by Ace Atkins
DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: December 02, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: January 6-7, 2026
What’s Everybody Wants to Rule the World About?
The year is 1985, and apparently, there are USSR spies everywhere. At least in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA. Reagan’s push for his “Star Wars” program is strong, and the KGB wants to know all it can about it before a summit between Gorbachev and Reagan. Tensions are high, cards are set up, and one teenaged boy is about to send them toppling over.
Because his mom is dating a jerk and Peter has an active imagination fueled by pulp novels and sensationalized “news.” He becomes convinced that his mom is dating a Russian agent and tries to enlist the help of a mostly failed novelist (and his drag queen buddy, a retired NFL player) to expose the boyfriend.
Meanwhile, a KGB officer defects so he can reunite with the love of his life; an actual Russian agent (who may, or may not be the boyfriend) has killed someone; the FBI is investigating that death, and another Federal agent wants to run away with an exotic dancer and is trying to leverage that defector to help him do that.
There’s gotta be another storyline or three that I didnt’t squeeze into that paragraph, too.
The point is, there’s a lot going on. Few of the people involved are properly qualified to deal with it. And the direction of the Cold War hinges on what happens over the next few weeks.
It should be noted that this is a comedy.
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
It’s Ace Atkins—the last decade has taught me that I’m likely to enjoy a book he writes. Also—a comedic take on Russian deep cover agents in the 80s is right up my alley. Put the two of those together…
I stuck with it because that’s exactly what was delivered. A great plot with more twists than a corkscrew, a great voice, and an oddball cast of characters.
What Does this Book Say about Humanity?
There is a deep thread of self-deception going on throughout the book—the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, how others regard us, and what we think we’re capable of.
There are a couple of major characters who are honest about themselves—and largely understand others. But the rest are deluded to one degree or another—how heroic they are, how things will go when they reunite with an old flame, how their life will be better when they ditch their wife and kids for someone new (who any rational person will see isn’t that into you), how the world is against them, and so on.
Some of these are understandable—the teenage male tossing aside common sense because a hot stranger seems into him. Some are relatable, maybe even admirable—the writer who hasn’t sold anything in ages continuing to try. But the others are kind of sad once you stop to think about them—but you do have to force yourself to stop and think about them, because Atkins has you too focused on jogging to keep up with the book and chuckling at their foibles.
The 80s of It
There are a couple of ways to approach the time setting of the 80s. One way is to go over-the-top like The Wedding Singer or That 80s Show. The other way is restrained—like The Americans or Mad Men (different era, but same idea).
Atkins mostly stuck to the restrained approach, it is an 80s story with 80s concerns and ideas and the setting is appropriately depicted.
But every now and then, in the spirit of the book’s flavor, I do think he went a little over-the-top with the references in a Sandler-esque way. And I loved each time he did that. Over all, Atkins goes for realism and restraint—but when he indulges himself (and/or the reader), it’s just a treat.
Oh, and this is maybe a Content Warning I should give…you’ll find yourselves thinking a lot about Prince and Phil Collins, possibly driven to listen to them…at the very least, you’ll have a couple of songs acting as earworms for days.
So, what did I think about Everybody Wants to Rule the World?
I wasn’t thrilled with Atkins stepping away from the Spenser or Quinn Colson series, as curious as I was about what he’d do next. I’m still not—but if this is what he’s doing instead? I’m getting over it quickly.
This was ridiculous fun. Fast-paced, not quite frantic (because Atkins doesn’t let it happen) filled with crazy coincidences, turns you cannot see coming, twists you think you see coming and are only right occasionally, real people doing stupid and human things—frequently illegal, too.
It is a comedic work, but that comedy is successful because none of the characters is in a comedy. They’re all deadly serious (though some will express that by being a smart arse), worried, scared, or scheming. The danger is real, the stakes are high, people get hurt, lives are changed—it’s a very straightforward thriller that way. But when you can see the whole board, see what they don’t know—it’ll bring a grin to your face and possibly a cackle from you.
A lot of social media/news media can make us all think that the world is ending (and, I’m not for a second suggesting that it might not be)—but this book reminds us that it’s almost ended before. And we’re now far enough away from the genuine, grounded, and realistic fears that we can laugh at them. Isn’t it nice to think that 40 years from now, someone can write a book about now to relieve some stress?
I expected to enjoy this book, I didn’t expect to have fun with it. I don’t know how readers who grew up post-Cold War will react to it. But readers of a certain age will have a good time with Everybody Wants to Rule the World.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
JCM Berne has reached middle age without outgrowing the notion that superheroes are cool. Code monkey by day, by night he slaves over a hot keyboard to prove that superhero stories can be engaging and funny without being dark or silly.
