Maggie MathesonThe Senior Spy by Ian Hornett

Maggie MathesonThe Senior Spy Reviews

• 
  oldbookishwoman Paula

  Maggie Matheson is quite a character, don't be fooled by her age or appearance, she can whip up a jumper or turn those knitting needles into weapons when needed.
  This was definitely an interesting, fun spy story with great characters and a plot that easily holds your attention. Lots of tea was consumed and enjoyed whilst reading this. I blame the author and Maggie for this. This is an enjoyable start to a brand new series.
• 
  Julia Blake

  If you want to read something quirky, fun, and a bit different from anything else, then Maggie Matheson - The Senior Spy is just the book for you. At 81 Maggie believes the world of being a secret agent is something she has left far behind, but when an unexpected accident demolishes her local café Maggie is suddenly catapulted back into the exciting career she reluctantly retired from.
  
  From then on it’s a fast-paced, all-action romp with Maggie on a constant quest for a nice cup of tea, a sit-down, and comfortable underwear. Needing the skills that she depended on in the past, sadly her body refuses to play ball and Maggie now finds herself having to rely more on her cunning and quick wits than her prowess at martial arts.
  
  Maggie is everyone’s favourite granny and I found myself chuckling more than once as this technophobe octogenarian stumbles through the modern world of espionage. Baffled by technology, she is saved more than once by blind luck and dumb chance and the support of the mismatched group of allies she gathers around her.
  
  Ranging from a wet behind the ear’s young agent, an incompetent would-be kidnapper, and an ageing hooker, the supporting cast is as wonderful as Maggie herself, and I found myself turning the pages quicker and quicker, desperate to find out what this motley crew would get up to next.
  
  So British you can practically taste the tea, this book is a refreshing change from all the kickass young heroines the literary world is awash with, and Maggie herself is a triumph in relatable characters.
  
• 
  Linda Lou

  Two decades after leaving the spy world, Maggie finds herself back in the game up to her cursed underwear in a world of high tech espionage. She’s obviously way out of her realm of expertise and her self defense skills are a bit rusty.
  
  She may not be as agile as she used to be; but her observational skills and wits are definitely intact. I loved the bantering going on inside her head. Her humor and thoughts struck all the right chords. She may seem like a harmless old lady who can peg people and get away with calling some by made up names; but don’t be fooled because Maggie is sharp as a tack and very very lucky.
  
  Hornett has written an intricate spy thriller that has gone awry and will have you guessing… and all of them would be wrong! 007 would be proud!!
  
  A Rollicking ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• 
  Laura

  You've got to admire Maggie Matheson. She may be up there age wise, wielder of wheelie-trolley, wearer of false teeth and unable to come to terms with modern technology, but past it she certainly is not. You'll understand, when you observe her sorting out a noise-nuisance on a train with a knitting needle, or using said knitting needle to conduct a willing choir of football supporters in a bar on a North-Sea ferry, or reconnecting with a contact from her old days of working undercover--or should that be overcover?--in an Amsterdam brothel.
  
  Yes, Maggie Matheson, octogenarian exponent of espionage, is back on the case--but did she ever actually go away? The complexities of her new assignment involve getting to know some long-lost family members, and seeing new sides of old acquaintances--but Maggie takes it all in her arthritic stride, albeit with the occasional wobble.
  
  Hilarity with a serious side ensues as the old-age agent serves up a spy story that will leave you shaken--with laughter, and stirred--or maybe not. A molotov cocktail of a story with a twist from author-agent Hornett - Ian Hornett.
• 
  Susanne Perry

  So refreshing reading a spy novel with an atypical heroine! And not merely a female spy who was active back in days of Get Smart (remember Agent 99?) and the original “Bond, James Bond”. Maggie Matheson breaks the mold as an octogenarian former spy. She’s brought out of her pleasant retirement to assist a team of operatives with a situation involving a personal connection. Maggie is pleased to discover that she can still handle anything that comes her way. The novel is full of British speech and colloquialisms that add to the fun and present no confusion whatsoever. Maggs, as she is known, is a blast of an enjoyable character who might be my new personal hero. Bottom line is that if you love spy intrigue, this is a novel you don’t want to miss.
• 
  Nannette Kreitzman

  Loved it!
  
  I want to be just like Maggie when I’m old * ahem * older: feisty, clever, and not one to pull any punches! She is joined by other wonderfully memorable characters in Maggie Matheson: The Senior Spy. Humorous throughout, I especially enjoyed the amusing scenarios related to old age, being well on my way to that status myself. But never fear, spy novel lovers! There is plenty of intrigue and subterfuge to satisfy the most ardent fans! A fun and clever read!
• 
  Ellen Read

  Maggie Matheson - The Senior Spy
  By Ian Hornet
  
  This book had me chuckling from the very beginning. Maggie Matheson at 81, shows you are never too old, even if you’re a spy. It’s well-written with a great cast of characters. I particularly liked Maggs’ thought processes. Very witty.
  
  If you want an entertaining read over the holidays, this is one is for you. I highly recommend it.
  5 stars
  
• 
  Charley

  I really loved this book and it was an enjoyable easy read. It was light hearted and funny - it made me laugh out loud at many points. The story kept me guessing and made me want to keep reading to find out more. If I’m honest I’d love to see it as a film to see if the characters would be as I pictured them in my head!
• 
  Julie Embleton

  Maggie Matheson had me chuckling from start to finish in this light-hearted spy thriller with more twists than a helter-skelter. Her 81 years might be catching up on her physically, but Maggs is as sharp as a tack and therefore delighted to be rooted out from her boring, safe life as she embarks on a mission with a cast of brilliant characters.
  
  Hornett keeps the plot twists coming with almost every turn of page, leaving Maggs struggling to keep up physically, but with her decisive way of thinking and keen sense of observation, she keeps pace mentally, tugging the reader along as our non-spy brains get a little muddled with all that’s happening.
  
  Maggie’s internal dialogue, especially when it comes to her octogenarian body and associated functions are laugh out loud moments. Some of my favourite scenes include the sing-song on the ferry and the pasta making debacle. The characters are well-rounded with ample backstories and great dialogue that kept me engaged, but Maggs definitely steals the show.
  
  I hope we haven’t heard the last of Maggie Matheson. She’s a fresh new spy on the scene that’ll leave you unable to look at OAPs in the same way again. A fun, entertaining and fast-paced read.
• 
  Sophie Brousseau

  A fun, action-packed read that will have you flipping those pages faster than Maggie can ask for a cup of tea!
  
  Our tea-loving retired Agent Matheson might be over eighty, but she hasn't lost it! We follow her foray back into the world of secret service and as you can imagine a lot has changed! It's really silly yet incredibly relatable and that makes for a lot of laughs. Though go a layer deeper and we learn the other side to Maggie, what shaped her life and led her to make the decisions she did (I won't give too much away there, but it tugs on the heart strings). Not only is Maggie incredibly likeable but the side characters too, together they paint a real sense of comradery and community which will having you rooting for their success every step of the way. If you like British humour and spy-adventures, I'd bump this one up your TBR.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Bruce Spydar

  A wonderful brew of eccentric espionage
  Books like this are why you shouldn’t stick to reading within one type of genre. This comic tale of elderly espionage is delightfully unconventional, just as main character Maggie Matheson is not a conventional fit with ‘normal people’. The author has done a fabulous job in creating the idiosyncrasies of Maggie’s personality: a mix of stereotypical tea-drinking octogenarian and laughably skillful ex-spy who can dismantle and reassemble a gun within the confines of her handbag ... it is both relatable and wonderfully silly.
  The plot is well-paced, and there is a lively secondary cast of characters. While this book might have been intended as a one-off, it feels as though this should be just the start. I hope there are several more of Maggie’s adventures to come.
  
• 
  Tim Beeden

  What a fantastic read.
  I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie's adventures. This was due, in no small part, to a clever combination of humour, pathos and a stonkingly well-written plot. I'm trying to think of the type of person who would enjoy this book but I think it would be unfair to narrow the field down. Therefore, if you like a thoughtfully crafted, funny story with interesting twists and turns, I'd recommend you give Maggie Matheson a go.
  There are the obvious comparisons with the Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman but whilst that's useful for marketing purposes, I think this is a very different novel. Maggie Matheson contains more consistent use of humour and a grander sense of adventure.
  If you don't believe me, why don't you read it to find out...
• 
  Barbara Lennox

  There aren’t many spies who pack haemorrhoid cream with their Glock 19, but Maggie Matheson, OAP and former spy, is one of them. Persuaded out of retirement, Maggie dusts off her old skills, tries to get to grips with modern technology, and goes off on an adventure with colourful sidekicks and baddies galore.
  
  A comedy drama isn’t an easy thing to pull off, but Ian Hornett manages to do it. There’s a laugh, a giggle, a titter or a wry smile on every page, and lots of plot twists and turns to keep you guessing. If you’re after a gloriously silly page-turner of a read then this is the book for you.
  
  
• 
  Angela Cairns

  Maggie Matheson: The Senior Spy by @ianhornett
  A light, entertaining, comedy spy thriller. Full of tongue-in-cheek humour.
  If you’re looking for some light-hearted fun this weekend then this feisty spy brought out of retirement to save the world from a daring cyber crime heist is the book for you. But what with her lack of technical skills, her arthritis and a penchant for a nice cup of tea has she still got what it takes?
  With more twists than the minute waltz hang onto your hats and enjoy the ride.
  
• 
  Caroline Noe

  Long retired from the spook business, 81 year old Maggie nearly gets splattered in a freak accident. Thus begins an adventure that will need all her rusty skills in a blast from the past.
  
  Full of twists, turns and tea, Maggie Matheson is a delight. The aged spy creaks, sings and bluffs her way through bullet ridden drama, alongside a rickety old prostitute and an array of guys she may or may not remember.
  
  A gentle chucklefest that served to remind this ageing reader that older protagonists are far too thin on the ground.
• 
  Michele Packard

  There is so much to love about this book and I am so thankful I read. I can't recall the last time I laughed so genuinely hard, I had tears streaming down my face. I started reading in an accent and it made it even funnier. The pages turned quicker and quicker but I didn't want it to end. There's more to it though with the grappling of life with loss, doubt, regret that we all encounter at any age that will tug at your heartstrings and a reminder to live life to the fullest. Thank you to the author for creating such wonderful, inspirational character(s) that brought pure joy. Bravo!!
• 
  Kirsty Louise

  You go on a great journey with the characters and the opening was gripping.
  I love the character of Maggie. So relatable, reminded me of my nanna! Say it how it is and technophobe!
  I like the light humour in it and was a light hearted read but still had substance.
  There were great twists in the end when finding out about Maggie's past. I would have liked more depth on that in the final pages. But overall, an enjoyable read.
• 
  Charli West

  I found myself smiling and often, outright laughing from the antics of this octogenarian! Hornett has a knack for writing twists and turns with wit and humor that left me wanting to keep the pages turning. The days I couldn’t read much I found myself wanting to. Maggie is an opinionated, sarcastic, “do it my way” retired spy that makes you wondering what in the world she’s gonna do next!
  
  Well done, Ian Hornett! Your flare for mystery, drama, and laughter was excellent!
• 
  Pete Biehl

  This book was a lot of fun. A great blend of action and humor, woven together very well. Maggie was a fantastic character, and the internal dialogue in her head was fantastic and well fleshed out. I would not hesitate to pick up another story about Maggie!
• 
  Joanie Lunsford

  A Rip-Roaring Good Time
  
  
  Maggie Matheson - The Senior Spy is the embodiment of what is needed for success on a highly intricate mission the secret service has launched into. A potential reunion with the son she had not seen since his birth was the hook the service tempted her with. Spying is an adventure, excitingly dangerous with international intrigue. What it is not is a job that can be done from home. Safety precautions forced Maggie to give up her first born.
  
  Out of sight but not out of mind and so Maggie often agonized over the separation and wondered about Peter throughout the years. Living alone in her senior years, boredom has crept in along with age related challenges. The challenge of being involved in a new case would alleviate boredom, but more importantly, a reunion with Peter would put more days of wonder to bed.
  
  
  Ian Hornett totally captured me into a world that is all Maggie Matheson. From the antics of her witty spirited personality to her caring nature, I was held captive to the end.
• 
  Pauline Reid

  Maggie, an eighty-one year old, unwittingly comes out of her retirement. So much has changed as she tries to get to grips with the technology we now use without thinking. She is as sharp as a Smeg knife and as blunt as a bread and butter knife and she speaks to herself in italics.
  .
  I loved the following
  
  Maggie gets kidnapped under unusual circumstances, infact the man, Carlos that kidnapped her is unusual, setting a scene for an unusual story of laughs, amusement and intrigue.
  
  The quote that stuck out the most for me was
  "A slither of bacon disappeared into his mouth before reappearing again as he spoke."
  
  I loved Carlos for his table manners, the best thing since sliced bread and butter was invented. He hugely added alot of humour to the story.
  .
  Fun fact - I also loved the shopping trolley incident. I had a supermarket trolley that one wheel thumped not long ago, you could hear me a mile away.
  .
  As you can tell this book is full of laughs as Maggie muddles herself through solving crimes.
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  A rating of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  This story entertained me no end.
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  Genre - Cozy Mystery, Humor