Description
In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we sit down with Matt Hartman, retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer and author of the WWII spy thriller Other Than Honorable. We talk about writing spy fiction, morally complex heroes, the feeling of Berlin on the brink of war and what it’s like building a Jason Bourne-ish spy with zero suave and actual consequences. From the emotional roots of Ridge Frost to Hartman’s enigma rabbit holes, this one’s got historical deep cuts, an awkward leading man and a leading lady who might be more competent than the man himself. We love spy shit.
Book Rec by Rosie
Other Than Honorable by Matt Hartman is a gritty, fun WWII spy novel with a hero who’s more confused than charismatic — and that’s exactly why we love him. Ridge Frost is no suave superspy; he’s awkward, uncertain, and frequently in over his head. But that makes espionage feel all the more human. Set in the uneasy calm before the Nazi invasion of Poland, the book dives into Berlin in 1939, mixing meticulous rabbitholing research with pulp-noir punch. And then there’s the leading lady— clever, capable, and possibly more essential than Ridge himself. If you’re into morally grey heroes, deep breath before the plunge tensions, and actual consequences for reckless spying, this one’s for you.
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Book Rec by Matt Hardman
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize–winning WWII novel that dives deep into the moral murk of military life aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer-minesweeper in the Pacific. It’s not your usual battlefield epic — instead, Wouk gives us a tense psychological courtroom drama anchored by the unforgettable (and deeply unsettling) Captain Queeg. If you’re into The chain of command frays under pressure, loyalty gets murky, and the real war might be inside the mind…
