The Best Spy Novels
The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
A classic of the genre. The background of an elusive pre-war master-spy suggests he may not be dead after all.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
An atmospheric tale of Cold War betrayal in Germany written by an SIS officer who served there under consular cover.
Ashenden by Compton Mackenzie
A British intelligence officer finds German spies in Switzerland during the First World War, written by an SIS professional about himself.
The Nightwatch by Allan Furst
Considered by American intelligence insiders to be impressively authentic.
The Eagle Has Landedby Jack Higgins
A German spy is planning to assassinate Winston Churchill at an English country house.
The Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
A German spy is on a mission to discover the secrets of D-Day and MI5 fears he may uncover the truth about a deception campaign.
The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
An assassin hired to kill President Charles de Gaulle is chased across Europe, constantly switching his identity to elude his hunters.
The Human Factor by Graham Greene.
An SIS officer’s troubled conscience leads him to become a mole. Written by Kim Philby’s close friend and wartime subordinate.
The Dream Merchant of Lisbon by Gene Coyle
A CIA station chief negotiates a KGB defector, written by a senior retiree.
