The Spy Who Hated Me

James Flyn Escapades #5

by Haris Orkin

“A laugh out loud, action-packed thrill ride!” –Christy Cooper-Burnett, author of No Way Home

CIA agent Caitlyn Valentine has disappeared in London and James Flynn is sure she's in danger. Of course, as a heavily medicated patient in a Pasadena psychiatric hospital, no one takes Flynn seriously. Especially since he's convinced his locked ward is the headquarters for His Majesty's Secret Service and that he's an international superspy with a license to kill.

Flynn escapes and makes his way to a totally unfamiliar London with the help of his reluctant sidekick and psychiatric nurse, Sancho. From a luxurious private casino in Mayfair to the superyacht of a Russian oligarch to the Orient Express and the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo, Flynn follows Caitlyn's trail and stumbles upon an audacious plot that threatens every country on Earth. At least that's how it seems to a man teetering between objective truth and absolute insanity.

Genres: Humor, Fiction

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2024

About the author

Haris Orkin is a playwright, screenwriter, game writer, and novelist, which is a fancy way of saying he has career commitment issues. Fortunately, other people don’t seem to mind. He’s a WGA and BAFTA Award–nominated narrative designer whose credits include more than a dozen video games, including Resident Evil: Shadows of Rose and Call of Juarez: Gunslinger.

He invented James Flynn because therapy is expensive. Flynn is everything Haris is not—utterly fearless, absurdly good-looking, effortlessly charming, and just a tad unhinged. (Except for maybe the unhinged part. That might be autobiographical.)

He lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife, where he enjoys movies, music, books, and the great outdoors, specifically sitting on his deck with a bourbon and admiring Grizzly Peak from a safe distance.

Reviews

[Dale]

OK I have to admit a certain grandiose affinity for the James Flynn books. This is because I have been a lifelong (long life?) fan of all things 007, especially the original Ian Fleming novels. Apparently Haris Orkin has been as well, because the detail to whom Flynn becomes, what he says, how he acts, and what he likes (shaken and not stirred, of course), delves deep into the Bond nuances. These inside "winks" are delicious, and if some of these are missed (I'm sure I missed a few), it does not detract from the fun of the twisty-turns plot, and the way that Flynn's delusion does not hinder but helps his cause.
This one has to do with CIA agent Caitlyn Valentine's (the spy who hates him...) disappearance in London. James Flynn is sure she's in danger and off he goes to the "mother land." "The Spy Who Hated Me" is a tasty spoof and thriller rolled into one. Give it a shot!

[Sandra Bray]

Wow! Another thrilling read by Haris Orkin. Once again James Flynn is rescuing damsels in distress, outwitting the bad guys, and saving the world. James and Sancho, his friend/caregiver are in Great Britian for this adventure that never takes a break. Haris is able to make me laugh out loud as James survives close encounters out of sheer luck though he thinks it is all skill.

This is the fifth book with our hero. James believes he is a 007 in His Majesty's Service. (British accent, martinis shaken not stirred. Sound familiar?) In reality, he is a psychiatric patient in City of Roses. He of course, finds his next mission. Can he save the world again? Save damsels in distress? Live through attacks by known enemies? Find his true love?

Haris Orkin is a very visual writer. Reading his books are like watching a movie in your mind. He has you always rooting for James to succeed. Your heart strings are pulled when he loses his confident spy persona and becomes insecure Jimmy.

You'll enjoy this book immensely.

I was honored to receive an advanced copy of The Spy Who Hates Me and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I've read the book twice already!

[Dan Barbier]

Finished another James Flynn Escapade and wished it lasted longer. The good thing is that unlike the Bond series, I will not have to wait 5 years to read another adventure. Like all Haris Orkin’s novels, this one is loaded with action and laugh out loud humour. Every Flynn stories goes the extra mile. They are all wilder and bigger than the one before. From California to London to Paris and Scotland, it is a whirlwind, world hopping, gun toting, explosive, high speed, cliff hanging blockbuster movie. I wish this series never ends and the Author never tires of bringing us new books starring my favourite lunatic superspy!

[Bella]

An uproarious spy spoof that may be Orkin’s most cinematic mission yet.

Since the debut of the wildly funny You Only Live Once, the first book in Haris Orkin’s James Bond satire series, Orkin has been far more prolific than the material that originally inspired him. The latest installment in Orkin’s James Flynn Escapade series, The Spy Who Hated Me, is Orkin’s fifth since the last Bond franchise movie was released.

The new book once again finds the “double 0” operative residing at Pasadena’s City of Roses Psychiatric Institute, which he believes to be a satellite branch of Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In Flynn’s mind, whatever psychological disorders he suffers from are just part of his cover story, which makes for multiple cringe-worthy (and therefore hilarious) situations. But in a move that will surely delight Orkin’s fan base, Flynn manages to get to London, where he’s fitted for a smart suit on Saville Row before heading to MI6 headquarters. He also manages to ride on the Orient-Express and board a villain’s Yacht en route to making all kinds of world-threatening mischief.

The caper is triggered by the disappearance of CIA agent Caitlyn Valentine. As usual, Orkin is accompanied by psychiatric nurse, Sancho, on the mission. Series readers may recall that Flynn nearly lost Sancho for good in LIcense to Die. Fortunately, Sancho is back and loyal as ever, but that doesn’t mean his character arc is finished. While his job is to keep Flynn out of danger as much as anyone possibly can, he also finds that he has much to learn about life outside California. Among them are the realities of life abroad – such as British fondness for room-temperature beer – while figuring out how he’ll get Flynn home. Along the way, he finds himself in a few cultural situations where Flynn becomes the teacher, not the pupil.

Orkin’s antagonist, a Russian oligarch and former GRU member named Ivanov, is a composite of cold war Bond villains. He has his hand in virtually every imaginable industry, and the magical ability to construct vast criminal facilities without drawing suspicion from authorities. His wife, Anya, is a former Russian pop star and Playboy model. The gambling scenes featuring both Flynn and Ivanov in Monte Carlo make for high-stress, high-payoff comedy in which Flynn’s ludicrous gamble is rewarded with praise by Anya: “I like a man with nerves of steel.” Orkin reveals in the Acknowledgements that the series has been optioned by an entertainment group. If they were to make just one Flynn series book into a feature, The Spy Who Hated Me – with its picturesque settings and perfect hero/sidekick chemistry – might just be our pick. Highly recommended.

[Ben Savage]

Maybe 3.75.
I had to work to finish this one. I A lot of luck and back and forth.

A lot more was made of the man being a mental patient but it was kinder than previous attempts. We simultaneously wanted to beat up the main character more and less than previous times. Peoples/ characters motivation seemed opaque and ever changing, along with gratuitous if that makes sense. Why did they do these things if not to advance the plot or make things difficult for our intrepid heroes?

The back and forth got a little annoying, will he go back to City of Rose's or will he keep pulling his friends into it ( yes he will) and will the various forces aligned against him prevail? ( No but its a stacked casino in his favor yet again).

The references to previous installments and James Bond was appreciated and entertaining but this book dragged a bit to be really really enjoyable.

Good satisfying happy ending ( not of the spicy variety you dinks) that felt well earned after all of this.

[DL Heim]

So I jumped into the middle of this series. Do I wish I had started at the beginning? Not really. The author establishes the parameters of the story with such wonderful efficiency I was able to strap into this roller coaster within the first few pages. And what a ride it is! The MC James Flynn simultaneously suffers from the delusion that he is a highly trained superspy, and actually has all the abilities of a highly trained superspy. Quite the spin on the typical spy novel trope. Author Haris Orkin also does a fantastic job of asking some probing questions about the nature of power and money, friendship and trust, truth and fantasy, all while maintaining a breakneck pace. Yes, this is more than a jaunty novel. Flynn’s uncontrollable shifts between aching insecurity and supreme self-confidence creates an unexpected emotional depth. James Bond stuck in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a hilarious but meaty espionage thriller.

[Andrea Latham]

Another fun, adventurous and romantic story in this series about James Flynn who escapes the Pasadena psychiatric hospital because he thinks that CIA Agent; Caitlyn Valentine disappeared in London.

Flynn still thinks he is in the headquarters for His Majesty's Secret Service and that he's an international superspy with a license to kill. Flynn escapes the hospital with the help of his reluctant sidekick and psychiatric nurse, Sancho.

I love all the information about the luxurious private casino in Mayfair to the superyacht of a Russian oligarch to the Orient Express and the Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo, Flynn follows Caitlyn's trail and stumbles upon an audacious plot that threatens every country on Earth. At least that's how it seems to a man teetering between objective truth and absolute insanity.

[Cam Torrens]

In 1962, Ian Fleming went a little crazy in his ninth James Bond novel, "The Spy Who Loved Me," when he gave readers different characters, plot, and structure than they were used to. Over six decades later, Haris Orkin pays homage to that "crazy" with "The Spy Who Hated Me."

Orkin's latest book takes readers on a whirlwind adventure through the eyes of James Flynn, a psychiatric patient convinced he's a secret agent. Unsuccessfully mending from a broken heart after a fleeting romance with a CIA agent, Flynn escapes to London in the hopes of winning her back. Instead, he finds himself in an unfamiliar city, unraveling a diabolical conspiracy, that may involve his lost love. With his trademark wit and suspense, Orkin's latest novel is a tsunami of wackiness!

[Reed]

Absolutely delightful! I didn’t know about the James Flynn satirical spy romps until I visited an agent’s website who represents Haris Orkin. My query for my own spy novel failed but the consolation is I’m now onto the James Fynn escapade series. What a hoot. The Spy Who Hated Me is comical but Orkin doesn’t leave out the thriller and action elements. He’s reinvented James Bond with a creative premise—a mental patient who ardently believes he’s an agent for His Majesty’s Secret Service. Yet James Flynn, in his deluded mental state, has skills that help him save the world from nefarious villains. Plus, he’s handsome and attracts Bond girls. We should all be a bit mental to enjoy the quixotic adventures that Flynn has. Speaking of which, Flynn has a sidekick, the hapless psychiatric nurse, Sancho, a riff on Don Quixote. Brilliant.

[Richard L.]

A Tidying up of Loose Ends?

I said I wasn't going to read the next in the series. But I couldn't help myself. I read the first chapter and I was hooked. Loaded with many twist and turns which were reasonable when considering the hero's state of mind. But maybe James Flynn isn't delusional but is recovering from a story that we haven't read yet. At times the narration in the story sounds as if it confirms who he says he is. I think there is at least one more story that tells us the real story of how James came to be.

[Gregory Antone]

The author knows that sometimes psychiatrist are idiots.

In the beginning, it is revealed that psychiatrist. It is better to take a delusional adult, who has because of his illusion, made himself 100% better, stronger, educated, fierce, brave. Willing to save many people, and drug or administer shock treatment to return him to being a chubby, bullied, lesser man. Thankfully, as a character, we still have the James Flynn that we adore. Kudos, another well written book., Worth the read.

[Pamela]

I received an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Honestly, this is the best yet of a fantastic series. Never a dull moment. Never a misplaced or missing plot point. Good fun all the way through! I cannot recommend this series and this book enough.

[MR GEOFFREY W FABRON]

Another fun adventure with James Flynn 00? I hope that someone makes some movies or these books!

A very enjoyable and funny read. Flynn never fails to entertain. These books would make great movies or a TV series.

Recommended.

[ukkindlecustomer]

From Russia With Not So Much Love

More laughs and thrills in very funny, comic spy thriller with as usual, great empathy for the central character. Parody soon becomes homage, with reference to the plot of pretty much every James Bond film.

[Rick Bywalski]

Great story my favorite in the series so far. Lots of laugh out loud moments.

[PNW]

I Love Flynn

I've read all the James Flynn novels , they are awesome and so entertaining. Big thank you hugs to Haris, keep writing! Cheers

[Scott Hacker]

A man he believes that he is an International spy but is also in a hospital for his mental issues.