The Translator: one of the top thrillers of 2023 and of the month for The Sunday Times/Times

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In Harriet Crawley’s enjoyable thriller, the title character, Clive Franklin, plans to spend his holidays translating a spot of Chekhov for fun while hiking in the Scottish Highlands. Clive is technically an interpreter, working with diplomats and politicians, but this term makes him “wince”; he prefers to call himself a “translator”, as he thinks this makes him sound more creative. What’s more, he always translates – or, rather, interprets – from his native English into Russian, because “it’s all about controlling what the other side hears”. Controlling the flow of information is a key theme of this fast-paced novel. Now we’re in familiar thriller territory. Only two people can save the West, two translators, one Russian, one British, and they were lovers once, till she left him for another man. Can they now work together? Despite intense scrutiny, can Clive and Marina prevent World War Three? It’s an absorbing read and leads to a long and exciting climax. Just remember: it’s 2017. And the fate of the world is in their hands. Peredelkino- our dacha and first Russian home (c) Harriet Crawley BookTrail the locations in The Translator In 1987 I stood in Brent East as the conservative candidate against Ken Livingstone in the general election. In 1989 I was the conservative candidate for London Central in the European elections.

The Translator by Harriet Crawley | Waterstones

Urgently needed at a meeting between the British prime minister and the Russian president, poor Clive is yanked off a Munro by the Foreign Office and whisked to Moscow with the diplomatic bag. There he meets his old flame and fellow interpreter Marina, now working for President Serov, with whom she has a queasily filial relationship. Clive and Marina rekindle their romance, only to be drawn into a deadly network of counterespionage and political assassinations; they must race against time to save Britain from the schemes of a hostile Great Power. If all this sounds a little Richard Hannay, it is – Clive’s blend of British discretion and bilingual aplomb recalls the protean talents of John Buchan’s most famous hero. And although this time the enemy state is Russia, not Germany, and the prize at stake is the UK’s telecommunication links rather than naval secrets, The Translator feels very much like an updated The Thirty-Nine Steps, complete with fake news, WhatsApp and smartwatches. Map of the main locations in The Translator Harriet Crawley BookTrail the locations in The TranslatorI like to be at my kitchen table, where I write, by 10am, and since I don’t have lunch, I can get a good 4 hours in, which is about my maximum for creative work. I honestly don’t think you can say anything to a young writer except, write. Write and keep writing. You will find your own voice. My decision was made: I would step way outside my comfort zone and go for broke, set the novel in the present day, at the highest level of government, and make it a clash between the Kremlin and Downing Street. And, just for fun, my lead characters would run the Moscow marathon.

The best new thrillers for March 2023 — power politics in the

I doubt very much that I shall ever set foot in Russia again, but many Russian people and places are stamped on my heart.There was never a day when Covid-19 rules were fully followed in No 10, Whitehall’s former ethics chief has said. Helen MacNamara, who oversaw the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team, said “hundreds” of officials and ministers probably broke the rules. She expressed “profound regret” for... There was never a day when Covid-19 rules were fully followed in No 10, Whitehall’s former ethics chief has said. Helen MacNamara, who oversaw the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team, said “hundreds” of officials and ministers probably broke the rules. She expressed “profound regret” for... There was never a day when Covid-19 rules were fully followed in No 10, Whitehall’s former ethics chief has said. Helen...

The Translator | Spy Thriller Book - Harriet Crawley

The issue that most annoyed me was that the description of Russia & its behaviour involved no imagination at all. We’ve heard of some unusual writing habits over the years, what would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?This is my first read by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We follow the story of Clive Franklin, a Russian language expert in the Foreign Office. He's then recruited to translate for the Prime Minister and travel to Moscow. There, he meets his ex-girlfriend Marina. From my front window I could almost glimpse St. Basil’s. Almost, but not quite. But I carried the cupolas in my mind’s eye. Their twisted shapes seemed to mirror the twisted mind of the Russian President in my book. At 21, after I had graduated from King’s College, London (BA degree in History) I had a column from New York for the Daily Mail. I also had a regular slot on ‘Start the Week’, Radio 4. At the same time, I had a career in television, appearing on screen and interviewing people.