NOTE: This article is a republication- Source: CrimeReads (by Peter Handel).
“We all have secrets… Secrets are a part of our lives and the lives of literature’s great characters. But spies operate in a more complex world of secrets – things they hide from family, from friends, and from themselves,” says Paul Vidich, whose latest novel, Beirut Station, buzzes with those secrets. “I found the double lives of spies as a compelling premise to explore.”
Why are we drawn to these stories and their seductive operatives, duplicity, and their unique moral code? Vidich elaborates, as to why he believes spy and espionage fiction is so enticing: “At the heart of spy fiction – really all fiction – is the mystery of character. We read to be entertained and to see the world through a character’s eyes. The spy’s world has all that – sex, betrayal, overall sneaky behavior – and we enjoy it vicariously.”
Vidich takes a measured approach to incorporating that spy world demeanor before he starts each book. “I operate on the principle that the more I get to know a character, the longer I spend with them, the more likely they’ll have the complexity, humanity, intelligence, and cleverness that will engage the reader. I build a story around the historical figure, building a cast of fictional characters.
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