Your Face Tomorrow by Javier Marias – Brush Pass Spy Thriller Review

Spybrary's man in Station L (Northern Sector) author Andy Onyx slipped us this brush pass review of Javier Marias‘s thriller Your Face Tomorrow: Fever And Spear

He shares why spy book readers will enjoy this modern spy novel.

“Your Face Tomorrow by the Spanish novelist of note, Javier Maras. I say novelist of note because Maras has sold over 6 million copies of his works worldwide to date. In amongst, which is this spy fiction trilogy published between 2009 and 2017.

I first became aware of Your Face Tomorrow due to its inclusion in an early Spybrary podcast episode from 2017. Featuring journalist, the Telegraphic critic Jake Kerridge‘s top 20 spy novels of all time. It was ranked and rated highly, but almost mentioned in passing. I never heard of it before or since, not even in the maybe later category of the esteemed Shipman best 125 spy authors list, but what was made clear by Jake was that this was not a conventional spy novel it's off road, scenic route stuff.

Frankly, it seemed to be right up my Strasse and deserving of a spybrary brush pass review.”


Jake Kerridge and the Summer of Spies
Jake Kerridge and the Summer of Spies episode provided the inspiration for Andy's Brush Pass pick.


Do you agree, or disagree with Andy? Come and let us know your thoughts on the Spybrary fans community.

Your Face Tomorrow Fever And Spear by Javier Marias

Part spy novel, part romance, part Henry James, Your Face Tomorrow is a wholly remarkable display of the immense gifts of Javier Marias. With Fever and Spear, Volume One of his unfolding novel Your Face Tomorrow, he returns us to the rarified world of Oxford (the delightful setting of All Souls and Dark Back of Time), while introducing us to territory entirely new–espionage.

Our hero, Jaime Deza, separated from his wife in Madrid, is a bit adrift in London until his old friend Sir Peter Wheeler―retired Oxford don and semi-retired master spy―recruits him for a new career in British Intelligence. Deza possesses a rare gift for seeing behind the masks people wear. He is soon observing interviews conducted by Her Majesty's secret service: variously shady international businessmen one day, would-be coup leaders the next. Seductively, this metaphysical thriller explores past, present, and future in the ever-more-perilous 21st century. This compelling and enigmatic tour de force from one of Europe's greatest writers continues with Volume Two, Dance and Dream.



Further Reading

Javier Marias – The Art of Fiction. The Paris Review

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