The Man in the Corduroy Suit - (Discipline Files) by James Wolff (Paperback)

About the Book

"Leonard Flood is ordered to investigate - and quickly. Notorious for his sharp elbows and blunt manner, Leonard's only objective is to get the job done, whatever the cost. When Leonard discovers that he is also a suspect in the investigation and that Willa's story is less a story of betrayal than one of friendship and a deep sense of duty, he must decide whether to hand her to her masters or to help her to escape."--

Book Synopsis

"A memorable voice in the genre, Wolff's prose, all sharp edges and abrupt surprises, keeping the reader in a state of edgy discomfort."New York Times

The story of an internal investigation into the past of a British spy suspected of having been turned by Russian agents. British intelligence is in a state of panic. Cracks are appearing, or so a run of disciplinary cases would suggest. To cap it all, Willa Karlsson, a retired secret services officer collapses, the victim of what looks like a Russian poisoning.

Leonard Flood is ordered to investigate - and quickly. Notorious for his sharp elbows and blunt manner, Leonard's only objective is to get the job done, whatever the cost. When Leonard discovers that he is also a suspect in the investigation and that Willa's story is less a story of betrayal than one of friendship and a deep sense of duty, he must decide whether to hand her to her masters or to help her to escape.

The third in the espionage trilogy The Discipline Files, after the acclaimed debut Beside the Syrian Sea, and its follow-on novel How to Betray Your Country.

Written by an insider: James Wolff was a British intelligence officer for over ten years before leaving to write spy fiction.

Against the backdrop of increasing Russian spying and interference (including assassination) in the UK, this novel explores themes of loyalty and betrayal in modern intelligence work, threatened from the inside by whistle-blowers, serial leakers and Robin Hood hackers. A taut thriller about the thin line between following your conscience and following orders. A fascinating conundrum we have been struggling with for decades. Edward Snowden, hero or traitor?

Review Quotes

The Man in the Corduroy Suit:

"A memorable voice in the genre, Wolff's prose, all sharp edges and abrupt surprises, keeping the reader in a state of edgy discomfort."----New York Times

The Man in the Corduroy Suit" reads like a classic spy story shaped by what Graham Greene called the "human factor." It's also a warning against losing one's perspective in the intelligence world's infinity of mirrors. Best enjoy this whimsical, inventive and shape-shifting book as it comes." Wall Street Journal

BEST THRILLERS of the MONTH: "More pangs of conscience in Wolff's third, characteristically sophisticated spy novel."----The Times

"With a precision in his use of language suggestive of a poet who sidelines as a surgeon, Wolff manages to create books that appeal to those who love spy novels and to those who loathe them." ----Morning Star

STARRED REVIEW: "The brilliant final entry in Wolff's Discipline Files, is another clever, twisty treat for espionage fans. John Le Carré fans will be hungry for more." ----Publishers Weekly

Best New Thrillers in May: A slower pace and the domestic focus foster strong character development in this absorbing tale. Flood's poignant attempts to connect with his female colleague Franny eloquently illustrate the emotional isolation of the spy's inner life. "---Financial Times

Beside the Syrian Sea "A superb debut... fascinating. The writer has obviously been somewhere or something in the spy business.""--The Times Crime Book of the Month

"Superb: an adventure from London to Lebanon to Syria and the desperate struggle for survival in the face of war and betrayal. Wolff is a new maestro." --Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard, Best Books of 2018

"'Best new spy novel by a mile. Don't let this one pass you byif you are a fan of intelligent, complex spy thrillers."--NB Magazine, Top Noir Novels of 2018

"Wolff writes masterfully about the badlands of Beirut, suggesting that he knows what he is talking about - plots and counterplots, secret agents, ISIS, Hezbollah, the CIA and our own secret services."--Literary Review

"A great read with characters that are developed and multidimensional."--San Francisco Book Review

How to Betray Your Country PW STARRED REVIEW: "Brilliant sequel to 2018's Beside the Syrian Sea. James Wolff skillfully portrays an espionage agent on the verge of losing himself to his demons. This is spy fiction like no other." --Publishers Weekly

"The story's Turkish setting is evocatively portrayed, and the prose throughout manages to be of the highest caliber yet elegantly inconspicuous. Two bull's-eyes from two throws suggest the arrival of a major talent."-- Spectator

Top Five books of 2021: "Wolff has written a brilliant exploration of loyalty and grief that paradoxically manages to be life-affirming."--Crime Fiction Lover

Best New Thrillers for April 2021: "Wolff's examination of the crises of conscience caused by spying, however, makes this a distinctly more thought-provoking novel than is customary in the genre. Turkish delight." --The Times

"The story is skillfully, and credibly told. Wolff has a fine eye for detail, both of people and places, and his portrayal of Istanbul as a spy capital is evocative and convincing."--- Financial Times

About the Author

James Wolff was a British intelligence officer for over ten years before leaving to write spy novels. His first novel, Beside the Syrian Sea, was a Times Crime Book of the Month and an Evening Standard Book of the Year. It was the first of The Discipline Files trilogy. Of his second novel, How to Betray Your Country, Publishers Weekly wrote 'Brilliant sequel. This is spy fiction like no other.' The Man in the Corduroy Suit is the third in the series.