Blog 1 – The Beginning of Directive Press
Saturday 31st May 2025
Welcome to Directive Press — the home of The Knox Files, a new spy thriller series featuring Dr. Finlay Knox. I'm James Linton, author of the trilogy, and in this first blog post I want to introduce myself and give you a glimpse into the world of my debut novel, Ile Vermillion.
Over the years, I’ve worked as a financial analyst, police detective, and university lecturer — and it’s through those experiences that the character of Finlay Knox was born. I’ve always been an avid reader, and my writing is inspired by the greats of spy fiction: Ian Fleming, John le Carré, and Robert Ludlum. My goal is to craft stories that blend cerebral intrigue with visceral tension — espionage fiction that’s emotionally intelligent, yet ruthlessly paced.
In Ile Vermillion, Dr. Knox is a senior lecturer at Dunleigh University who was recruited into MI6 during his PhD studies. Disillusioned after a botched mission in Beijing, he’s stepped away from espionage — but MI6 wants him back. They offer him a “low-risk” surveillance operation targeting a powerful Chinese tycoon. Knox is reluctant, but ultimately accepts.
The mission leads him to Thailand and Cambodia, where he becomes entangled in a web of covert operations, hidden alliances, and high-stakes deception. But when he discovers that one of his own students has been spying on him, the mission turns personal. Loyalties blur, identities fracture, and Knox is forced to reconcile his dual life as a university lecturer and intelligence operative — all while his past begins to close in.
To give you a taste of the story, I’m offering Chapter Three of Ile Vermillion as a free download. You can access it now in the Knox Files section of the site. In this chapter, Knox meets his MI6 case handler, Charlotte Merrick, by the riverside in Dunleigh. It’s an early glimpse into the mind of a man caught between duty and identity.
Once you’ve read it, I hope you’ll sign up for further intel. I’ll send new documents and updates roughly once a month. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out — I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time,
James Linton
