Kazuo Ishiguro's new novel delves into 1930s London spy intrigue

Fans of Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro can look forward to his latest novel, Miss Lambert Steps Aboard Danger, set to release on March 9, 2027. This marks Ishiguro’s first novel in six years, following his critically acclaimed 2021 dystopian work, Klara and the Sun. The upcoming book ventures into the realm of spy fiction, offering a fresh twist to his genre-defying repertoire.

Set in London in 1938, the story follows Richard Hadley, who crosses paths with the enigmatic Miss Lambert after a music hall matinee. Their encounter leads him into a web of intrigue, as he follows her to a secret conference where she hints at a groundbreaking discovery. Convinced she is being pursued by dangerous forces, Hadley embarks on a journey that takes him from a grand countryside hotel to a train bound for Scotland.

This is not Ishiguro’s first foray into the 1930s; his celebrated novels When We Were Orphans and The Remains of the Day were also set in that era. Known for his atmospheric storytelling and exploration of memory and human connection, Ishiguro once again blends genres in his latest work.

UK publisher Faber describes the novel as “an exquisite entertainment in which nothing is quite as it seems.” Early glimpses of the book hint at its playful tone, with one line of dialogue reading, “At first, I took you for a charming jewel thief.” Angus Cargill, Ishiguro’s longtime editor, highlighted how the novel draws on the author’s lifelong passions, including music, art, and Golden Age cinema, calling it a “disarming and memorable caper.”

In the United States, Knopf Publisher Jordan Pavlin praised the book as a blend of spy fiction and the wit reminiscent of PG Wodehouse. Pavlin described the novel as brimming with joy, heroism, and vivaciousness, adding, “I defy any reader to resist Miss Lambert’s charms.”

Born in Nagasaki in 1954, Ishiguro moved to Britain at the age of five and has since become one of the most celebrated authors of his generation. His accolades include the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize, with his works translated into over 50 languages and adapted into several films, such as The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. Beyond fiction, he has also earned acclaim as a screenwriter, with his script for Living (2022) receiving both Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.

Miss Lambert Steps Aboard Danger is now available for pre-order ahead of its March 2027 release.