The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

What are the best spy thriller novels around? I just finished reading "The Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follet , and "The Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth. I thoroughly enjoyed both of them. The best thing for me, in both the books - The antagonist (the spy and the assassin) were top notch in their business. I think that singularly made both books superb. And both books were paced really well.

I'd love to read some more of this genre. I've John Le Carre's "The Spy who came in from the cold" in mind. Any other suggestions?

Henry Porter has great spy chase thrillers. Charles McCarry's Paul Christopher series is super. Eric Ambler's spy thrillers are classic. John Buchan's Richard Hannah series is also classic.

Wikipedia has a solid listing at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_fiction

So does Goodreads at
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

For spy thrillers, you must absolutely must read John Le Carre's books

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, Smiley's People.

Eric Ambler is great; Graham Greene has some wonderful spy novels; An oldie but still good is Six Days of the Condor by James Grady; one of my favorite spy thrillers ever is William Boyd's Restless. Robert Littell also writes good ones.

But with John LeCarre though, you must read those works in chronological order. Never start with 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'. You miss out on all sorts of nuances, doing that.

Start instead with 'Call for the Dead'. This series --those characters--this plot--covers a span of twenty years! However, they are not really 'spy chase thrillers'--they are more truly 'cerebral espionage'. They are slow and brooding; with not much action; they are heavily 'character-driven' stories. LeCarre is not a 'chase thriller' author, really.

I would rather say too, that Grahame Greene is a less-than-apt choice for the OP's request. Greene writes literary fiction with just a thin tint of thriller and espionage sometimes as a backdrop; he is consumed with issues like religion, love, humanity, and politics. His novels are thoughtful, meditative, and dense.

Eric Ambler--yes, for sure. Certainly.

Here--to save time, just read through this thread (below). You will find the whole genre of spy fiction discussed in detail; a bevy of authors and descriptions of their style; debates about effective spy-writing, definitions of terms; etc etc etc
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...-

Thanks all. I just finished reading "The Spy Who came in from the cold". @Feliks, I was not aware of the chronology, so I guess I started out of sequence. Anyway, "The Spy..." is brilliant. It doesn't fit the "chase thriller" part, but I loved it nevertheless. So much plot covered in just 212 pages. It's not a "chase" thriller, but it definitely was a beautiful thriller. This was my first Le Carre, and I think I'll read more as per the chronology you've suggested.

You might like to try Alan Furst, his Night Soldiers spy stories are set in WWII and I've enjoyed those I've read so far.

Sanjeevmk wrote: "Thanks all. I just finished reading "The Spy Who came in from the cold". @Feliks, I was not aware of the chronology, so I guess I started out of sequence. Anyway, "The Spy..." is brilliant. It does..."

Oh -- you sort of didn't mention "chase thriller" in your OP.

I mentioned it in the title :)

Anyway, can someone also recommend some books that with a 'manhunt' plot? Both - The Day of the Jackal and The Eye of the Needle - were heart-rate-goes-up-in-the-end kind of thrillers. It's an addictive genre I felt. Any more of those?

These books are a bit harder to find recently, as reflected by both GR links above. The end of the Cold War really reduced the possible settings for this genre. Perhaps the rogue assassins and private security agents have filled this slot (Barry Eisler, et al). Tom Clancy managed the transition by using the drug wars and post-9/11 conflicts for settings.

Sanjeevmk wrote: "Anyway, can someone also recommend some books that with a 'manhunt' plot?..."

Did you explore the link I cited to you earlier? It's all there.

From the guys writing their own stuff right now, I'd say it is hard to beat Daniel Silva. Gabriel Allon is a FANTASTIC reluctant spy. The wealth of detail in spy-craft is only matched by Mr. Silva's ability to work imagery into action rather than rely on lengthy descriptions.

I second that. Although I have recently discovered some other top writers in this and crime genres.

James wrote: "From the guys writing their own stuff right now, I'd say it is hard to beat Daniel Silva. Gabriel Allon is a FANTASTIC reluctant spy. The wealth of detail in spy-craft is only matche..."

When I read 'chase' thriller, my first thought is the Bourne books by Ludlum, where the protagonist is on the run and trying to figure out why everyone wants to kill him.

Six Days of the Condor is also pretty good, although Deus Ex Machina figures too much in the plot.

Baron Sang-Froid wrote: "When I read 'chase' thriller, my first thought is the Bourne books by Ludlum, where the protagonist is on the run and trying to figure out why everyone wants to kill him.

Six Days of the Condor is..."

That is true, re deus ex machina, but that's still a great book!

Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent (1907) is a fine early example that inspired many later works in the genre.

The Secret Agent

You might also like to try The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, another early spy novel.

Bill wrote: "You might also like to try The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, another early spy novel."

Yes, Riddle of the Sands is a good early 20th century example of the genre. I'd also recommend John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps. Hitchcock's 1935 film version is a classic.

The Thirty-Nine Steps. Greenmantle

There's another really good one called Rogue Male, by Geoffrey Household. A classic in any sense of the word.

Daniel Silva's books are very good. Also look for "I'm Pilgrim" in new books.

I have read Ice Cold Kill this type of read is for you. The author provides more than pne vantage point to a scene. Lots of action there are more than one villain and the lead character becomes wanted or killed by the FBI.

It's to bad that you are willing to limit a thriller with just spy genres. Stephen Hunter & Patrick Robinson are great thriller writer that have faced paced books.

For fun and amusement (and so that we may all realize better just how vast the thriller genre really is) here's a massive list of 'man on the run' thrillers. I cribbed this from a source on the 'net.

Nancy, if this is too big a post let me know and I will break it up? Or something?


The first use of the 'man on the run' theme was William Godwin’s (Mary Shelly’s father) 'Caleb Williams', the story of a man framed by his employer who ends up befriended by outlaws before clearing his name, though you could easily say the genre began with Homer and 'The Odyssey'. Odysseus, the man pursued by fate and the gods.

Before John Buchan came along, the model was established by Robert Louis Stevenson with 'Kidnapped', 'Catriona' (sequel to 'Kidnapped'), 'St. Ives' (the story of an escaped Napoleonic soldier in England), and the novella 'Pavillion on the Links'.

Joseph Conrad also touches on it in his novel, 'The Rover', about a Frenchman who has to sink a British blockade ship during the Napoleonic wars. Elements of it figure in books like 'The Prisoner of Zenda', A.E.W. Mason’s 'The Four Feathers', and of course Victor Hugo’s 'Les Miserables'.

'The Power House' by John Buchan (1910) generally considered the first of the form and called by Graham Greene the first modern spy novel (I myself, disagree). Most of the pursuit is in London, but historically important.

'Prester John' — a young man in Africa falls in with a hypnotic African leader who plots a bloody uprising.

'Mr. Standfast'/'Greenmantle'/'The Three Hostages/'Island of Sheep' — the adventures of Richard Hannay — all featuring the man on the run theme to one extent or the other.

'A Prince of the Captivity' — stand alone novel by Buchan about a British agent who sets out to find a man he believes can save society from the dangers of fascism. Good details of his actions in WWI as an undercover agent, a rescue in the arctic, and a chase across the Alps pursued by Storm Troopers.

Also by Buchan and touching the theme, 'The Dancing Floor', 'John McNab, Huntingtower', 'Castle Gay', 'House of the Four Winds' and the historical novels 'Salute to Adventurers', 'Blanket of the Dark', and 'The Free Fishers'.

'Riddle of the Sands' by Erskine Childers — prophetic novel of two men who uncover a German plot to invade England prior to WWI.

'Brown on Resolution' by C.S. Forester — a British sailor with a rifle holds a German raider at bay on a desert island while the crew hunts him. Also a film as 'Sailor of the King'.

'The Great Impersonation' by E. Phillips Oppenheim — a British nobleman in Africa is replaced by a German agent on the eve of WWI — or is he?

Francis Beeding — best known today for the book that became Hitchcock’s 'Spellbound', his series about Col. Alistair Granby are often of the man on the run variety. Example: 'The Five Flamboys'.

Valentine Williams — his novels featuring the German spy 'Clubfoot' are often as not chase and pursuit novels with the British hero a hunted spy in Germany.

Geoffrey Household — virtually all of his books are on this theme — 'The High Place, 'The Fifth Passenger' (a humorous take), 'A Time to Die', 'A Rough Shoot', 'The Courtesy of Death', 'The Sending', and 'Red Anger'.

Hammond Innes — the king of the British adventure story in the fifties — all of his novels are outdoor adventure with one man against the odds. 'The Wreck of the Mary Deare', 'Atlantic Fury', 'Blue Ice', 'White South', 'Campbell’s Kingdom', 'The Strode Venturer', 'Levkas Man'.

Gavin Lyall — his early novels are much in the Innes mode with a touch of Eric Ambler — 'The Most Dangerous Game', 'Shooting Script', 'Venus With Pistol', 'Midnight Plus One'. His later books are more often spy novels.

Desmond Bagley — South African writer in the Innes/Alistair MacLean mode — 'The Vivero Letter', 'High Citadel' (a group of people stranded by a plane crash hunted by a South American army), 'Freedom Trap' (filmed as 'The MacIntosh Man' with Paul Newman), 'Running Blind', many more.

Wilbur Smith — several of his novels deal with the theme including 'A Time to Kill', 'Shout at the Devil', and 'The Diamond Hunters'.

Alistair MacLean — particularly the books 'Guns of Navarone', 'Night Without End, 'Fear is the Key', 'The Secret Ways', 'The Satan Bug', 'South By Java Head', 'When Eight Bells Toll', 'The Black Shrike'

Duncan Kyle — 'Black Camelot', others

Anthony Trew — South African writer — any title

Mary Stewart — 'My Brother Michael', 'The Gabriel Hounds', 'Moonspinners', 'Wildfire at Midnight' — romantic suspense, but with a strong Buchan/Hitchcock theme

Geoffrey Jenkins —South African writer — 'River of Diamonds', 'A Twist of Sand', 'A Grue of Ice', 'Hunter Killer'

Douglas Orgill - any

Steve Frazee ('Sky Block' and 'Run Target')

Charles Williams ('Man on the Run')

Q. Patrick ('Man in the Net')

James Goldman ('The Man From Greek and Roman')

Graham Greene ('The Man Within')

David Garth (most titles)

Edward Abbey ('The Brave Cowboy' — a modern cowboy in New Mexico flees across the Sangre de Cristos — filmed with Kirk Douglas and Walter Matthau as Lonely Are the Brave)

Gavin Black (the Paul Harris series)

Alan Furst (most of his novels feature protagonists who find themselves hunted by the Nazi’s)

Ethel Vance — 'Escape' (an American has to save his German mother from the Nazi’s)

Helen MacInnes — 'Above Suspicion', 'Assignment in Brittainy', 'Horizon', 'Pray for a Brave Heart', more

Martha Albrand — another woman author with a taste for the man on the run theme

Dornford Yates — 'Storm Music', 'Cost Paid', 'She Fell Among Thieves'. His heroes are usually on the run from the villains while hunting a treasure in some remote European location.

Allan Caillou — actor and writer — many of his books are on the theme — 'Journey to Orassia', 'Rampage' (a film with Robert Mitchum)

Ted Willis — 'Man Eater' (a man hunting a Tiger on the loose in rural England), 'Buckingham Palace Connection' (a Brit in revolutionary Russia tries to save the Royal family)

Victor Canning — one of the greats. Any of his books.

David Dodge — 'Plunder of the Sun', 'The Red Tassel', 'The Long Escape', 'To Catch a Thief', 'Angel Ransom'

John Masters — 'The Breaking Strain', 'Himalayan Concerto', 'Far Far the Mountain Peak', 'Lotus in the Wind' — many of his novels feature the hero in classic chase and pursuit while others are more historical or adventure writers.

Berkely Mathers — 'The Achilles Affair', 'Without Prejudice' (Mather co-wrote the screenplay of Dr.No)

Elleston Trevor — any

Adam Hall - any (many of the Quiller books have him on the run and alone — in fact most of them)

Nevil Shute — some of his novels follow the theme — 'So Disdained', 'Most Secret', 'Trustee in the Toolroom'

Ernest Gann — variations on the theme particularly in 'Soldier of Fortune', 'Band of Brothers', 'The Aviator'

Lawrence Durrell — (heavy hitter in the lit fic field) 'White Eagles of Serbia' a juvenile novel

Geoffrey Rose — 'A Clear Road to Archangel', 'No Road Home' — outstanding and too little known in the US

Alan Williams — 'False Beards', 'Snake River', 'Holy of Holies'.

Francis Clifford — 'Act of Mercy', 'The Naked Runner', more

Eric Ambler — 'Background to Danger', 'Epitaph for a Spy', 'Journey Into Fear', 'Cause for Alarm', 'The Schirmer Inheritance', 'A Kind of Anger', 'The Light of Day', 'Dr. Frigo'

Jack Higgins — most of his books before 'The Eagle Has Landed' fit the bill.

John Willard — 'The Action of the Tiger'

Allan Dipper - any

John Welcome — 'Run For Cover', 'Before Midnight'. Good thrillers in the adventure vein.

Archie Roy — Brit scientist whose books are often in the chase and pursuit vein of Buchan.

P.M. Hubbard — 'Kill Claudio' Most of his books are well worth finding. Similar to Household but not imitative.

Fred Hoyle — Buchanesque sf novel 'Ossian’s Ride'.

C.P. Davies — some sf some thriller some mix the two. His heroes are frequently trying to find their identity while pursued by some threat

John Christopher— same mix

Desmond Cory — his hero Johnny Fedora often on the run from spies and the law

Michael Gilbert — 'The Etruscan Tomb', 'The Long Journey Home', 'The 92nd Tiger', 'Danger Route' (based on his escape from an Italian POW camp in WW II).

Andrew Garve — 'Two if by Sea', 'Ascent of D-13', 'The Megstone Plot'

Philip Loraine — Brit thriller writer and screenwriter — 'The Dead Men on Sestos', 'Nightmare in Dublin', 'Break in the Circle'.

Alan MacKinnon — hard to find but well worth it.

Donald Mackenzie — before his John Raven series his novels often feature small time crooks on the run from police and other crooks or spies.

Donald Hamilton — any

Edward S. Aarons — 'Girl on the Run'

Frank Gruber — 'Bridge of Sand', 'Brothers of the Sword'. Excellent 'Ambleresque' adventures

Lionel Davidson — 'Rose of Tibet', 'Night of Wenecslas', 'The Menorah Men', 'The Sun Chemist', 'Kolymsky Heights' (particularly fine), 'Smith’s Gazelle'

James Aldridge — 'The Statesmen’s Game', 'A Captive in the Land'

George Macdonald Fraser — most of the Flashman novels

Bernard Cornwell — Richard Sharpe series

Mark Derby - any

Anthony Horowitz — Alex Rider series

Barry England — 'Figures in a Landscape'

Jon Manchip White — 'Nightclimber', 'Game of Troy'

Peter O’Donnell — (Modesty Blaise) 'Sabre-Tooth', 'A Taste for Death', 'The 'Impossible Virgin', 'The Last Day in Limbo', 'Night of Morning Star'.

Norman Lewis — travel writer and adventure novelist. Admired by Graham Greene. In real life escaped from an Italian POW camp in WW II with Michael Gilbert (mentioned above). Titles: 'A Dragon Apparent', 'Golden Earth', 'A Goddess in the Stones'.

Excellent list, Feliks. I've read a few of them. I'm currently starting Zoo Station by David Downing. I don't know if it qualifies as a man being chased, although, so far, he does seem to be avoiding activities that might rouse the suspicions of the SS. I think it probably fits the bill as a spy adventure. I'm enjoying so far.

Yes! You are right.
But please, please, don't start talking about romantic books, and their history! They go several thousand years back! And normally there are only two persons involved....

aha! I hear a fellow purist!

Oh... Now I'm going through 100 shades of red...

Re Dornford Yates: I'm happy to see his name mentioned here. Some time back I was looking for a British period crime drama to watch, and came across a dramatization of Yates' She Fell Among Thieves. The dramatization was sort of out there, but it did get me interested in Yates' Chandos novels. I bought his Blind Corner, the first in the series.

House of Stratus, by the way, is the publisher, and they specialize in old novels.

I just finished The Rhinemann Exchange by Robert Ludlum. It took about 150 pages for the story to gain traction, but once it took off, I really enjoyed it. Good WWII, Allied vs. Nazi stuff. Loved it!