Typhoon by Charles Cumming
Published in 2008
Format: eBook from Boston Public Library
Pages: 453
Duration: January 17 2023 - January 24 2023
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3687885-typhoon
Charles Cumming has become one of my top 5 favorite authors. He is one of the few where I pre-order his new books as soon as I can. Luckily, I still have a quit a few of his earlier books to read, which brought me to Typhoon.
I first learned of Typhoon from the esteemed Tim Shipman and his top 125 best espionage authors list. Tim is a well-known and extremely respected British political journalist. He is also a frequent contributor to Spybrary's podcasts, web site and Facebook group. I will be referencing Tim's list as well as Spybrary, many times as we go forward. The list and the Spybrary group have provided me a treasure trove of great books and authors...most of which I would not have known if not for Tim and the editors/contributors of Spybrary.
Typhoon is Charles 5th book published and is currently a stand-alone novel. The novel spans 10 years, starting in Hong Kong 1997, ending in early 2008 as the Beijing Olympics are approaching. The story is narrated from the perspective of Will Lasker, who is a middle-aged journalist that covered those events. We find out early on that Will also moonlights as an agent for SIS (SIS is British Intelligence also known as MI6). Will is friends with the central protagonist of the book, Joe Lenox. Joe is an undercover agent of MI6 and he goes to Hong Kong in 1997 for his first oversees assignment. Joe is a very intelligent, self-assured, driven young man who joined MI6 straight of college. Joe is an idealist and as a result he had inner struggles with the sometimes shady and corrupt world of espionage.
Joe's counterpart in the CIA, Miles Coolidge, could not have been more opposite. Miles, who was about 10 years older than Joe, was very arrogant, brash, shady and conniving. Whereas Joe kept to himself and avoided all the nightclubs, Miles was a womanizer that would make Matt Lauer blush. The only reason they had a relationship was because of their jobs. Neither trusted or particularly liked each other. Will neither trusts or bothers to hide his dislike of Miles. Enter Isabella, a beautiful English/French woman into the mix and let the drama begin! Joe and Isabella immediately fall head over heals for each other while Miles secretly has a crush on her. As their relationship strengthens and becomes serious, Joe struggles with the fact he has to keep his secret life a secret from the love of his life.
As the story begins, it is 1997 in Hong Kong....it is just a few weeks from the historical transition of power from the British Monarchy to the Chinese government. For 156 years, Hong Kong had been under British rule. As a result of this unprecedented event, uncertainty hovers over Hong Kong like a fog and becomes a hot bed for the world's top spies. Of which all are trying to take advantage of the situation and put themselves in a position of influence with China. And wow, can Cumming write...he does a wonderful job of conveying what it must have been like living in Hong Kong during that summer. His knowledge of the region and it's history is no short of amazing.
Joe is tasked with interrogating a migrant Chinese professor who turns out to be a political dissident of China. He reaches the shorelines of Hong Kong by swimming in treacherous seas. As Joe interrogates the man, the roles of the interrogation kind of flip as the professor becomes the interrogator and educator of what is happening to human rights in China specifically to the Muslim tribes within China. The man wants to talk with British officials before the transfer in hopes of gaining the assistance of the Brits in stopping China's assault on human rights.
Joe and the professor are up late into the night and decide to take a break to rest. When Joe goes back to the safe house, the professor is gone. The CIA worked out a deal with SIS to take control of the professor.
Flash forward 10 years and Joe finds himself back in China undercover trying to blow up a plot hatched by rogue CIA/political extremists that consist of a series of bombings of malls/restaurants/night clubs/government buildings...all leading up to the culmination of a terror attack at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. These bombings are to be under the guise of Chinese Muslim extremists with the intent to undermine the integrity of Chinese government as well as destabilize their economy and government. A familiar foe, Miles Coolidge, is at the heart of this CIA mission. Joe needs to figure out what Miles is up to. To complicate matters, and cloud Joe's judgement is the fact Miles is more than just a thorn in his back professionally...he also sabotaged is personal life.
The story is brilliantly crafted and told in a unique way...from the perspective of one of the characters, Will who just happens to be a journalist and a part-time spy. It is brilliant writing by Cumming.
For me, Typhoon checks every box I want in a good espionage yarn:
- Excellent character development. I really liked and connected with Joe ✅
- a slow burn ✅
- the love interest between Joe and Isabella was a great subplot ✅
- twists and excitement ✅
- good historical and geographic research ✅
- a great believable plot ✅
