A young man's entry into the murky world of industrial espionage, where secrets and lies can come at the cost of human life.
"Tautly written, cleverly plotted...it reminded me strongly of the early books of John le Carré" — Robert Harris, author of The Ghost and Fatherland.
"Charles Cumming is a man put on earth to perpetuate the spy thriller." —The Daily Telegraph
Alec Milius, a recent graduate of the London School of Economics, is young, smart, and a bit of a slacker, stuck in a shady job and suffering from a lack of direction. When an old family friend offers to put him up for a job in British Intelligence, Alec begins the rigorous selection process for SIS or MI6.
Though he doesn't officially make the cut, he is funneled into a prime position at a British oil company with interests in the Caspian Sea. He is directed to befriend Fortner Grice and Katharine Simms, two charismatic employees of Andromeda, a rival American oil firm. Lured into the dangerous world of industrial espionage, Milius finds himself trapped in a life of secrets and lies, manipulated by MI6 and the CIA, and confronted by the reality of a ruthless business environment where priceless information can come at the cost of human life.
Compellingly told, utterly authentic, and heart-racingly tense, Spy by Nature will grip you until the very last page.