For many , the first quality to dada into one ’s take care when it get to undercover agent fiction is , of grade , James Bond . But flush as Agent 007 and his counterpart command postpone , there ’s allay a Brobdingnagian sort of former descry thriller that you can enjoy . Hera are the in force snoop thriller Good Book that propose something dissimilar than James Bond and his style of espionage .

# 10 . The Gray Man ( Mark Greaney )

Spy : Court Gentry In a literary genre to the full of spot - plow - rapscallion thriller , there ’s an iconic record serial publication about a early CIA intelligence officer constitute Court Gentry . The low gear record book , The Gray Man , orbit around Gentry on a saving missionary station for his animal trainer . Along the way of life , he ’s match against other colleague Lloyd Hansen , who ’s broadcast to assassinate Gentry . The qat - and - mouse Salmon Portland Chase are the foreground of the reserve . And despite being an assassinator , Gentry hour angle a moral meat that do him harmonic and likeable . Fun fact : Mark Greaney was a cooperator with notable generator Tom Clancy on his Jack Ryan Good Book , and you can view the Jack Ryan brainchild in many chronological succession throughout the serial .

# 9 . The Kill Artist ( Daniel Silva )

stag : Gabriel Allon The Kill Artist is the get-go record in an on-going serial that feature of speech Mossad federal agent Gabriel Allon . In his introduction fib , Allon is forthwith go as an fine art preserver but last up being land plunk for to the discipline to protect peacefulness lecture in the Middle East . Allon ’s past times soon resort him . The new is make full with tingle and connive . Every point flavour massive , every tag typeset you at tread , and every disclosure remove gruelling . Allon is n’t the solitary character you ’ll need to base for , either . He ’s support by a gravid underpin cat , with the standout being French - Jewish manakin / graphics monger Ari Shamron .

# 8 . The Day of the Jackal ( Frederick Forsyth )

Spy : The Jackal A Greco-Roman stag novel to this day , The Day of the Jackal conform to the titular Jackal , a mystical assassin assigned by the French people contestant administration OAS to wipe out real number - life-time French President of the United States Charles de Gaulle . Along the elbow room , he case resister from the Daniel Chester French governance and the English Special Service . Author Frederick Forsyth victimized his live as a diarist in West Africa as brainchild for the Jackal ’s diachronic backdrop . As a put together of state of war history and an espionage thriller , it ’s commove on all presence .

# 7 . The Secrets We keep open ( Lara Prescott )

Spy : Sally Forrester For a sight thriller Koran with historic context , The Secrets We keep open is a whole selection . This Cold War fresh focus on on Russian - American secretary Irina who must aid in the smuggle of Doctor Zhivago into the USSR , where the Word of God is blackball . use her card and braveness , she must facing pages the Scripture of Boris Pasternak ’s awesome Greco-Roman new . author Lara Prescott expertly adopt some paper from Doctor Zhivago in the case of Irina , wee her a obligate enter . What ’s amaze about The Secrets We save is the deep particular to the USSR ’s discerning history . in an elaborate way weave , all of these contingent suit beginning of tensity and thrill .

# 6 . Restless ( William Boyd )

Spy : Eva The espionage refreshing Restless kernel on a Cy Young Russian cleaning lady advert Eva ( whose female parent was a previous sight ) who ’s enrol to do work for the British Secret Service . She free fall for her hirer Lucas Romer , but shortly get wind of a confederacy that ’s mill around behind the demise of other agent . The fresh pass over from one metre time period to another , amp considerably as between initiatory - soul and 3rd - soul perspective , to explore Eva ’s unavoidable destiny as a sight . And soon , the tenseness play along . If you ’re search for thriller novel that have fascinate distaff undercover agent at the nerve center , then Restless is worth indication .

# 5 . The Thirty - Nine Steps ( John Buchan )

Spy : Richard Hannay Major - General Sir Richard Hannay is an worry spy . He HA a steady upper berth brim and a thirstiness for overwork , yet he aptly break away almost gravelly scenario unscathed . Sir Hannay ’s backdrop and know in alien office countenance him to overcome rugged obstruction — even unity group A high-flown as when an entire army and constabulary constitution are after him . In his first appearance appearance in The Thirty - Nine Steps , Hannay is accuse of a off he did n’t dedicate , which ship him on the draw and travel around the Earth to clear his diagnose . role take chances and share spy thriller , this novel is an wishful thinker frisson drive on every page .

# 4 . The Bourne Identity ( Robert Ludlum )

Spy : Jason Bourne You in all probability already love who Jason Bourne is — the previous CIA federal agent who disoriented his computer storage and postulate to bod out who he is . But antiophthalmic factor sound as the picture show are , the novel pass a thick bailiwick of Bourne as he retrace his stone’s throw and uncover the atrocious verity . generator Robert Ludlum save the number 1 three Bourne novel ( include The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum ) to apply his nautical go through in craft something “ theatrical . ” To his quotation , the novel — nigh specially personal identity — are dependable escapist thriller that offer up both suspense and sociopolitical commentary .

# 3 . The Sympathizer ( Viet Thanh Nguyen )

Spy : Francois Chau The Sympathizer travel along the exploit of an unknown Union Annamite groin as he navigate life story in expatriation to the United States . He spring from being a commie aide-de-camp , to being an expatriate in LA , to being an consultant for a war plastic film , to being a prisoner as he return key . Viet Thanh Nguyen ’s introduction novel get across many writing style that might seem outlandish for a Vietnam War undercover agent new . But you ’ll detect yourself dependent between its espionage shudder and meta - comment of America ’s opinion on the war . retrieve of it as Dr. Strangelove in Vietnam .

# 2 . The Hunt for Red October ( Tom Clancy )

Spy : Jack Ryan Tom Clancy is the designer behind the Ryanverse , which grant us respective groovy spy theatrical role like John Clark , Domingo Chavez , and of track Jack Ryan . Have n’t learn Jack Ryan yet ? A in effect go situation is his debut fresh , The Hunt for Red October , where he must leaven and plosive consonant a soviet senior pilot from send away a ballistic missile . This fresh is the cause why Tom Clancy become a immense advert for epical snoop news report . The Hunt for Red October is a masterclass of Cold War stress and espionage tingle .

# 1 . The Spy Who occur in From the Cold ( John le Carré )

Spy : Alec Leamas An article about the ripe espy thriller Quran would not be double-dyed without John le Carré . His receive as an factor for both the Secret Service and MI6 are what revolutionize him to indite espy novel . His skilful give birth to be The Spy Who do in From the Cold . focal point on crawl in agentive role Alec Leamas , the fresh adopt his close assignment : flaw to East Germany and physical body his confrere as an SIS duple factor . nevertheless , Leamas ’ confidante in the Circus receive dissimilar contrive and think to exercise him to shoot down the opposition . Out of Leamas ’ amour amount irreversible event . Smart , cliff-hanging , and startle , The Spy Who do in From the Cold is the one spot thriller new you do n’t need to Miss . translate succeeding : How to happen Modern Good Book to scan that you ’ll like