The Matter of Mandrake by Barry Norman
The witty, outrageously entertaining spy novel, hailed by The Observer as “a very lively and readable, ultra-sexy spy thriller,” written by Barry Norman, the beloved, hugely popular BBC movie critic, TV host and journalist.
It’s the 1960s, deep into the chill of the Cold War. Paul Baker is abducted off the streets of London by a mysterious espionage agency and drafted into being a amateur spy for her Majesty. His mission: travel undercover to Madrid to see if an ex-Cabinet Minister is selling military secrets to the Russians. Baker doesn’t have a license to kill, or any idea what he’s doing… and quickly finds himself targeted for both seduction and death without the training to survive either situation.
“Fast-moving all the way.” The Observer
“Polished thrills, energetic action, and some hilarious comedy.” The Evening Standard
“An absorbing thriller with a devastating climax.” Chelsea News
Books by Barry Norman
The Butterfly Tattoo
The second wild and witty "Bobby Lennox" adventure by legendary UK TV host and critic Barry Norman.
Bobby Lennox is an ex-boxer, reluctant "fixer," and a struggling London entrepreneur who does favors for Donovan, a crime boss angling for respectability. One way Donovan hopes to get it is by helping Archie Beckway, a womanizing, corrupt politician who is being blackmailed by three people dressed as Disney characters... one of whom has a butterfly tattoo on her shapely leg. But the assignment isn't as clear-cut as it seems, and twists right back to Donovan's doorstep.
The Birddog Tape
Cockney ex-boxer Bobby Lennox agrees to do a favor for an aging hitman, who is going into the hospital for an emergency hernia operation, so he can't meet his mysterious new client. So Bobby goes in his place, just to get the details for his friend, and soon finds himself on his way to Hollywood to kill a movie producer and his wife... an ex-hooker who happens to be Bobby's former girlfriend. And things only get worse from there.
To Nick a Good Body
An authentic and outrageously funny police procedural in the tradition of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels... from legendary BBC host and critic Barry Norman.
Detective Inspector Nicholas Redford works in the "I" Division, a notoriously understaffed and and overworked part of the Metropolitan Police that handles all types of crime in their 100 miles square mile patch of London, but are lucky, given their lack of resources, if they can solve less than half of their cases.
The Hounds of Sparta
Reluctant spy Paul Baker travels to Crete, Scotland, London, and places in-between, searching for a missing germ-warfare scientist while being pursued by an assassin, seduced by a deadly brunette, and shot at by just about everyone... and he's not entirely sure why. But that's what happens when amateurs are drafted as secret agents. The trick is to survive.
