Argylle is the spy novel that everyone is talking about. It is the basis for the blockbuster film starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, and Dua Lipa. It is the debut of Elly Conway, a mysterious author who has captivated the world with her thrilling and captivating story. But who is Elly Conway, and how did she write Argylle?
The answer is surprising: Elly Conway is not one person, but two. She is the pseudonym of Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen, two established and acclaimed authors who collaborated to create Argylle. In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, they revealed how they came up with the idea, how they worked together, and how they kept their identity a secret.
The Origin of Argylle
The story of Argylle began in 2021, when filmmaker Matthew Vaughn approached Terry Hayes, the Australian novelist and screenwriter best known for I Am Pilgrim (Bantam), a bestselling thriller that Vaughn had tried to adapt into a film, but failed. Vaughn had a new idea for a spy film, and he wanted Hayes to write a novel to accompany it.
But this was not a typical novelisation. Vaughn wanted Hayes to write a novel that the film’s heroine, Elly Conway, a spy novelist herself, would have written. The novel would feature her alter ego, Aubrey Argylle, a CIA agent who gets involved in a global conspiracy. The novel would be a meta-fictional device, a story within a story, that would add another layer of intrigue and mystery to the film.
Hayes liked the idea, but he had a problem: he was already working on his own novel, The Year of the Locust, a sequel to I Am Pilgrim, and he was behind schedule. He needed a co-author to help him write Argylle. He turned to his publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, of Transworld, who suggested Tammy Cohen, the British author of psychological thrillers such as When She Was Bad and They All Fall Down (both Black Swan).
The Collaboration of Hayes and Cohen
Hayes and Cohen had never met before, but they agreed to work together on Argylle. They had different backgrounds and styles, but they also had complementary skills and interests. Hayes had a filmic vision, a knack for plot and action, and a wealth of experience in the spy genre. Cohen had a keen eye for characterisation, motivation, and dynamics, and a passion for female protagonists.
They decided to use the pseudonym Elly Conway, a combination of their middle names, to create a sense of mystery and intrigue around the novel. They also decided to keep their collaboration a secret, even from their families and friends. They communicated only by email and phone, and they used a shared Google document to write the novel.
They divided the work according to their strengths and preferences. Cohen wrote most of the novel, following a rough outline provided by Hayes. Hayes added some “connective tissue”, as he called it, to link the scenes and chapters. They also gave each other feedback and suggestions, and revised the novel together.
They also had some input from Apple and Universal Studios, the companies behind the film. They had to follow some guidelines and restrictions, such as not revealing the identity of the real Agent Argylle, the film’s main twist. They also had to make some changes to match the film’s casting and locations.
The Reception of Argylle
The novel was finished in six months, and it was published by Penguin on February 2, 2024, the same day as the film’s release. The novel was an instant hit, selling over a million copies in the first week. It received rave reviews from critics and readers, who praised its fast-paced plot, witty dialogue, and clever twists. It also sparked a lot of speculation and curiosity about the identity of Elly Conway, who remained elusive and mysterious.
Some of the theories that circulated online included J.K. Rowling, Taylor Swift, and even Matthew Vaughn himself. Some fans even tried to analyse the writing style and the clues in the novel to find out who Conway was. But none of them guessed the truth: that Conway was actually two authors, Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen.
The secret was finally revealed by The Telegraph1 on February 5, 2024, after they obtained a copy of the contract between Hayes, Cohen, and Penguin. The revelation shocked and surprised the fans, but also impressed and intrigued them. Many of them expressed their admiration and appreciation for the authors, and their curiosity about their collaboration.
Hayes and Cohen said they were happy to finally come out of the shadows, and they thanked the fans for their support and enthusiasm. They also said they enjoyed working together, and they were proud of the novel they created. They also hinted that they might write another novel together, as Argylle was planned to be the first of a series.
Argylle is the spy novel that everyone is talking about. It is the novel that Elly Conway wrote, and it is the novel that Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen wrote. It is a novel that blurs the lines between fiction and reality, between author and character, between one and two. It is a novel that proves that sometimes, two heads are better than one.
