I have received a lot of messages from a lot of people wanting to know about this book. So I will not draw things out any longer. Here is the new cover and title:
And here is the synopsis:
When the seasoned adult spies of the Hale family mysteriously disappear on a mission to China, Ben Ripley and his fellow spies-in-training head east to discover what happened to them—and find themselves up against a villainous plot that will take them from the skyscrapers of Shanghai to the ancient ruins of the Great Wall to the remote regions of the Gobi desert.
It will be available on October 6. Click here to pre-order it! (Although a lot of sites may not have it ready for pre-order yet. They will soon, though.)
Now, here are the answers to a few questions I am sure I will get:
That’s it? That’s all the information you are going to share with us?
Yes. The less you know about a book before you read it, the more fun it is the read. I don’t want to spoil anything.
Can’t you tell me anything else? Even if I ask nicely?
Sorry, no. And if you send me an email or post a comment asking for more info, I will simply direct you back to this page.
Will there be an exclusive edition of this book with bonus content?
Probably, although that isn’t guaranteed yet. If there is, I will post about it.
Now that you have written Goes South, Goes North and Goes east, will there be a Spy School Goes West?
I don’t know. Strange as it might seem, I write the titles of my books last, not first. I wrote this book because I wanted to set a book in China, not because I wanted to call a book ‘Spy School Goes East.’ That title just ended up working better than any of the other options.
Jack –
I don’t think that I would leave my SS characters behind to do a SS set in MI6.
And I have no plans to do a crossover between any of my series at this time.
Good evening Stuart Gibbs,
How are you today? Also this may sound stupid but I think the people we got introduced in Spy Ski School ( the evil villains ) will have to do something with this book being that it takes place in China. Or maybe the family line will have to do something with this maybe wanting revenge. Those are my predictions . Did you watch the Olympics? Also how do you feel about what is happening US right now also I heard it was called Operation Epic Fury. Kinda reminds me of one of the operations the spy school had made up( the principal ). Anyway thanks for your time .
Syrah –
I always love the Winter Olympics, so yes I watched plenty.
When I heard the Iran attacks were called Operation Epic Fury, I immediately thought ‘Holy cow, that sounds like it’s right out of one of my books.’
Hey Stuart, to put it lightly your books mean everything to me. I have read all of them since I was a second grader and now I’m a freshman in college and still love them. They’ve helped me through so many hard times. Thank you so much!!!
So a new book and graphic novel comes out every year?
Eddie Ferraro –
Thanks for sharing this! Glad to hear that my books helped you!
Brady –
Yes, every year a new SS graphic novel comes out in the spring and a novel comes out in the fall.
I’m just curious, but what were some of the other name candidates for this book or maybe names for other ones?
Henry Ho –
It is very rare that I don’t choose the title that I like best for a book. Many times, I really only have one option that I like at all. (Like Spy School Goes East.) So I don;t really care to share a bunch of titles that I did not like.
That said, while I ultimately like the title Whale Done, I also very much liked License to Krill (but knew that was a slightly obscure reference for a whale mystery.)
I love your books Stuat Gibbs and will there be a ss book in India?
John –
I do not know when (if ever) there will be an SS book in India. There are lots of places in the world to go!
I wanna really quickly congratulate you for making 14 full books and not having your series die out, I mean they are really good books. Also one other thing I want to point out is the uncapitalized i’s in the last paragraph above. Really unprofessional for a writer(Im joking of course)
Gabriel –
Thanks for your kind words — and the good proofreading. I have fixed it. (This is what happens when you try to write a post from a phone rather than a computer.)
Stuart Gibbs I LOVE your books and I’m so excited for Spy School Goes East!! Thank you for being an awesome writer!!
Ok stuat Gibbs?
i saw your save the world thread and just wanted to say there’s also a site called Freerice. it’s a UN thing and i know it’s not for animals, but it’s free to help.
Cleo –
Thanks for letting me know. There are so many great sites that do things like this I can’t list them all!
Hii! I LOVE the SS books! As soon as they come out I am on top of them! Just wondering-does this have to do with the Shang family? Ben and Jessica’s relationship is really interesting.
Also-is Erica and Trixie with Ben? Or is she missing too?
Thanks!
Did you get this idea from one of my comments? I predicted the name 3 months ago. Also I love your books, I am listening to Spy School Blackout right now as an audio book.
Just wanted to know when will the audiobooks be realeased? Ps love you books.
Lil –
Please reread this post to see my thoughts on revealing any more info about the book.
Vihaan M
No, I did not get this idea from you. I have been considering th idea Spy School Goes east ever since I started writing a book set in China more than two years ago.
That said, possibly a hundred other people have also suggested SS Goes East over the past two years.
Glad you enjoy the books!
Claire –
Audio versions are usually released on the same day as the print versions.
Weren’t they in Indonesia in the last book? So then why are they going east to China?
Stuart-
Just wondering do you watch NASCAR? If so who is your favorite driver. I have been a fan of your books for a year now and I cant wait to read this one
Dear Mr. Gibbs
Why did you make Zoe lesbian in spy school goes north?(No offence to anyone in the LGBTQ community) Just wanted to know because my parents don’t particularly like LGBTQ and almost took the book away, but then they decided against it and just had a talk with me?.
P.S. I LOVE YOUR BOOKS!
Are you planning on making Ben and Erica’s relationship any bigger?
Stuart Gibbs I really want a book in India.
Make it spy school or fun jungle I don’t care.
but book 11 of fun jungle or book 15 of spy school had to be in India.
(I’m Indian)
MAKE THE SETTING IN INDIA!
pls for one of spy school or fun jungle books.
It would bring joy for us Indians.
P.S. Keep up the Good work !
abcdef –
Technically, China is not east of Indonesia. But China is often referred to as ‘The East’ and the book title ‘Spy School Goes What Would Normally Be Regarded As East From Where The Series Takes Place But Which Is Technically North-Northeast From the Direction Where the Heroes Last Were at the End of the Last Book’ was a bit too long.
Austin –
I do not watch NASCAR.
Rosie McClain –
I introduced a LGBTQ character because LGBTQ people exist in the world. I am very pleased to hear that it provoked a discussion in your family and that your parents decided not to take the book away. That is the sort of discussion that books are supposed to provoke.
Rosie McClain –
Ben and Erica are in a relationship. I am not sure how much bigger it can get.
Stuart,
Love the books just bought a new one today and finished it an hour ago, love the series!
Hello mr. Stuart Gibbs,
I’m Greek and I have read all your books about Spy School (except of Spy School 11-12). Could you please include Jessica Shang in your 14th Spy School series book?
Could you please tell me which will be your next synopsis of Spy School 15 (when it comes out)?
Thanasis
It is very exciting to hear from a fan in Greece! Since SS14 comes out relatively soon, I really can’t accept suggestions for it.
And since I just released details on SS14, I won’t be releasing details on S15 for another year, most likely.
Your book are awesome, and I love all of your cover art. This one is especially amazing
Hi Mr. Gibbs,
What are your thoughts on the Dune franchise? Have you read the books/watched the movies?
Alvin –
I read the original Dune in high school and found it a slog — except for the parts with the sand worms. The new movies are gorgeous and quite good.
My son is a bigger fan of the books — although I think that he, and pretty much everyone else who has ever read them, agrees that they get pretty bizarre somewhere around book four.
Hi Mr. Gibbs, I just want to say I enjoy your books so much. I recommended spy school/ fun jungle so much they became two of the most popular series at my local library. I truly hope you continue to write these boks as they have a consistent quality. my favorite book so far has been SSNG.
Hi, I am a big fan and love your work. I was wondering if we will get any Zoe and Svetlana content in the future. I was a bit disappointed that their relationship wasn’t mentioned in Blackout at all, as it was perfectly introduced in SSGW. Although they did fish together they didn’t spend much tme together or talk much (p.s. if you can’t tell me due to spoilers could you tell me why it was left out in ssb?)
Erica –
Each book in the SS series is different, but they are all told from Ben’s point of view. So if the relationship of two characters doesn’t factor into the story in a major way, then I’m not going to dwell on it. For me, it might not be plausible for there to suddenly be a scene about Zoe & Svetlana’s relationship — or Mike and Trixie’s relationship — or even Ben & Erica’s relationship — in the midst of everything else that is going on. (Although Ben & Erica’s relationship is most likely to come up, as it’s Ben’s story, but you may have noticed that even that wasn’t a major factor in SSB.)
Ok, thank you for clarifying. I understand it would be hard to write about it from ben’s view, and it wasn’t vital to the story.
Hi Stuart Gibbs. I am an enormous fan of your spy school novels and I have an idea for a future spy school book. I am a huge fan of spy School, but I am also a ginormous Disney fan and I was curious if you like the idea of spy School goes to Disney. It could be about an evil bad guy planning something evil inside the park as spies in training, Ben Ripley Eric’s Hale, Mike Brezinski, Zoe Zibele and Svetlanda investigate the whereabouts of this crime inside the park as they go through the hidden tunnels of Disney and under rides to stop the bad guy before it’s too late. My name is Julian Brencher. I am 12 years old. The concept of my idea sort of sounds a little bit like your other popular book series fun jungle but with a little bit of a twist. I hope you like this idea and am very excited for the new spyschool goes east. You can reach me through my EMAIL REDACTED. Keep up the good work and thanks for all the amazing stories. Julian Brencher
Hi Julian –
Certainly the idea of an adventure at Disney is intriguing. I have alluded to the characters wanting to visit Disney in previous books. But to actually set something at Disney might require permission from the park itself — or run the risk of lawsuits. And if they did agree, they would probably want a hand in saying what could or couldn’t happen. For that reason, it is very tricky to set a book in an actual place. (Which is why, for example, I set Spy School Goes South in a fictional resort and Spy School At Sea on a fictional cruise line.)
Also, just a heads up but you really shouldn’t post your email (or your mother’s) on a public forum like this. That’s why I have an email address for people to write to on my FAQ page.
Dear Mr. Gibbs,
I may have misunderstood this, but I just wanted to make sure. In SSB, Orion says that Pulsar is in Tanzania, so that’s where they go. But in SSGE, the mission takes place in China. At the end of SSB, it says that Catherine called Erica, and gave her the news. So, isn’t it supposed to be a rescue mission?
Jay –
Yes, you misunderstood that all right.
In SSB, the family headed to Shanghai, which is in China, not Tanzania.
And Catherine does call Erica to tell her something’s wrong, setting the stage for SSGE.
Dear Mr. Gibbs, do you have a story behind why you chose Spy School goes East?
Landon Morris –
Every book has a relatively long story behind its creation. At the most basic level though, I wanted to set an adventure in China — and I wanted to deal with some global issues that I can’t really get into because I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot.
Hi Mr Gibbs, just checking to see if there will be a book for ss after goes east. Thanks