Edward Wilson Books In Order

Publication Order of Catesby Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Edward Wilson is a popular spy fiction writer. He was born in Baltimore but moved to the United Kingdom after he served in the Vietnam War. He decided to move out to the country following his dissatisfaction with American policies following the war. He has lived in the UK for decades although he has also been in Germany and France for part of his life, thus influencing many of the things that he has written in his many stories.

He worked as a teacher for years not long after the war ended. He had expressed interest in writing stories over the years. It was not until the early 2000s when he started writing spy fiction stories.

Wilson’s work is heavily inspired by many classic suspense writers of the past. His work has particularly been inspired by British spy activities and organizations. He has particularly set many of his stories in the middle part of the twentieth century as it is a time period where many conflicts and issues came about between many figures in the British, American and Soviet governments.

His stories have been admired by many people around the United Kingdom. He has also become popular in the United States as people are looking for entertaining figures that are more fascinating and distinct.

Intriguing Characters

Although Edward Wilson has not specifically made any particular series of books, he does have some characters that appear in many of his stories. The most noteworthy of his characters is William Catesby, a prominent MI6 agent. There are hints that one of Catesby’s ancestors is in fact Robert Catesby, the man who in 1605 planned the infamous Gunpowder Plot.

William Catesby has been compared with John le Carre’s famed spy character George Smiley in the past. Catesby is seen as a smooth spy with a professional streak but is always willing to make the tough decisions and is never afraid of what will happen next. A few other characters appear in the stories but it is Catesby who draws much of the focus.

Special Recognitions

The honors that Edward Wilson has earned for his stories include many that highlight the strong efforts he puts into his work. He received a nomination for the Commonwealth Writers Prize for A River in May. This is a prominent honor that celebrates writers of all sorts from around Europe, Africa and Asia.

His work has also been profiled in a few American publications in recent time. His work has been highlighted by the Los Angeles Review of Books and the Tribune magazine. He has also been heralded by British publications including the prominent Independent on Sunday magazine. His work has stood out in such British publications as being appealing and distinct while offering a great sense of suspense all the way through.

Books of Note

A River in May

Wilson states that he wrote A River in May as a means of getting rid of the many inner demons he had following the Vietnam War. The story is about Lieutenant Lopez, an American who goes to a remote border camp that is being supported by various American generals and some Vietnamese natives. The story is noteworthy for showing the turmoil that came with the war and the general fear that many Americans held following the conflict.

The Envoy

The Envoy marks Wilson’s entry into the world of spy fiction. The story follows Kit Fournier, a US embassy diplomat in 1950 London. He actually works as a spy as he is a CIA chief based out of London. Fournier is aiming to try and adjust relations between the Americans, British and Soviets and is operating and controlling many secret nuclear operations. But behind all that work is a general effort to try and adjust projects to benefit the Americans. The CIA, MI6 and KGB all mingle together in a story that brings about a good debate over how much power someone is truly supposed to have.

The Darkling Spy

William Catesby makes his big debut in this book. In 1956, Catesby is trying to rebuild his reputation following a series of failed missions. He goes out to become a fake defector as a means of tracking down the Butterfly, one of the most treasured possessions in the world of Cold War intelligence. Catesby is aiming to find information on what is happening as he travels through Europe and soon meets with Mischa Wolf, one of the iconic East German spy figures in history. The story is promoting as being one that will change how people see the Cold War as it comes with a conclusion that will surprise even the most experienced history buffs.

The Whitehall Mandarin

Catesby moves on to the 1960s in this next book. A Soviet spy ring based out of London is no longer sending intelligence information out to Russia. This leads Catesby into a series of missions around London and eventually out to Vietnam to try and find information on what the Soviets are doing. But as Catesby moves through the spy underground, he comes across many sexual encounters. This leads to some real uncertainty over what he could experience next.

A Very British Ending

This story moves around throughout much of history as it starts in the late 1940s as an MI6 agent kills a Nazi war criminal. But it turns out that criminal was actually a CIA agent who had strong relations to a bunker in South America. Soon after, another MI6 agent makes a trade deal with Soviets to trade jet engines for valuable resources. The story moves on to the 1970s as Catesby and another ally of his are aiming to stop two separate parties that are trying to take over the British government. But as the two parties are trying to take control, the past of these groups is slowly revealed amid the uncertainty over what could happen next.

The appealing stories of Edward Wilson illustrate a fascinating world of British spy fiction. The entertaining stories he has written over the years shows that he is influenced by many of the masters of spy fiction. His great work and his fascinating storylines show that there is much more to the British, American and Soviet spy scenes than what meets the eye.

One Response to “Edward Wilson”

1. Annabelle McDonald: 8 months ago

   I love all your books and I have all of them – The Darkling Spy is my absolute favourite.
   Will you be writing more?

   Reply