Your Complete Guide to The UK's Queen of Spy Fiction, Ava Glass LIVE in Yorkshire this April

Ever wondered what the world of spies is really like? Forget the flashy cars and shaken-not-stirred martinis for a second. The real world of espionage is a lot grittier, and it often pulls ordinary people into its web. And someone who knows all about this is coming to Yorkshire. Ava Glass, dubbed the UK's queen of spy fiction, isn't just a writer; she's lived a life that sounds like it’s straight out of one of her own books. She’s visiting the county for a couple of special author events this spring to celebrate her brand-new thriller, The Hiding Season.

More than just stories: the real-life spy behind the books

Here’s the thing about Ava Glass – that’s not even her real name. It’s a pseudonym, and for good reason. Before becoming a bestselling author, she worked in British intelligence for nearly a decade, even working with spies from MI5. So when she writes about secret agents and covert operations, she's pulling from real-life experience. It’s one thing to imagine a world of secrets; it’s another to have actually lived in it.

This isn't some made-up backstory for a book tour. She’s signed the Official Secrets Act. She’s even taken part in terrorist simulations on British soil. Apparently, these training exercises can involve the government blowing up more buildings than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her novels shatter the old-school James Bond stereotype, offering a realistic peek into the hidden world of female espionage. This is the authentic stuff, from someone who has been on the inside.

What happens when ordinary people get mixed up with spies?

Ava Glass's latest book, The Hiding Season, which is published on 26th March, asks a pretty chilling question. What happens to the normal people who accidentally get caught in the crossfire? The book explores the idea of collateral damage—the unintended consequences that ripple out from secret operations. It's a theme Glass knows something about from her own past, showing the damage that spies can do to those who simply cross their path at the wrong moment.

The story follows an ordinary woman, Maya Landry, who is escaping a broken marriage by starting a new life in Bozeman, Montana, right at the foot of the magnificent Rocky Mountains. It all seems peaceful until she stumbles across a dead body at the ski resort where she works. But when she returns with the police, the body has vanished. Later that night, an FBI agent tells her she has to run, or she'll be dead by morning. What follows is a pulse-pounding thriller that sees Maya forced to change her identity and trust the very people who have put her in danger. From a ski lodge in Montana to a safehouse in Texas, it’s a page-turner about an FBI operation gone badly wrong.

From James Bond to the female heir

The world of spy fiction has been dominated by male writers and characters for, well, forever. But authors like Ava Glass are changing that. Legendary thriller writer James Patterson himself called her the “female heir to James Bond.” High praise indeed. And he’s not the only one. The Guardian called her ‘The new Queen of Spy Fiction’, and the Washington Post said her work ‘delivers everything fans of spy fiction could want: an absorbing plot, shadowy characters, page-gripping tension.’

With over two million copies of her books sold worldwide, it's clear she's struck a chord. Her previous Emma Makepeace series, which includes the brilliant books The Chase and The Traitor, has been a massive hit. The Traitor was even a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and was named a Book of the Year by both Cosmopolitan and the Washington Post. She's also been shortlisted for the prestigious CWA Steel Dagger award, cementing her place as a top writer in the genre. Publications from the Daily Mail to Grazia have praised her work for being gripping and true to life.

From crime reporter to TV expert

Before her time with British intelligence, Glass had another fascinating career as a crime reporter in the USA. She covered major cases like murders and kidnappings, working alongside the FBI. It's this deep understanding of how investigations work, both in the secret services and in law enforcement, that makes her writing so believable. She’s even written for the New York Times and Reuters.

This expertise has made her a go-to voice when real-life spy stories hit the news. She frequently appears on Sky News and BBC Radio 4 to give her take on the latest events. She’s even co-presented a true-crime documentary series for Channel 4. So, when people read an Ava Glass thriller, they are getting a story crafted by someone who truly knows her stuff, from the corridors of MI5 to the front lines of crime reporting.

Meet Ava Glass in Yorkshire

For anyone who loves a good thriller or is fascinated by the secret world of spies, this is a brilliant opportunity. Ava Glass is holding two author events in Yorkshire, giving people the chance to hear some of her incredible stories and ask questions about her new book, The Hiding Season. It’s a chance to meet the writer who is redefining modern spy fiction.

• Tuesday 31st March, 7:30 pm – The Pickering Booktree, Pickering, North Yorkshire. Tickets for this event are free.

• Wednesday 1st April, 7:00 pm – Wave of Nostalgia, Haworth, West Yorkshire. Tickets for this event are £5.

These events promise to be a fascinating glimpse into a world most people only ever read about. After all, it’s not every day someone who has worked with real spies comes to town.