#spynovels — Public Fediverse posts

The German spy drama by a Yorkshireman – who knows nothing about Germany or spies

In 2023, two former BND heads penned a joint article in a German newspaper, describing the agency as…
#Germany #DE #Europe #EU #Europa #Culture #Film #Netflix #Spynovels #standard #Television #TelevisionEditor'sChoice #TopStory #UScontent
https://www.europesays.com/germany/4520/

“I’ve read a lot of #spynovels and I don’t like the #genre as it is sometimes characterized. For example, I don’t have a huge amount of time for #IanFleming. What I’m interested in is those #novels that are #literarynovels smuggled in through the generic window.” fivebooks.com/best-books/t... #books

The Best Literary Spy Novels

Castle Minerva, a 1955 psychological spy novel by Victor Canning. A British ex-spy has to babysit a prince. Lots of moral murkiness. Bad guys doing things for comprehensible motives. Gritty realism in the Graham Greene-Eric Ambler style.Superb.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/10/victor-cannings-castle-minerva.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller ##spythrillers #VictorCanning

Castle Minerva, a 1955 psychological spy novel by Victor Canning. A British ex-spy has to babysit a prince. Lots of moral murkiness. Bad guys doing things for comprehensible motives. Gritty realism in the Graham Greene-Eric Ambler style.Superb.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/10/victor-cannings-castle-minerva.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller ##spythrillers #VictorCanning

Castle Minerva, a 1955 psychological spy novel by Victor Canning. A British ex-spy has to babysit a prince. Lots of moral murkiness. Bad guys doing things for comprehensible motives. Gritty realism in the Graham Greene-Eric Ambler style.Superb.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/10/victor-cannings-castle-minerva.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller ##spythrillers #VictorCanning

Castle Minerva, a 1955 psychological spy novel by Victor Canning. A British ex-spy has to babysit a prince. Lots of moral murkiness. Bad guys doing things for comprehensible motives. Gritty realism in the Graham Greene-Eric Ambler style.Superb.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/10/victor-cannings-castle-minerva.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller ##spythrillers #VictorCanning

Castle Minerva, a 1955 psychological spy novel by Victor Canning. A British ex-spy has to babysit a prince. Lots of moral murkiness. Bad guys doing things for comprehensible motives. Gritty realism in the Graham Greene-Eric Ambler style.Superb.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/10/victor-cannings-castle-minerva.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller ##spythrillers #VictorCanning

The Ambushers, published in 1963, Donald Hamilton’s sixth Matt Helm spy thriller. Helm has to assassinate a rebel leader and rescue an American agent. Lots of double-crosses and moral murkiness and some scores to settle. Superb spy fiction.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/09/donald-hamiltons-ambushers.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #DonaldHamilton #MattHelm

Philip Atlee's The Irish Beauty Contract is a routine 1966 Joe Gall spy novel. Embittered ex-CIA man Joe Gall is now a US Government hitman. This time he has to watch someone but not kill him. The background is good but the book lacks energy.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/08/philip-atlees-irish-beauty-contract.html

#spyfiction #spies #spynovel #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers

Peter O’Donnell’s The Impossible Virgin starts when a Soviet spy dies in a bush hospital in Tanzania. Modesty Blaise is the temporary nurse. There's an impossible virgin who must remain a virgin, and a gorilla. A fine 1971 Modesty Blaise novel.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/08/peter-odonnells-impossible-virgin.html

#vintagethrillers #vintagethriller #spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #spythriller spythrillers #PeterODonnell #ModestyBlaise

West of Jerusalem, from 1967, one of a handful of Gérard de Villiers Malko spy novels translated into English. Austrian prince and CIA agent Malko has to impersonate the Director of the CIA who has jumped to his death. Fine action and suspense.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/08/malko-west-of-jerusalem.html

#vintagethrillers #vintagethriller #spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #spythriller spythrillers #malko #GerarddeVilliers

Jimmy Sangster was a hugely successful screenwriter. His 1968 novel Touchfeather slots neatly into the “glamorous sexy lady spy” genre. A glamorous airline stewardess is really a spy. Cynical, and has some real punch. A great sexy spy thriller.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/06/jimmy-sangsters-touchfeather.html

#vintagethrillers #vintagethriller #spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #spythriller spythrillers #JimmySangster

The Dragon’s Eye is a 1969 spy novel by Scott C.S. Stone. A reporter is forced to aid the defection of a high Chinese official. Makes good use of exotic settings. Captures the severely paranoid flavour of the Cold War. A good pulp spy thriller.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/05/scott-cs-stones-dragons-eye.html

#vintagethrillers #vintagethriller #spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #spythriller spythrillers

Desmond Cory’s Trieste, published in 1954, a Johnny Fedora spy thriller. Johnny's girlfriend, a freelance spy captured by the Soviets, is part of an exchange of captured spies. A good solid tough Cold War spy thriller with some nice twists and a femme fatale.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/05/desmond-corys-trieste-aka-intrigue.html

#vintagethrillers #vintagethriller #spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #spythriller spythrillers #DesmondCory #JohnnyFedora

James Eastwood’s Seduce and Destroy, from 1968. His Anna Zordan sexy spy thrillers have a bit more depth than you expect from that sub-genre. Anna is ruthless but by no means an infallible unstoppable killing machine. Clever plot. Enjoyable.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/03/james-eastwoods-seduce-and-destroy.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers #AnnaZordan

Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent from 1907 is an important milestone in the development of the spy novel. It's the beginning of the pessimistic, sordid, cynical school of spy fiction. A study in the psychology of espionage, and of betrayal.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2019/10/joseph-conrads-secret-agent.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers #JosephConrad

Don Smith’s 1971 spy novel Secret Mission: Tibet concerns a businessman doing a spy job for NASA. There are missing American and Soviet satellites and a Chinese super-laser. Good suspense and action, sexual tension and paranoia. Fine stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/03/don-smiths-secret-mission-tibet.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers

Thea von Harbou's Spies (original German title Spione) is a 1929 spy novel and the basis of her husband Fritz Lang's movie. With moral ambiguity and sex, unusual for a 1929 spy novel. A story of espionage and a story of love. Extremely good.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/02/thea-von-harbous-spies-spione.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers #TheavonHarbou #FritzLang

The Bloody Medallion, Richard Telfair’s first Monty Nash spy novel, from 1959. Monty's pal Paul is dead. He was a double agent and Monty is under suspicion too. He has a dangerous sexy possibly treacherous woman to worry about. Good stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/02/richard-telfairs-bloody-medallion.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spythriller #spythrillers

David Lewis’s 1976 spy novel The Omega Assignment concerns a photojournalist/freelance secret agent. Starts with the sinking of a luxury yacht which was a floating sin and pleasure place. Has a memorably perverse villain. Lots of action. Fun.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/01/david-lewiss-omega-assignment.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers

Peter O’Donnell’s A Taste for Death (1969), a Modesty Blaise novel. With a murdered archaeologist and a kidnapped girl with an odd talent. The Modesty Blaise comics are excellent but the novels have more depth and are more daring. Great stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2024/01/peter-odonnells-modesty-blaise-taste.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #PeterODonnell #ModestyBlaise #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers

Edward S. Aarons' Assignment: Karachi, a fine 1962 Sam Durell spy novel. A wealthy socialite is leading an expedition to the Himalayas to find Alexander the Great's legendary crown. For its own reasons the CIA assigns Sam to be her bodyguard.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2021/03/edward-s-aarons-assignment-karachi.html

#spies #spynovel #spies #spynovels #EdwardSAarons #SamDurell

The Gargoyle Conspiracy is a 1975 spy thriller about terrorists by Marvin H. Albert. Has a bit of a Frederick Forsyth vibe - the same emphasis on meticulous research and creating a very detailed realistic background. Good stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/12/marvin-h-alberts-gargoyle-conspiracy.html

#thriller #spies #spythriller #spythrillers #spynovel #spynovels #FrederickForsyth #MarvinHAlbert

Mr Moto Is So Sorry (1938), the fourth of John P. Marquand’s spy novels featuring Japanese superspy Mr Moto. A young American woman has a cigarette case and people will kill to get it. Mr Moto knows its significance. A top-notch spy novel.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/11/john-p-marquands-mr-moto-is-so-sorry.html

#JohnPMarquand #MrMoto #spies #spythriller #spythrillers #spynovel #spynovels #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers

Bloody Sunrise from 1965, second of Mickey Spillane’s Tiger Mann spy novels. Tiger works for a private spy agency. He doesn't have to play by the rules. This tale involves a defector and a woman who isn't who she appears to be. Good stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/09/mickey-spillanes-bloody-sunrise.html

#spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #MickeySpillane #TigerMann #pulpfiction

The Chinese Visitor (1965), James Eastwood’s first Anna Zordan spy novel. It belongs to the sexy lady spy sub-genre. Anna is an expert seductress which is useful although she can certainly handle herself in other situations. Good fun.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/08/james-eastwoods-chinese-visitor.html

#pulpfiction #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spythriller #spythrillers #ladyspies #AnnaZordan

Kenneth Royce’s 1970 spy novel The XYY Man is about a cat burglar recruited as a spy but with an interesting psychiatric twist. He can't help being a thief. Gritty, action-packed with a serious edge and highly entertaining. Highly recommended.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/08/kenneth-royces-xyy-man.html

#spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #KennethRoyce #spythriller #spythrillers

Kenneth Royce’s 1970 spy novel The XYY Man is about a cat burglar recruited as a spy but with an interesting psychiatric twist. He can't help being a thief. Gritty, action-packed with a serious edge and highly entertaining. Highly recommended.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/08/kenneth-royces-xyy-man.html

#spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #KennethRoyce #spythriller #spythrillers

Kenneth Royce’s 1970 spy novel The XYY Man is about a cat burglar recruited as a spy but with an interesting psychiatric twist. He can't help being a thief. Gritty, action-packed with a serious edge and highly entertaining. Highly recommended.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/08/kenneth-royces-xyy-man.html

#spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #KennethRoyce #spythriller #spythrillers

Kenneth Royce’s 1970 spy novel The XYY Man is about a cat burglar recruited as a spy but with an interesting psychiatric twist. He can't help being a thief. Gritty, action-packed with a serious edge and highly entertaining. Highly recommended.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/08/kenneth-royces-xyy-man.html

#spies #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels #KennethRoyce #spythriller #spythrillers

I, Lucifer (1967), the third of Peter O’Donnell’s superb Modesty Blaise novels. Modesty finds herself up against Lucifer, a disturbed young man with unusual powers. He thinks he is Lucifer. The novel is clever, witty and great fun.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/06/peter-odonnells-i-lucifer-modesty.html

#spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #PeterODonnell #ModestyBlaise

E. Howard Hunt, Watergate conspirator and CIA agent, wrote many excellent hardboiled crime and spy novels. As David St John he wrote Diabolus in 1971. A hugely enjoyable lurid occult/spy thriller featuring drugs, satanic cults and sex orgies.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/05/e-howard-hunts-diabolus.html

#spynovel #spynovels #spies #spyfiction #occultthriller #occultthrillers #EHowardHunt #pulpfiction

Mickey Spillane’s 1967 spy thriller The Delta Factor. A thief is forced to do a job for the government, breaking a scientist out of an impregnable 17th century fortress. He also wants revenge. Fun, and more lighthearted than his Hammer books.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/04/mickey-spillanes-delta-factor.html

#spynovel #spynovels #spies #spyfiction #MickeySpillane #vintagethriller #vintagethrillers

🎨 Robert McGinnis
🎵 Sparks

#ModestyBlaise #RobertMcGinnis #Sparks #ModestyPlays #MonicaVitti #PeterODonnell #SpyNovels #Illustration #VintagePaperbacks #Bookstodon

https://youtu.be/fgrqKODhGX0

Hammerhead (AKA Shockwave), a violent action-packed 1963 Johnny Fedora spy thriller by Desmond Cory. Fedora, a ruthless British spy with a licence to kill, was created in 1951, a year before Bond.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/04/desmond-corys-hammerhead.html

#vintagethriller #vintagethrillers #spies #spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #DesmondCory #JohnnyFedora

Dead Duck is an original 1966 novel inspired by the TV series The Avengers. It was credited to Patrick Macnee but was written by Peter Leslie. People keep dying and they've all eaten duck. An engagingly offbeat story with a fine crazy finale.

My review: https://cult-tv-lounge.blogspot.com/2023/04/patrick-macnees-dead-duck-avengers-tie.html

#culttv #retrotv #vintagetv #spytv #spies #TheAvengers #PatrickMacnee #tvtieinnovels #spyfiction #spynovel #spynovels

A.S. Fleischman's 1953 spy thriller Danger in Paradise. An American in Bali is handed a package by a girl. She is killed, except that that's not possible.

Excitement, intrigue, dangerous sexy women, romance and a very solid plot. Great stuff.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/03/as-fleischmans-danger-in-paradise.html

#spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spies #thrillers #vintage thrillers #ASFleischman #spythriller #spythrillers

John Flagg's spy novel The Lady and the Cheetah (1951). A reporter finds himself suddenly famous, and is offered a job by a countess, to retrieve some letters. The job is not so simple.

A clever plot, the ending is good and there is indeed a cheetah. Her name is Iris and she plays an important role in the story.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/02/john-flaggs-lady-and-cheetah.html

#spynovel #spynovels #spyfiction #spies #thrillers #vintage thrillers #JohnFlagg

John Flagg's Death and the Naked Lady is a 1951 spy novel starts when the hero finds the jade owls in his luggage. They're not his and they're going to lead to trouble. Plus there are three femmes fatales to deal with.

Fast-paced and enjoyable with a nicely devious plot.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/02/john-flaggs-death-and-naked-lady.html

#JohnFlagg #Spies #spynovels #spynovel #spyfiction #vintagethrillers #thrillers

Tong in Cheek (1973), 2nd of Gardner Francis Fox’s Cherry Delight sexy spy thrillers written under the name Glen Chase.

Cherry is a secret agent working for N.Y.M.P.H.O., a shadowy top-secret US government agency.

This time she is up against an alliance between the Mafia and Chinese tongs.

If spy sleaze is your thing you’ll enjoy it.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/01/tong-in-cheek-cherry-delight-2.html

#spynovels #spynovel #Spies #spyfiction #vintagesleaze #sleazefiction #GardnerFrancisFox #spythriller #spythrillers

Assignment Helene (1959), an excellent Sam Durell spy novel written by Edward S. Aarons.

Durell ends up in the jungle on the track of gun-runners with two beautiful women, both decidedly untrustworthy, an equally untrustworthy US diplomat and a broken-down American ex-CIA agent.

There's a good mystery here, and there's action.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2023/01/edward-s-aarons-assignment-helene.html

#pulpfiction #spies #spythrillers #spythriller #spynovel #spynovels #thrillers #vintagethrillers #EdwardSAarons #SamDurell

my best 2022 spy reads

F. Van Wyck Mason’s The Shanghai Bund Murders (1933)
https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2022/08/f-van-wyck-masons-shanghai-bund-murders.html

Peter O’Donnell's Sabre-Tooth (Modesty Blaise 2, 1966)
https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2022/12/peter-odonnells-sabre-tooth-modesty.html

Ian Fleming's The Spy Who Loved Me (1962) which many hate but I liked a lot
https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2022/04/ian-flemings-spy-who-loved-me.html

John Flagg's The Persian Cat (1950)
https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2022/10/john-flaggs-persian-cat.html

#spies #spyfiction #spynovels #PeterODonnell #IanFleming #JohnFlagg #VanWyckMason #FVanWyckMason #thrillers #vintagethrillers

The Looking Glass War (1965) is for my money John le Carré’s best spy novel. It's certainly his most entertaining.

This is the British Secret Service as it really was - bumbling amateurs still living on past glories. George Smiley is a professional and he has to try to clear up the mess.

Plenty of dark mordant humour and an air of pessimism and defeat.

My review: https://vintagepopfictions.blogspot.com/2016/08/john-le-carres-looking-glass-war.html

#JohnleCarre #spynovels #spyfiction #spies #thrillers #vintagethrillers #Georgesmiley