Spy novels are driven by a set of interrelated questions: Who or what is really in charge? What is the true mission? And how will they get out of this one? On this episode, we discuss two novels with entertaining responses to these questions. Both Who is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht and This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone offer surprising twists on the spy novel formula and allow us a way in to talk about the appeal of spy fiction and what we as readers want out of our books.