The Spy Who Haunted Me (Secret Histories, Book 3) [Hardcover]

Simon R. Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 2009

Eddie Drood's evil-stomping skills have come to the attention of the legendary Alexander King, Independent Agent extraordinaire. The best of the best, King spent a lifetime working for anyone and everyone, doing anything and everything, for the right price. Now, he's on his deathbed and looking to bestow all of his priceless secrets to a successor, provided he or she wins a contest to solve the world's greatest mysteries. Eddie has to win, because King holds the most important secret of all to the Droods-the identity of the traitor in their midst...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Green's bright, fast-paced third Eddie œShaman Bond Drood adventure (after 2008's Daemons Are Forever) opens with rumors of a traitor undermining the Drood family's efforts to guard humanity against paranormal and mystical threats. Complicating matters, legendary agent Arthur King is dying without an heir. Eddie joins a group of other agents in tackling King's challenge: solve five of mankind's greatest mysteries and learn King's secrets, including the traitor's name. Engaging, well-crafted quests take the team from Loch Ness to Roswell, where Eddie is forced to choose between saving humanity and recovering the information his family desperately needs. Though some supporting characters are clearly meant to be disposable, Eddie makes a likable hero, and fans will enjoy following him through this surprisingly complex mystery. (June)
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From Booklist

Eddie Drood is back, in a contest with five up-and-comers in the spy game. Legendary independent agent Alexander King, on his deathbed, has devised a contest, the winner of which will get his secrets, lest they expire with him. The Drood family is roped into competing by hints that King knows who the traitor in its bosom is; the other five contestants, by promises of fame, glory, and whatever else they desire. Eddie and his fellow contestants range round the world to solve some of the greatest mysteries ever, from the truth about Nessie to that about Roswell, yet only one will win. King assumes they will backstab each other, and he’s not entirely wrong. The Droods need to know who their traitor is, so Eddie will do everything necessary to win. There’s more to the contest than simple mysteries, however, and Eddie gets to the bottom of things with style and a particularly cynical sense of humor. Series-spinner Green’s Drood books are fun, funny, and action-packed, and Eddie is one of his most entertaining creations. --Regina Schroeder

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover; 1 edition (June 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451462726
• ISBN-13: 978-0451462725
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #847,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Simon Green is the author of the bestselling DEATHSTALKER cycle, the New York Times bestseller ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES, and many other novels. He lives in Bradford-upon-Avon in Wiltshire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yay! More Walker please!, June 2, 2009

By 

Shala Kerrigan (Anchorage) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Spy Who Haunted Me (Secret Histories, Book 3) (Hardcover)

I really like Simon R. Green's books and have since Blue Moon Rising. They are just a whole lot of fun with great bigger than life villains and heroes. Nothing by halves.
In this one, Edwin Drood gets invited to take part in a competition against 5 other spies held by a master spy who is offering his lifetime of secrets for the prize. While Molly isn't in it much, that's made up for by Walker from Nightside. John Taylor's nemesis and occasional ally Walker. He's a major character in this book with a lot more development. I was just absolutely tickled and thrilled about that.
Like all of Green's book, the evil is eviler and the powers are weird and the descriptions are just great. This one though is a bit more serious than most of his others but still packaged in gadgets and magic and lots of adventure that makes it all very fun reading.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Secret Histories Mysteries, July 12, 2009

By 

Timothy Fitzgerald "Turanthor" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Spy Who Haunted Me (Secret Histories, Book 3) (Hardcover)

Simon R. Green is on fire this year. Following on the heels of the excellent Just Another Judgement Day, Green delivers another fine novel with his latest entry in the Secret Histories series. The Spy Who Haunted Me is now my pick as the best book in the Shaman Bond chronicles.

It was a much needed and welcomed bounce back after last year when I really felt both Daemons Are Forever and The Unnatural Inquirer were subpar Green novels. But this year he has reinvigorated both the Nightside and Secret Histories with more investment for the heroes. Both novels last year had the usual Green mixture of fresh ideas and tons of imaginative fantasy elements, but it always felt like both Eddie Drood and John Taylor were going through the motions. This year their adventures have been more personal and both characters seem more entrenched in the action than before.

I mention the Nightside so much because, for the first time, the Drood Universe crosses over with the Nightside. It has been hard to deny that they were similar stories, John and Eddie have a lot in common and much of the action takes place in a world that (up to now) could have been the same, and now is obviously shown to be the same world. Daemons Are Forever had a crossover with Deathstalker, so it seemed inevitable for there to be a Nightside crossover as well. It is done very well, and the crossover character is one you always want more of in the Nightside books!

Another thing that I thought made this book an improvement over the last, is it felt more like the original premise of the series: that of a Fantasy James Bond. I loved The Man With The Golden Torque because it had a lot of nods to Bond and though it eventually took on a decidedly more Simon Green style, it maintained that mimicry to an extent throughout. I really felt like Daemons Are Forever just abandoned it altogether, Eddie was running the family instead of being an agent, and it felt more like a typical Nightside book than the first. The Spy Who Haunted Me really marks a return to the style of the first book, with more Shaman Bond, more agent action, and even a premise and a villain that would not be out of place in Fleming's world.

It is a pretty basic setup: 6 of the best Agents from around the world are to compete for a chance to claim The Independent Agent's treasure cache of stolen secrets. The catch? Even though they are forced to work as a team, in the end there can be only One! Only one agent will be allowed to walk away with the prize, and their life.

Shaman Bond aka Eddie Drood is, of course, among the candidates, as well as a familiar face from previous books, and as mentioned, a character from the Nightside. They are tasked with uncovering five great world mysteries, things even the Drood Family and CIA do not have the answers to. The mysteries are all interesting in their own right, and very fun given the Green treatment.

In all I would say that The Spy Who Haunted Me is a lightning quick thrill ride through the mind of Simon R Green: Filled to the brim with his typical mixture of humor, crazy imaginative monsters, myths, and [...] heroes.

389 pages HC 4.5 out of 5 stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a fun read. Warning- Spoilers ahead., May 14, 2009

By 

Adrian - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spy Who Haunted Me (Secret Histories, Book 3) (Paperback)

The plot of the book goes as follows: a legendary agent- the Independent Agent, is about to die and issues a challenge to 6 of the best agents to solve 5 puzzles, with the winner taking first prize- all his secrets.

I liked this book because not only does the author have his usual super imaginative situations, there's something a little different- a proper crossover with his Nightside series. It gave an insight into Eddie Drood's contemporaries, like MI 13 and the CIA. It also revealed that the Drood's have a treaty with the Nightside (or perhaps an understanding would be more accurate), and the unflappable and enigmatic Walker has suffered a rather personal loss of his own after his encounter with Lilith (see Nightside series).

It's clear that Mr Green is enjoying himself and now has enough books out there that he can mix and match characters when he wants. My goodness, could there possibly be a showdown between Eddie Drood and John Taylor in the future? It's unlikely, given the treaty, but I can always hope!

Go ahead and treat yourself to a good fun read.

In case you havent already, start from book 1. It'll make more sense that way.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the book!