The 80s Spy Thriller That Lost Me: My DNF Review of Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Read time: 3 minutes

🎧 Listened in audio
📢 Narrated by MacLeod Andrews
⏱ Duration: 9 hours
🏷️ Publisher: HarperAudio Adult | William Morrow (ARC via NetGalley)
Genre: Mystery

Book Blurb:

Set in 1985, Everybody Wants to Rule the World follows 14-year-old Peter Bennett, a suburban teen convinced his mother’s new boyfriend is a KGB spy. With a knack for BMX and MTV, Peter enlists the help of a washed-up pulp writer and a flamboyant sidekick while a mysterious Russian hitman stalks them. Meanwhile, a young Black FBI agent uncovers a spy nest at Peter’s mom’s lab, all against the backdrop of Reagan-Gorbachev diplomacy. The book promises Elmore Leonard’s wit with Ludlum-level thrills. A Cold War comedy-thriller where high school angst meets international espionage.

Let’s talk about the book:

I was all in for the neon-soaked premise: a scrappy 14-year-old channeling Ferris Bueller espionage vibes while Reagan and Gorbachev prep for Geneva. The Cold War nostalgia hits hard, Scientific Atlanta contracts, convertible Porsches, Phil Collins on repeat, and Atkins nails the ’80s texture. MacLeod Andrews’ narration pops with teen sarcasm and drag-queen flair; you can practically hear Jackie Demure’s heels clicking.

Yet, despite MacLeod Andrews’ engaging narration, the pacing dragged, and the tone felt uneven, like it couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a sharp spy caper or a nostalgic coming-of-age story. At 25%, I realized I wasn’t invested enough to keep going. The characters drifted instead of driving the story, and even the potential laughs landed flat. I kept waiting for the satirical bite or the gut-punch twist, yet the stakes never ignited.

Ultimately, this one is a case of a premise with promise but pacing and tone that didn’t match. I got to roughly 25% before I had to stop.

Would I Recommend It?

Not really. Maybe fans of Ace Atkins’ slower, character-driven work will find more to love here, but for me, the momentum just wasn’t there. DNF at 25%.

★

Instead…

Here are 5 book recommendations that would actually hold your attention with tighter pacing, stronger character work, and more engaging mystery/thriller energy.

• The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci
  Fast-paced corporate espionage with high stakes, tight plotting, and zero drag.
• The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
  Not a spy thriller, but a compulsively readable blend of humor, tension, and emotional pull. She’s got his back. He’s got her heart. They’ve got a secret. What could possibly go wrong?
• The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
  For suspense that actually grips you. A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller
• The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
  A domestic mystery with momentum. Strong mother-daughter energy, clean pacing, and secrets worth uncovering.
• The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
  For Cold War espionage fans, this is the gold standard with sharp, tense, and character-rich plot without the tonal wobble that threw me off in the Atkins book.

Spy Games Gone Wrong?

Have you ever picked up a book with a thrilling premise that just couldn’t keep you hooked? I’d love to hear your “almost great, but nope” reads in the comments!

Book links:

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Bookshop.org link
Goodreads
Follow Ace Atkins on his author page
Check out more books from Harper Audio and William Morrow