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William Scott #1
The XYY man
The scientists told him that an extra Y chromosome was the reason he was drawn to a life of crime. They worked on him during his second prison stretch, and by the time he was a free man he was supposedly 'cured' as well. Spider Scott was walking the straight and narrow for the first time in his life... Until a very interesting stranger made him an even more interesting offer...
- GenresCrime
191 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1970
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 24, 2021
Cat burglary and espionage are two of my favorite categories of Shadow op; any story that combines them in a believable way is going to go on my to-read list.
The XYY Man, published in 1970 by Kenneth Royce, is such a story. It’s the first of a series of eight novels about William “Spider” Scott, a skilled “creeper” (cat burglar) and occasional British government operative. The novel was adapted as a 3-part British TV series pilot in 1976 and returned for 10 more episodes in 1977.
The story starts slowly, as we’re introduced to the protagonist, a second-story man who has just been released from his third stay in prison and is determined to go straight. We also meet his devoted girlfriend Maggie and his square cop brother Dick, whose influence is the only thing keeping Spider from going back to his old life of crime. Meanwhile, a nasty copper named Bulman with a personal grudge is harassing Spider, accusing him of another burglary and preventing his brother from advancing in the force.
Things look bleak for Spider when a man named Fairfax approaches him out of the blue and makes him an offer he can’t refuse: Bulman will be called off, Dick will be given a promotion, and Spider will receive 15000 pounds to set himself up with a legitimate business and a new life with Maggie. All Spider has to do is steal some documents from a safe in the Chinese Legation in London–which turns out to be the most secure, unfriendly building Spider has ever seen. And if he’s caught, his sponsors will deny all involvement and Spider will have to face the music like a common criminal.
Spider initially refuses, considering it a mission impossible and not wanting to spend his best remaining years in a tough prison, or six feet under if the Chinese get him. But after casing the building carefully, the sheer challenge of it gets his juices flowing and he decides to give it a go. It’s the same old story we see time and time again with Shadow-oppers: the safe, square, daytime life just can’t compete with the buzz of breaking the law, living on the edge and operating in the shadows.
The story kicks into gear as Spider goes ahead with the op, breaking into the Legation building from an adjoining rooftop, creeping past alarms and into the safe room. But things go sideways when he discovers the shocking information the documents contain, and the next thing we know Spider is a fugitive–from British intelligence, the police, the Chinese, Maggie, Dick and soon, the CIA and the KGB. Spider has to evade them all and figure out what to do when you have nowhere to go and you’re the most wanted man in London, if not the world. In other words, it’s a Shadow operator’s worst nightmare, but a shadow-fiction reader’s dream scenario.
I liked the first-person, real-time perspective this novel gives you of the creeper Scott as he tries to complete his mission, evade his pursuers and extricate himself from an epic international clusterf*k on the streets of London. We get an up-close look at some of the tricks of his trade, the quick wits required and the intensity of being a most-wanted fugitive on the run. There are some twists at the end that I found a little confusing and the story wrapped up a bit too quickly, but otherwise it was a pretty gripping story.
My only other criticism is that the writing was a bit awkward and difficult to follow at times, particularly for an American reading in 2021. It reminded me of an early Jack Higgins novel, with its unpolished style and street-level view of British Shadow operatives of a bygone era. But the plot was compelling, the action exciting but never over the top, and the main character Spider the kind of protagonist the shadow-fiction fan has to root for. I enjoyed The XXY Man and will be reviewing other installments of the "Spider Scott" series in the near future. Recommended for fans of old-school crime, spy and adventure fiction.
The XYY Man, published in 1970 by Kenneth Royce, is such a story. It’s the first of a series of eight novels about William “Spider” Scott, a skilled “creeper” (cat burglar) and occasional British government operative. The novel was adapted as a 3-part British TV series pilot in 1976 and returned for 10 more episodes in 1977.
The story starts slowly, as we’re introduced to the protagonist, a second-story man who has just been released from his third stay in prison and is determined to go straight. We also meet his devoted girlfriend Maggie and his square cop brother Dick, whose influence is the only thing keeping Spider from going back to his old life of crime. Meanwhile, a nasty copper named Bulman with a personal grudge is harassing Spider, accusing him of another burglary and preventing his brother from advancing in the force.
Things look bleak for Spider when a man named Fairfax approaches him out of the blue and makes him an offer he can’t refuse: Bulman will be called off, Dick will be given a promotion, and Spider will receive 15000 pounds to set himself up with a legitimate business and a new life with Maggie. All Spider has to do is steal some documents from a safe in the Chinese Legation in London–which turns out to be the most secure, unfriendly building Spider has ever seen. And if he’s caught, his sponsors will deny all involvement and Spider will have to face the music like a common criminal.
Spider initially refuses, considering it a mission impossible and not wanting to spend his best remaining years in a tough prison, or six feet under if the Chinese get him. But after casing the building carefully, the sheer challenge of it gets his juices flowing and he decides to give it a go. It’s the same old story we see time and time again with Shadow-oppers: the safe, square, daytime life just can’t compete with the buzz of breaking the law, living on the edge and operating in the shadows.
The story kicks into gear as Spider goes ahead with the op, breaking into the Legation building from an adjoining rooftop, creeping past alarms and into the safe room. But things go sideways when he discovers the shocking information the documents contain, and the next thing we know Spider is a fugitive–from British intelligence, the police, the Chinese, Maggie, Dick and soon, the CIA and the KGB. Spider has to evade them all and figure out what to do when you have nowhere to go and you’re the most wanted man in London, if not the world. In other words, it’s a Shadow operator’s worst nightmare, but a shadow-fiction reader’s dream scenario.
I liked the first-person, real-time perspective this novel gives you of the creeper Scott as he tries to complete his mission, evade his pursuers and extricate himself from an epic international clusterf*k on the streets of London. We get an up-close look at some of the tricks of his trade, the quick wits required and the intensity of being a most-wanted fugitive on the run. There are some twists at the end that I found a little confusing and the story wrapped up a bit too quickly, but otherwise it was a pretty gripping story.
My only other criticism is that the writing was a bit awkward and difficult to follow at times, particularly for an American reading in 2021. It reminded me of an early Jack Higgins novel, with its unpolished style and street-level view of British Shadow operatives of a bygone era. But the plot was compelling, the action exciting but never over the top, and the main character Spider the kind of protagonist the shadow-fiction fan has to root for. I enjoyed The XXY Man and will be reviewing other installments of the "Spider Scott" series in the near future. Recommended for fans of old-school crime, spy and adventure fiction.
September 10, 2024
Nice slice of early 1970s espionage and skullduggery as cat burglar William “Spider” Scott is released from prison, determined to go straight this time. His criminal tendencies are conveniently excused by his extra Y chromosome. That’s a bit of a stretch and I wondered if he realises that this also makes him infertile. Nevertheless his faithful girlfriend has waited for him; he’s devilishly handsome of course.
It turns out that Spider has come to the attention of MI5 and - they being in need of a housebreaker - Spider is persuaded to take on one more job for a good deal of cash. The catch is that if he’s caught he’s on his own and a 10 year stretch would be deemed a lucky break.
Using his connections in the world of journalism and underworld colleagues Spider proves quite an inspired choice for the job which results in his being pursued relentlessly by the Chinese, American and Russian secret services as well as our own Metropolitan Police. He may just have bitten off more than he can chew.
It turns out that Spider has come to the attention of MI5 and - they being in need of a housebreaker - Spider is persuaded to take on one more job for a good deal of cash. The catch is that if he’s caught he’s on his own and a 10 year stretch would be deemed a lucky break.
Using his connections in the world of journalism and underworld colleagues Spider proves quite an inspired choice for the job which results in his being pursued relentlessly by the Chinese, American and Russian secret services as well as our own Metropolitan Police. He may just have bitten off more than he can chew.
February 26, 2025
Slightly racist, slightly homophobic as expected with a men's adventure novel of this era, but filtered through the lens of a criminal protagonist's first-person perspective. That doesn't necessarily excuse it, but it puts it in a more interesting context. Pretty solid cat burglar tradecraft caper. I think I have the rest of the Spider Scott novels in storage, so I hope they're all at least as entertaining as this one.
June 8, 2018
Good, solid spy/crime novel from the early 70s, featuring cat burglar turned MI5 agent/patsy, Spider Scott. This is the first in a series which gets much better and peaks with the two 80s novels, The Crypto Man and The Mosley Receipt. But it all gets started/ set up here in this book.
November 20, 2024
Reads like this could be a good movie
Movie or maybe a TV series. I quite enjoyed it. I knew Spider would come out okay but only because I knew this book was the first in a series of at least six. I have already bought the next two and am looking forward to getting into them.
Movie or maybe a TV series. I quite enjoyed it. I knew Spider would come out okay but only because I knew this book was the first in a series of at least six. I have already bought the next two and am looking forward to getting into them.
December 14, 2018
Excellent read, interesting and sensitive main character.
December 27, 2024
different, great read.
September 30, 2019
A good, solid thriller. The premise is that cat burglar "Spider" Scott can't stay away from crime because his double Y chromosome makes him a rebel (this was an actual scientific theory around that time, though it turned out to be bogus). When British intelligence hires him to get a secret file out of the Chinese embassy in London, Scott does so, then discovers everyone — China, MI5, CIA, KGB — is out to get it from him. Things do not look good.
Scott doesn't seem that much more reckless than the typical fictional burglar, but this still worked for me. Not great art but a solid page-turner.
Scott doesn't seem that much more reckless than the typical fictional burglar, but this still worked for me. Not great art but a solid page-turner.
Read
October 19, 2008Remembered this series as a kid and love the terseness of the prose. Crime writing with a social edge and something we need to see more of today
Read
January 10, 20153 in 1 book, Odhams Press. Including “Never had a spanner on her”, “This perfect day”. Not sure when I finished reading this, but guessing about 1971.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews