Secret agents, like corsairs, are nice guys.

Spies, like pirates, are bad ones

At least, it's how it was when i was a kid.

JB this looks great-can't wait!

A bit off topic-For some reason while reading this post I thought of something you were 'talking' about awhile back-I think you called it Citizien X-just curious if this was something still roaming around your head. If this has been talked about recently my apologies, it sounded interesting.

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Sort of depends which side they're on!

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Sorry, seem to have missed this question previously. So, here's an excuse to get a little bit into the discussion of the PROCESS behind these things.

I'd been wanting to play around with the whole Cold War milieu for a while, so when Chris Ryall and I came to discussing possible new projects, this was high on the list. Once I started thinking about it as more than just a vague concept, details began to fall quite rapidly into place, especially details of time and place.

I wanted the series set in the early 1950s, when memories of the Second World War were still fresh and painful, and, indeed, when my main character could have served in that war. I also wanted him to be an "independent operator", so no longer officially attached to any Government agency. The idea in my head was, as I said, that when they call him he knows right away the problem is REALLY serious.

Making him ex CIA presented certain problems of logistics. Most of the "action" of the Cold War was based in Europe, which meant either finding a way to get my guy over there for each story arc, or having him there more or less permanently. That first notion struck me immediately as likely to become tired and contrived after a while. How many times could we see him boarding a plane at Idelwilde? The second idea brought him too close to the 1960s Richard Bradford TV series, MAN IN A SUITCASE. Most probably would not remember the series, but just enough would -- including me.

I also quickly realized I wanted to avoid the whole "A Red in Every Bed" idea, having my guy battling Dirty Commies™ stateside, which was the core of so many really bad 1950s movies.

From there, it was only a quick step to basing him in England, and making him ex MI6. I joked about him having had an office just down the hall from Bond, John Drake, Harry Palmer, George Smiley, Alec Leamas, and a host of others. (Maybe even John Steed!)

And, of course, it made my life a little bit easier, as I would be drawing a time and place I actually REMEMBER!

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My interest started with Bond, in the mid 1960s, and went on from there.