fascinating. I don’t know if I would be able to handle it� but then again, as I always say, I would make a terrible spy. (Although that’s what Emma would say too, to throw people off the scent�)

Anyway, I hope it’s as fun to read as it is to write. The reviews so far have been great which is just so gratifying. It even got a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly which is a big deal � those guys really know their stuff! Also I want to take a moment here to say a HUGE thank you to all the bloggers and book reviewers who have taken the time to post reviews of The Trap � yes, I’m talking about YOU. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have real people reading the book and saying such wonderful things about it � and I also can’t overstate how important it is to the success of the book. I read a stat somewhere once that said every five star review a book gets on Amazon or GoodReads results in a 1% increase in sales � which is honestly HUGE. So if you post reviews, please know how important what you do is, and how grateful we authors are for your hard work. THANK YOU.

(On which note� if you read The Trap and like it, please do consider posting a review!)

P.S. Want to win a signed copy? where I’ll be giving away five copies after midday (GMT) today!

I am delighted to reveal the title and covers for the third in the Emma Makepeace series� THE TRAP!

Here’s a little taster to whet your appetite�

Okay, okay, I know I wrote it so I’m a bit biased, but� doesn’t that sound exciting?! I absolutely LOVED writing this book in the series and I think it might be my favourite yet. It’s set in Edinburgh which is a city very close to my heart, and is, in my opinion, the perfect location for a spy thriller. It’s full of winding avenues, dark corners and treacherous stone steps � but it’s also a very modern, thriving political hub, complete with all the machinations and underhanded deeds that go with that. Delicious.

Speaking of which� aren’t these covers AMAZING? I honestly can’t decide which I like best from the US or UK cover � both of them really capture the spooky feeling of the book and the pressure that Emma is under as she gets closer and closer to� but that’s enough said for now, no spoilers here!

Anyway, I hope you love them as much as I do, and I really hope you consider pre-ordering The Trap! You can reserve your copy now from all good UK and US bookshops � there are some but you can also ask for it in your local bookshop!

Two blogs in one day, I know! Madness. BUT I have had some completely thrilling news� The Traitor has been selected by the Richard and Judy Book Club for 2023! This is essentially the commercial fiction equivalent of winning the Booker Prize or a Nobel for literature or something, it is HUGE.

But what does it mean, exactly?

Well� for anyone not in the UK, Richard and Judy are the gods of British daytime TV. They hosted a hugely successful magazine show for almost a decade, and in 2004 they set up the Richard & Judy Book Club, a way of identifying the upcoming novels they loved and thought would be the biggest hits of the year. So being selected for it is a really huge deal!

It means that you can buy an exclusive edition of the book at for half price (actually, one penny LESS than half price, bargain). Bonus content includes questions for your reading group, some information about the inspiration behind The Traitor and a Q&A I did with Richard and Judy themselves (I KNOW). I’ll also be appearing on their podcast next month � I’ll let you know the date when I have it!

It also meant that Richard and Judy wrote reviews of The Traitor, which were utterly delightful to read. Here’s a snippet of what they had to say�

“An authentic, genuinely thrilling piece of spy fiction.”

“I loved the character of Makespeace... A darkly glamorous story. We loved it.”

You can read their full thoughts over on the , where you can also find out about the other brilliant books on the shortlist, and even pick up for half off.

Today is PUBLICATION DAY in the UK for my new spy thriller, The Traitor!

It’s a sequel to (although it can be read standalone). In it, an analyst who works for MI6 � not a spy, but one of the back room workers; a normal civil servant � is found murdered in his London apartment. His body has been stuffed in a suitcase that is locked from the outside.

Emma Makepeace, one of MI6’s newest recruits, knows this is a message, sent to the organisation by the killers. It’s a threat. More killings could follow. They have to move quickly to find out who did this and why. They suspect Russian assassins are involved, and the trail soon leads them to a pair of oligarchs, believed to be lawless.

The only way to get close to them is to go undercover on their superyacht. So Emma is sent alone, to find out what the men are planning. This is her most dangerous assignment so far. Out at sea, there’s no backup. No one to help her. She’s completely alone with everything at stake�

Here are some of the lovely things people have been saying about The Traitor�

“Ava Glass is the new queen of spy fiction.”

“Celebrity glamour meets James Bond in 2023’s biggest thriller.”

“A gripping new read... the perfect thriller.”

“A kinetic thrill ride through the shadowy world of the British security services. Five stars.”

I can’t wait for you all to read it � I hope it’s even half as fun to read as it was to write!

It comes out in the US and Canada on the 19th September, and across Europe over the remainder of the year. And if you’d like to win a signed copy, I’ll be giving 10 away to members of my book club, so !

Having been born and raised in the US, I grew up shopping for books in . My local branch was a place of escape for me, and I could get lost for hours browsing there. So having Alias Emma / The Chase selected as one of their Picks of the Month for July is� kind of overwhelming? I am so utterly delighted to have been selected, and to be in such fantastic company!

Right now, there’s an offer which will let you get Alias Emma and a second pick from their July Books of the Month for 50% off so please do if you haven’t already got your hands on the paperback edition.

Oh, and just LOOK at that glorious cover, by the way � isn’t it delicious?! It might be one of my favourite covers of any of my books EVER. (And yes, I’ve written others� but as for what they are and under what name they were written, let’s just say that a spy never reveals her true identity� and nor do I�)

Anyway, if you’re in the US and you spot a copy of Alias Emma on Barnes and Noble’s shelves, please do send me a photo so I can gaze at it lovingly all the way from England! I’ve fallen in love with the bookshops over here, but sometimes I still miss my good old local Barnes and Noble� there’s nowhere quite like it.

Until next time,

Ava xo

Last month I was delighted to say that Alias Emma / The Chase had been for the . Well, now I’m even happier to tell you that it’s made the shortlist!

I was so happy to be at Crime Fest where the announcement was made, and honestly, I couldn’t quite believe it when I heard my name. I had to double check with the person next to me (I would be a terrible spy). To be listed amongst some of my all-time favourite crime novelists and literary heroes is such an honour� I am completely amazed. And delighted. And shocked. And did I mention delighted?!

The awards ceremony takes place on 6 July and I’ll be there with bells on (not literal bells, that would be a bit odd). Obviously I would LOVE to win, but mostly I’ll just be happy to be there celebrating my fellow crime novelists and the incredible twists, turns and thrills they’ve given the world through their stories.

Anyway, check back after then to find out how Alias Emma / The Chase gets on. And cross your fingers for me�!

I am over the moon to announce that Alias Emma (aka The Chase) has been longlisted for the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger at this year’s Crime Writer’s Association awards!

These awards are a huge deal in crime writing circles and I am thrilled to see The Chase included in . I mean, just LOOK: I’m listed there next to names like Linwood Barclay, Harlan Coben and Robert Galbraith� Some of my favourite writers.

The winner is announced at the awards on 6 July so watch this space, and keep your fingers firmly crossed, please.

I just couldn’t be happier that the world seems to have taken to Emma Makepeace in the same way I did when I was writing her. I can’t wait to share more of her adventures with you. And you don’t have long to wait. The Traitor, book 2 in the series, comes out this September!

I am over the moon to announce that Alias Emma aka The Chase has been longlisted for the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger at this year’s Crime Writer’s Association awards!

These awards are a huge deal in crime writing circles and I am staggered to see The Chase included in . I mean, just LOOK: I’m listed there next to names like Linwood Barclay, Harlan Coven and Robert Galbraith� it’s INCREDIBLE.

The winner is announced at the awards on 6 July so watch this space, and keep your fingers firmly crossed, please!

I just couldn’t be happier that the world seems to have taken to Emma Makepeace in the same way I did when I was writing her. I can’t wait to share more of her adventures with you�

The Chase has been getting a lot of press lately, and I’m grateful for all the attention. It’s incredibly hard to get press for books, so I know just how lucky I am. That said, in the last few weeks I’ve seen myself described as MI5, MI6, a trainer of spies, and a spy myself, which makes me sound amazing! Except it’s not true. So I’m here to debunk some of my own press.

First: Ava Glass is a pseudonym. It is entirely made up. I am Ava Glass, but my name is not Ava Glass. I love the mystery of that but, to be honest, it’s easy enough to find out my real name with a bit of creative googling, and I’ll leave that to you.

Second: I never worked for MI5 or MI6. I worked for the Home Office, the British government department that covers police, security, and counter-terrorism. I was there for five years. I was not a spy. I was a communications specialist, with a focus on counter-terrorism communications. My job was to communicate with and about spying. Basically, I was there to try and explain to the public what the counter-terrorism units were doing. Except the counter-terrorism specialists did not want me to tell anyone what they were up to. Which put me, as you can imagine, in a tricky position.

During those years, I worked with people I believe to be spies. I say that because the very fact that someone is or is not a spy is a state secret. They could not legally tell me they were spies. So I could never be absolutely certain which people I worked with were or were not spies, but as with many things in that world, sometimes it was clear. Other times, it was a bit hazier. Intelligence, in my experience, is a hall of mirrors, where nothing is what it seems.

When I talk about this time I am always careful not to reveal any national secrets. But the fact that I worked there, and the work I did � that was not secret. Anything I know that I believe to be a secret I will never talk about or write about. There are no secrets in my novels. I am much more careful than perhaps it seems.

I take all of that extremely seriously. Which is why I don’t want anyone to think that I am personally telling people I worked for any agency except the Home Office. I know it’s confusing having so many spy agencies around, but here on this page, I want to make it very clear, I never worked for MI5 or MI6. I worked with people from the two spy agencies, but I never worked for those agencies.

I am fully aware that writing this will probably make everyone believe I was definitely a spy, but let this stand as the record: I was not.

Ava x