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Phil the Shelf

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Phil Rickman presents BBC Radio Wales' book programme

Phil Rickman presents BBC Radio Wales' book programme, with books news and advice for writers

Phil the Shelf: Series 25

Phil the Shelf: Series 25: Episode 2: The Spy Novel

Episode 2

Episode 2: The Spy Novel

Series 25

The Spy Novel

BBC Radio Wales - Phil the Shelf, Series 25, The Spy Novel

Phil Rickman explores the murky world of contemporary spy and espionage writing.

Phil Rickman explores the murky world of contemporary spy and espionage writing, including biographies of John le Carre and new novels from Gerald Seymour and Mick Herron.

Phil Rickman explores the secretive and fantastical world of spy and espionage fiction, and asks why the dearth of contemporary novels in this genre? Could it be that the legacy of John Le Carre is just too daunting for the majority of writers? Phil's guests include Le Carre's official biographer, Adam Sisman, who has got to know Le Carre (aka David Cornwell) exceptionally well, and who assesses Le Carre's recent volume of reminiscences, The Pigeon Tunnel. Veteran journalist and author Gerald Seymour prefers to concentrate on hapless operatives rather than the world of Le Carre's cold war spymasters. He talks to Phil about his latest novel, No Mortal Thing, in which he explores the frightening world of one of Italy's least known, but most successful mafia groups: 'Ndranghetta. A young banker from London is drawn into waging a private war of revenge on a deadly mafia clan. Spy fiction of a very different kind is on offer with Mick Herron. In his Real Tigers novel he uses the setting of a dusty, down-at-heel branch of MI5 ('slow horses') to comment on office politics as much as on any real dangers to the state at large.

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Writer and broadcaster Phil Rickman explores the fascinating world of books

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Episode 2: The Spy Novel

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