I was a paratrooper in the U.S. Army, lucky enough to spend three years in Germany. While in Germany, I fell in love with Europe. After my return to the States, I became an avid skydiver. That led to BASE jumping (parachuting from high buildings, bridges, cliffs, etc.) Unfortunately, I was badly injured in 1999. Though I’ve mostly recovered, I sought therapy in writing, melding my experiences as a soldier and adrenaline junkie, along with my love of exotic locales, into stories I love to share. That’s why I write. It keeps me sane and I love, love, love communicating with my readers.
In the midst of the Second World War, two spies—more alike than they could imagine—stalk one another. The German spy is embedded as an American soldier, killing his superiors in the heat of battle. A major. A colonel. A general.
The American spy hunts him, the search narrowing from division, to regiment, to company. It’s a hunt for a vicious killer. It’s a hunt for the American’s doppelgänger.
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I’ve read The Day of the Jackal at least a dozen times, and I still find new inspiration. Forsyth created an antagonist akin to Hans Gruber in Die Hard—I nearly find myself rooting for him. Along with great characterization is some of the greatest plotting I’ve ever read. The book is tight, smart, and absolutely engrossing, not to mention gorgeously written.
This was the book that hooked me on espionage thrillers. Follett takes an enormous subject and boils it down to a battle between a few. There are memorable characters all over this story, and each of them are faced with difficult choices. Once again, the antagonist has a shred of humanity, which occasionally puts the reader at odds. You’ll be hooked.
This novel kicked off one of the most successful espionage franchises since James Bond. Gabriel Allon, along with the rest of Silva’s cast of characters, is so unique, so meticulous, that the reader feels as if you know him personally. Rich in research and detail, Silva’s book moves at a torrid pace. Once you read The Kill Artist, you’ll burn through the entire series.
This book took me completely by surprise. I’d never heard of it, nor was I familiar with the author. It was one of those books that’s like finding a pot of gold. The pacing is excellent; the character development unique and well done. I found this book to be quite different, and engrossing, for reasons I cannot describe. Be warned, it’s not for the faint of heart.
Casino Royale is the book that launched an icon: Bond…James Bond. While certainly not a modern thriller, this book is like taking a vacation to another time and place. Fleming’s writing style is his own, and his ability is enough to make me want to throw in the towel. Read this to get lost in the details and the richly developed characters. You’ll feel like you’re in France.
5,309 authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about France, the Middle East, and New York State.
We think you will like A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII, Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage, and D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II if you like this list.
From Mara's list on The best books about the real-life, kick-ass female agents of WW2.
Sarah Helm’s biography of Vera Atkins is perfectly titled. On one level, Vera was the 2nd in command of SOE’s French Section, responsible for recruiting, training, and deploying SOE operatives into France. On another level, there were the closely guarded secrets of her own life.
Sarah Helm’s biography revealed a workaholic, an immigrant who became more English than the English, and whose loyalty to her charges, and the Allied cause, was unswerving. After the war, when 118 SOE agent didn’t make it home, Vera launched a personal crusade to find out what happened to them – a mission that took her across Allied-Occupied Germany to the concentration camps. (She found all but one.)
On a side note, Vera Atkins has been fictionalised on both big and small screens, from Ian Fleming’s Miss Moneypenny to Foyle’s War Hilda Pierce. Her legacy remains an inspiration.
From Jacopo's list on The best books for understanding the dark side of Shakespeare's world.
If you’ve ever been a fan of the James Bond books or movies, spy-thrillers, or anything involving MI6, this book is about where it all began: the golden age of English espionage. Filled with captivating plots and characters straight out of history, this book was the bedrock that I built my story upon. Please check it out. You will never look at English history the same way again.
From Kara's list on The best books that weave fascinating stories about real people and events from WWII history.
This book is a story of several different women who participated in the French Resistance in Nazi-occupied France. I love the women that were chosen to be highlighted, including stories of romance, espionage, and torture. A little something for everyone, I suppose. Written like a narrative, this book has wonderful twists and turns (There was even a moment that I genuinely gasped at the reveal of a double agent). If you like tales about strong women from history, this is a must-read.
