A review by mstall_
Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I found Northern Spy to be a really entertaining and fast paced book, albeit a little far fetched. The bokok focused on Tessa, a single mother living in Belfast in current day who works at the BBC. The IRA had been ramping up attacks again and Tessa become more and more worried about her and her sons safety. When she sees a group of IRA members robbing a convenience story on the television, she recognizes one as her sister. Adamant that her sister is not a terrorist, Tessa begins a descent into the world of the IRA which she realizes she might not come back from. 

Overall, I enjoyed the pacing of the book and the story line. This is a book about the resiliency of single mothers, family, and occupied peoples. You do have to suspend some major disbelief here, namely

at the end of the book where Marian and Tessa fake their deaths, they are moved only two hours away, DEEPER into republican Ireland?? And Tessa keeps her son, he doesn't go live with his dad which is what would happen if she was dead? Like, how is that realistic in anyway?

. I know that there is a second book coming out and I'm already struggling with these details that keep me from believing the plausibility of this story. 

I'd give this book a 3.75 overall.