Spy novels and super agent stories

applepie · 08-27-2011, 11:33 PM

I have just finished a spy novel "Miss Garrote" by Victoria Newhope. It's a well twisted story with a lot of interesting and rare information. The best part was about "rat ways", a secret system of underground tunnels dug under Europe. I've never heard about it. (I'm wondering if it's real.) So, I'd recommend this very informative, easy to read and entertaining book. Oh, almost forgot! There are few chapters available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ID9LOA

Which spy novel or super agent story can you recommend?

Mrgauth · 08-29-2011, 07:52 PM

My favorite might not be a true "spy" story, but the main protagonist was definitely a covert ops undercover operator extraordinaire.

The Gemini Man

Reviews are mixed but I don't care-loved it and read it three times. I was hooked completely by the first chapter and often go back and read that chapter now and again.

Mrgauth · 08-29-2011, 07:52 PM

My favorite might not be a true "spy" story, but the main protagonist was definitely a covert ops undercover operator extraordinaire.

The Gemini Man by Steinberg

Reviews are mixed but I don't care-loved it and read it three times. I was hooked completely by the first chapter and often go back and read that chapter now and again.

Sorry for the double post

GA Russell · 08-30-2011, 12:04 AM

I loved Adam Hall's The Ninth Directive, which I read last November.

yahweh · 08-30-2011, 06:27 AM

John Le Carre's George Smiley novels are the most realistic stories of the kind. Len Deighton's Game, Set, and Match trilogy was also very good.

HarryT · 08-30-2011, 11:40 AM

One obvious suggestion are Ian Fleming's "James Bond" books. If you've only ever seen the films, do give the books a try; they're very well-written.

Pablo · 08-30-2011, 12:40 PM

One of my favourites is Eric Ambler, of whom I recommend:
The Intercom Conspiracy
The night comers
The mask of Dimitrios (AKA A Coffin for Dimitrios)
The Levanter

Penforhire · 08-30-2011, 05:23 PM

Robert Ludlum's work heads my favorites in the genre (along with LeCarre mentioned above) - The Osterman Weekend, The Bourne Identity, The Parsifal Mosaic, and many more.

His pacing in the older novels is a bit off to a modern reader but I'll also add Frederick Forsyth to the recommendations - The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol and many more.

carpetmojo · 08-30-2011, 05:44 PM

I now find the early/middle Ludlum work a bit dated in style, somehow, but the Fleming stuff has retained the edge - a little erudite, a little arch, yet well written and plotted.

DMB · 08-30-2011, 06:13 PM

I do like Le Carre's Smiley books. They made wonderful screen adaptations too. The ones starring Alec Guiness are superb and still available on DVD, e.g. this from Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tinker-Tailo...4742070&sr=1-4

This US version looks very expensive http://www.amazon.com/Tinker-Tailor-...4742155&sr=1-2

It would be worthwhile for Americans to buy it from the UK and tweak the DVD player to play Region 2 stuff.

Monaco · 08-30-2011, 11:07 PM

Forsyth and Fleming are definitely good. David Morrell is good too. The "Miss Garrote" sounded interesting, I read the few chapters on the author's website and want to read the rest - I got hooked! :-) Just looked on Amazon and the book is only 99 cents, which is a great price. Only that I have a Nook. B&N price for this book is $4.99, not as great. I'll download the Kindle app to my work computer and read from the screen. :-) (Yes, I can read books at work (or browse the internet) when it gets slow, and it does get slow a lot lately.) Since this book reads very fast from what I could tell, I might finish it in a couple of days. I just love spy books and seeing something new is always exciting, especially when the book is interesting and informative. Gosh, there's soooo much stuff I've learned in just a few pages. Training a child to be a spy isn't something new ("Brotherhood of the Rose" by David Morrell is one of my favorite spy books and the guys were trained from their childhood), but in this book it's a bit different: she is trained from the very first day of her life (very interesting how they did it!) + she's a girl, not that common. It all definitely sounds exciting and I'll have to read the rest asap.

Bookworm_Girl · 08-31-2011, 12:04 AM

One of my favorite authors is Steve Berry. His books feature Cotton Malone, a retired US Justice agent who is now a bookseller in Copenhagen that can't escape his ex-boss as he travels the world on missions solving great historical mysteries, like discovering the Library of Alexandria and Alexander the Great's tomb. I also like the Alex Berenson and Vince Flynn novels, which are political spy thrillers.

Are you looking for books with strong female characters or by a female author? You might want to try Gayle Lynds. In addition to her own books, she co-wrote several with Ludlum in his Covert-One series. Most people link Daniel Silva to his Gabriel Allon series (which is very good). However, I also enjoyed his book The Unlikely Spy set in WW2 which features a female Nazi spy. A light and fun spy novel is Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding (of Bridget Jones fame); I wish she would write a sequel! I also like the Noel Hynd books, which are Christian spy thrillers starring a female US Treasury agent.

paul1403 · 08-31-2011, 01:21 AM

Fleming's James Bond series is certainly worth a read... they are a little dated now, and definately un-PC (I'll leave that up to you if that is a pro or a con

), but still great yarns, all of them.

Tom Clancy's Cardinal of the Kremlin is also a very good spy novel. Everything you ever wanted to know about brush-passes, dead drops and so on...

Paul.
Canberra, Australia

applepie · 08-31-2011, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Are you looking for books with strong female characters or by a female author?

Well, female spies are more interesting because they are sly and complicated.

Male spies are more simple. I personally like to read about women and their tricks. Men are more predictable.

This is why I really enjoyed to read about Nicole Grant (aka Ms. Garrote). I also really enjoyed to read about the rat ways - the secret system of underground tunnels dug under Europe.

WillAdams · 08-31-2011, 07:22 AM

For an interesting spin on tunnels during World War II (every)one should read _Escape from Warsaw_ (originally published as _The Silver Sword_).

08-27-2011, 11:33 PM	#1
applepie Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 3866 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: USA Device: Nook, Kindle	Spy novels and super agent stories I have just finished a spy novel "Miss Garrote" by Victoria Newhope. It's a well twisted story with a lot of interesting and rare information. The best part was about "rat ways", a secret system of underground tunnels dug under Europe. I've never heard about it. (I'm wondering if it's real.) So, I'd recommend this very informative, easy to read and entertaining book. Oh, almost forgot! There are few chapters available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ID9LOA Which spy novel or super agent story can you recommend? Last edited by applepie; 09-02-2011 at 02:30 PM.

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08-29-2011, 07:52 PM	#2
Mrgauth Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 310 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tulsa OK Device: K3	My favorite might not be a true "spy" story, but the main protagonist was definitely a covert ops undercover operator extraordinaire. The Gemini Man Reviews are mixed but I don't care-loved it and read it three times. I was hooked completely by the first chapter and often go back and read that chapter now and again.

08-30-2011, 12:04 AM	#4
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I loved Adam Hall's The Ninth Directive, which I read last November.

08-30-2011, 06:27 AM	#5
yahweh Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 50000 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: none	John Le Carre's George Smiley novels are the most realistic stories of the kind. Len Deighton's Game, Set, and Match trilogy was also very good.

08-30-2011, 11:40 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	One obvious suggestion are Ian Fleming's "James Bond" books. If you've only ever seen the films, do give the books a try; they're very well-written.

08-30-2011, 12:40 PM	#7
Pablo Guru Posts: 970 Karma: 4999999 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rosario, Argentina Device: SONY PRS-505, PRS-T2	One of my favourites is Eric Ambler, of whom I recommend: The Intercom Conspiracy The night comers The mask of Dimitrios (AKA A Coffin for Dimitrios) The Levanter

08-30-2011, 05:23 PM	#8
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Robert Ludlum's work heads my favorites in the genre (along with LeCarre mentioned above) - The Osterman Weekend, The Bourne Identity, The Parsifal Mosaic, and many more. His pacing in the older novels is a bit off to a modern reader but I'll also add Frederick Forsyth to the recommendations - The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol and many more.

08-30-2011, 05:44 PM	#9
carpetmojo Wizard Posts: 3,117 Karma: 9269999 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: UK Device: Sony- T3, PRS650, 350, T1/2/3, Paperwhite, Fire 8.9,Samsung Tab S 10.5	I now find the early/middle Ludlum work a bit dated in style, somehow, but the Fleming stuff has retained the edge - a little erudite, a little arch, yet well written and plotted.

08-30-2011, 06:13 PM	#10
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	I do like Le Carre's Smiley books. They made wonderful screen adaptations too. The ones starring Alec Guiness are superb and still available on DVD, e.g. this from Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tinker-Tailo...4742070&sr=1-4 This US version looks very expensive http://www.amazon.com/Tinker-Tailor-...4742155&sr=1-2 It would be worthwhile for Americans to buy it from the UK and tweak the DVD player to play Region 2 stuff.

08-30-2011, 11:07 PM	#11
Monaco Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 50000 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Nook	Forsyth and Fleming are definitely good. David Morrell is good too. The "Miss Garrote" sounded interesting, I read the few chapters on the author's website and want to read the rest - I got hooked! :-) Just looked on Amazon and the book is only 99 cents, which is a great price. Only that I have a Nook. B&N price for this book is $4.99, not as great. I'll download the Kindle app to my work computer and read from the screen. :-) (Yes, I can read books at work (or browse the internet) when it gets slow, and it does get slow a lot lately.) Since this book reads very fast from what I could tell, I might finish it in a couple of days. I just love spy books and seeing something new is always exciting, especially when the book is interesting and informative. Gosh, there's soooo much stuff I've learned in just a few pages. Training a child to be a spy isn't something new ("Brotherhood of the Rose" by David Morrell is one of my favorite spy books and the guys were trained from their childhood), but in this book it's a bit different: she is trained from the very first day of her life (very interesting how they did it!) + she's a girl, not that common. It all definitely sounds exciting and I'll have to read the rest asap.

08-31-2011, 12:04 AM	#12
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	One of my favorite authors is Steve Berry. His books feature Cotton Malone, a retired US Justice agent who is now a bookseller in Copenhagen that can't escape his ex-boss as he travels the world on missions solving great historical mysteries, like discovering the Library of Alexandria and Alexander the Great's tomb. I also like the Alex Berenson and Vince Flynn novels, which are political spy thrillers. Are you looking for books with strong female characters or by a female author? You might want to try Gayle Lynds. In addition to her own books, she co-wrote several with Ludlum in his Covert-One series. Most people link Daniel Silva to his Gabriel Allon series (which is very good). However, I also enjoyed his book The Unlikely Spy set in WW2 which features a female Nazi spy. A light and fun spy novel is Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination by Helen Fielding (of Bridget Jones fame); I wish she would write a sequel! I also like the Noel Hynd books, which are Christian spy thrillers starring a female US Treasury agent.

08-31-2011, 01:21 AM	#13
paul1403 Exertion Avoider Posts: 40 Karma: 1000 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Device: Eco-Reader, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy S2	Fleming's James Bond series is certainly worth a read... they are a little dated now, and definately un-PC (I'll leave that up to you if that is a pro or a con ), but still great yarns, all of them. Tom Clancy's Cardinal of the Kremlin is also a very good spy novel. Everything you ever wanted to know about brush-passes, dead drops and so on... Paul. Canberra, Australia

08-31-2011, 07:22 AM	#15
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,234 Karma: 3350652 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	For an interesting spin on tunnels during World War II (every)one should read _Escape from Warsaw_ (originally published as _The Silver Sword_).