Because it’s not just his life on the line – but also the fate of the Western world.

The Scarlet Papers
By Matthew Richardson

Publication Date: 25th May 2023
Publisher: Penguin
Page Length: 567 Pages
Genre: Historical Thriller

Historian Max Archer is invited to a clandestine meeting with legendary Cold War spymaster, Scarlet King.

Her offer to share the explosive secrets born of over half a century at the heart of global espionage would be life-changing.

But Max has little reason to trust a woman whose name is a byword for deceit and ruthlessness.

Soon he is on the wrong side of the law and on the run. As the net closes tighter around him he must somehow discover the truth.

Because it’s not just his life on the line – but also the fate of the Western world . . .

Pick up your copy of
The Scarlet Papers
HERE!

Matthew Richardson

Photo by Minky Schlesinger

Matthew Richardson studied English at Durham University and Merton College, Oxford. He has worked as a freelance journalist and a speechwriter in Westminster writing pieces for a wide variety of publications, including The Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph and New Statesman. 

In 2015, he was signed by Penguin in a six-figure pre-empt deal for three espionage novels. His debut, MY NAME IS NOBODY, was published in 2017 to critical acclaim; INSIDER, was published in 2021 and THE SCARLET PAPERS was published to critical acclaim in 2023 becoming The Times Thriller of the Year, A Sunday Times Book of the Year, and A Guardian Book of the Year. In 2022 Matthew sold a standalone thriller, ANNA O, in over thirty territories with auctions in the US, the UK and Germany resulting in three separate 7 figure advances.

THE SCARLET PAPERS has been optioned by a US studio with Matthew executive producing and co-writing. MY NAME IS NOBODY has recently been optioned to House Productions.  As scriptwriter, Matthew has sold numerous TV series concepts and is in development with various production companies including Sid Gentle, Cowboy Films, Ink Factory and House.