Readers’ favorite spy books of
2023

1,707 readers shared their top 3 books of 2023 – Have you?

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Most read books in 2023 Read in 2023 Only books published in 2023 Published in 2023

Chosen by 4 people

I Am Pilgrim

By Terry Hayes,

Book cover of I Am Pilgrim

🥇 Immersion 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 4 people

Prisoners of the Castle

By Ben Macintyre,

Book cover of Prisoners of the Castle: An Epic Story of Survival and Escape from Colditz, the Nazis' Fortress Prison

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Teach

Chosen by 3 people

The Rose Code

Book cover of The Rose Code

🥇 Immersion 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 3 people

Damascus Station

By David McCloskey,

Book cover of Damascus Station

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 3 people

G-Man

By Beverly Gage,

Book cover of G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century

Chosen by 3 people

Killers Of A Certain Age

By Deanna Raybourn,

Book cover of Killers Of A Certain Age

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 2 people

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

By John le Carré,

Book cover of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 2 people

The Spy and the Traitor

By Ben Macintyre,

Book cover of The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War

Chosen by 2 people

The Diamond Eye

Book cover of The Diamond Eye

🥇 Immersion 🥈 Writing

Chosen by 2 people

The Terminal List

Book cover of The Terminal List

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Emotions

Chosen by 2 people

I Must Betray You

By Ruta Sepetys,

Book cover of I Must Betray You

Chosen by 2 people

The Collector

By Daniel Silva,

Book cover of The Collector

🥇 Story/Plot 🥈 Character(s)

Chosen by 2 people

A Shadow in Moscow

By Katherine Reay,

Book cover of A Shadow in Moscow: A Cold War Novel

Chosen by 2 people

The Scarlet Papers

By Matthew Richardson,

Book cover of The Scarlet Papers

Chosen by 1 person

Invisible Agents

By Nadine Akkerman,

Book cover of Invisible Agents: Women and Espionage in Seventeenth-Century Britain

Chosen by 1 person

The Sympathizer

By Viet Thanh Nguyen,

Book cover of The Sympathizer

🥇 Immersion 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 1 person

The Light of Day

By Eric Ambler,

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Chosen by 1 person

The Quiet American

By Graham Greene,

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Chosen by 1 person

Red Joan

By Jennie Rooney,

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Chosen by 1 person

Our Man in Havana

By Graham Greene,

Book cover of Our Man in Havana

Chosen by 1 person

The Kill Artist

By Daniel Silva,

Book cover of The Kill Artist

Chosen by 1 person

The Prodigal Spy

By Joseph Kanon,

Book cover of The Prodigal Spy

Chosen by 1 person

Master and Commander

By Patrick O'Brian,

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Chosen by 1 person

Slow Horses

By Mick Herron,

Book cover of Slow Horses

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Immersion

Chosen by 1 person

SAS

By Ben Macintyre,

Book cover of SAS: Rogue Heroes - The Authorized Wartime History

Chosen by 1 person

Enigma

By Robert Harris,

Book cover of Enigma

Chosen by 1 person

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

By John le Carré,

Book cover of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Chosen by 1 person

Berta Isla

By Javier Marías,

Book cover of Berta Isla

Chosen by 1 person

The Eleventh Commandment

By Jeffrey Archer,

Book cover of The Eleventh Commandment

Chosen by 1 person

Prince of Fire

By Daniel Silva,

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Chosen by 1 person

Slough House

By Mick Herron,

Book cover of Slough House

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Writing

Chosen by 1 person

Joe Country

By Mick Herron,

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Chosen by 1 person

Red Winter

By Marc Cameron,

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Chosen by 1 person

Code Red

Book cover of Code Red

🥇 Story/Plot 🥈 Thoughts

Chosen by 1 person

Slip of the Knife

By Denise Mina,

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Chosen by 1 person

Savage Son

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Kiss the Girls

By James Patterson,

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Chosen by 1 person

They Come at Knight

By Yasmin Angoe,

Book cover of They Come at Knight

Chosen by 1 person

An American Spy

By Olen Steinhauer,

Book cover of An American Spy

Chosen by 1 person

Orphan X

By Gregg Hurwitz,

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Chosen by 1 person

The Last Orphan

By Gregg Hurwitz,

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Chosen by 1 person

Stand on Zanzibar

By John Brunner,

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Chosen by 1 person

Marathon Man

By William Goldman,

Book cover of Marathon Man

Chosen by 1 person

Muir's Gambit

By Michael Frost Beckner,

Book cover of Muir's Gambit: A Spy Game Novel

Chosen by 1 person

Sleeper Agent

By Ann Hagedorn,

Book cover of Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away

Chosen by 1 person

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation

By Stuart Gibbs,

Book cover of Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation

Chosen by 1 person

The Man Between

By Charles Cumming,

Book cover of The Man Between

Chosen by 1 person

The Book of Dust

By Philip Pullman,

Book cover of The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage

Chosen by 1 person

The Bloodless Boy

By Robert J. Lloyd,

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Chosen by 1 person

The Peacock and the Sparrow

Book cover of The Peacock and the Sparrow

Chosen by 1 person

Kill Sequence

By Steve Griffiths,

Book cover of Kill Sequence

Chosen by 1 person

Spies

By Calder Walton,

Book cover of Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West

Chosen by 1 person

Who Is Vera Kelly?

By Rosalie Knecht,

Book cover of Who Is Vera Kelly?

Chosen by 1 person

Stars and Spies

By Christopher Andrew, Julius Green,

Book cover of Stars and Spies: The Astonishing History of Espionage and Show Business

Chosen by 1 person

Spymaster's Prism

By Jack Devine,

Book cover of Spymaster's Prism: The Fight Against Russian Aggression

Chosen by 1 person

Trinity

By Frank Close,

Book cover of Trinity: The Treachery and Pursuit of the Most Dangerous Spy in History

Chosen by 1 person

The Gunderson Case Files

Book cover of The Gunderson Case Files: Volume One

Chosen by 1 person

Cathedral

By Nelson DeMille,

Book cover of Cathedral

Chosen by 1 person

An Officer and a Spy

By Robert Harris,

Book cover of An Officer and a Spy

🥇 Character(s) 🥈 Story/Plot

Chosen by 1 person

Anthrax Island

By D.L. Marshall,

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Chosen by 1 person

A Game of Deceit

By Tim Glister,

Book cover of A Game of Deceit

Chosen by 1 person

The Golden Thread

By Ravi Somaiya,

Book cover of The Golden Thread: The Cold War Mystery Surrounding the Death of Dag Hammarskjöld

Chosen by 1 person

Silverview

By John le Carré,

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Chosen by 1 person

Blackout

By Simon Scarrow,

Book cover of Blackout

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Night Flight to Paris

By David Gilman,

Book cover of Night Flight to Paris

Chosen by 1 person

Don't Look for Me

By Mason Cross,

Book cover of Don't Look for Me: A Carter Blake Thriller

Chosen by 1 person

A Spy Among Friends

By Ben Macintyre,

Book cover of A Spy Among Friends: Philby and the Great Betrayal

Chosen by 1 person

Shadow War

Book cover of Shadow War

Chosen by 1 person

Lincoln's Spies

By Douglas Waller,

Book cover of Lincoln's Spies: Their Secret War to Save a Nation

Chosen by 1 person

The Life of John André

By D. A. B. Ronald,

Book cover of The Life of John André: The Redcoat Who Turned Benedict Arnold

Chosen by 1 person

The Accomplice

By Joseph Kanon,

Book cover of The Accomplice

Chosen by 1 person

El Flamingo

By Nick Davies,

Book cover of El Flamingo

Chosen by 1 person

In Red Weather

By Dan Cameron,

Book cover of In Red Weather: Turmoil In Indonesia: A CIA Insider's Account From the 1960s

Chosen by 1 person

Safe Houses

By Dan Fesperman,

Book cover of Safe Houses

Chosen by 1 person

The Woman Who Smashed Codes

By Jason Fagone,

Book cover of The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies

Chosen by 1 person

The First Lady

Book cover of The First Lady

Chosen by 1 person

His Victim's Torment

By Nicole Keefer,

Book cover of His Victim's Torment

Chosen by 1 person

Great Australian Mysteries

By Graham Seal,

Book cover of Great Australian Mysteries: Spine-tingling tales of disappearances, secrets, unsolved crimes and lost treasure

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