KNOX FILE 01

Text that says "The Controlled Identity" in red on a black background.

Finlay Knox is a linguistics academic whose research draws the attention of MI6. Selected for fieldwork, he enters a second life.

Operating between academia and espionage, he must construct and sustain identities under observation.

But as a mission in Beijing begins to fracture, the distinction between them starts to collapse.

About the Author

A person in a suit sitting at an outdoor cafe, reading a newspaper with a glass of drink and pen on the table, other cafe patrons and city street visible in the background.

James Burnett is a former financial analyst and now a university lecturer in linguistics in the UK. Burnett’s writing blends cerebral intrigue with visceral tension, crafting espionage fiction that is as emotionally intelligent as it is ruthlessly paced. He writes under a shroud of quiet anonymity.

His debut novel introduces Finlay Knox, an academic specialising in language and identity, whose research attracts the attention of MI6. A morally complex protagonist, Knox is drawn into the shifting world between academia and intelligence.

Perfect for fans of John le Carré, Ian Fleming, Robert Ludlum, and Charles Cumming.

View Profile

Read the blog here →