9 Books About Spies That James Bond Fans Will Love

Since his creation in 1953, Agent 007 has been the star of a long list of books, films, and comics. If you're a James Bond fan looking to branch out into other areas of the spy & secret agent genre, you're in luck! There are plenty of talented authors out there who write thrilling novels about conspiracies and espionage. We've compiled a list of nine spy books that will keep you on the edge of your seat. When you click links from this website, we may receive advertising revenue to support our research. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

9 Books About Spies That James Bond Fans Will Love

Title Author More by the Author
1. Spymaster Brad Thor The Lions of Lucerne Path of the Assassin
2. Eye of the Needle Ken Follett Hornet Flight Fall of Giants
3. The 14th Colony Steve Berry The Lost Order The Templar Legacy
4. The Detachment Barry Eisler A Clean Kill in Tokyo A Lonely Resurrection
5. Vanished Joseph Finder Buried Secrets Guilty Minds
6. The Other Woman Daniel Silva The Kill Artist The English Assassin
7. Isle Of Joy Don Winslow The Power of the Dog The Force
8. The Eleventh Commandment Jeffrey Archer A Prisoner of Birth As the Crow Flies
9. The Charm School Nelson DeMille The Cuban Affair The Talbot Odyssey

James Bond Actors

Everyone has a favorite, so we won't rank them for you here. In chronological order, these are the men who have embodied Agent 007 on the big screen:

Spy Gadgets in the Cold War

James Bond Authors

Over the years, many writers have penned memorable Bond stories. Here are five writers who have written books about the iconic character.

  1. Ian Fleming: Creator of James Bond
  2. Kingsley Amis: Continued the series after Fleming's death
  3. Raymond Benson: Theatre composer and Bond aficionado
  4. John Gardner: Ex-Royal Marine commando
  5. Jeffery Deaver: Updated Bond for the post-9/11 era

In Depth

James Bond is an iconic figure in the thriller and mystery genre. This character is well-loved by fans because of his cool image and heart-pounding adventures. But this 1962 spy series is not the only one out there. There are other incredible books about spies and secret agents that will satisfy your inner thrill-seeker. In no particular order, here is our list of nine.

#1 on the list is "Spymaster" by Brad Thor. This is the eighteenth book about the adventures of Thor's well-loved protagonist, Scot Harvath. The main character's mission in this story is to stop Russia from dragging the USA into a war. Aside from creating a thrilling plot, the author also does a great job at depicting character development. Readers can witness the hero's personal growth as they follow him on his journey.

#2, "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follet. Henry Faber is a Nazi spy who is famous for killing enemies using stilettos, and for having the alias, "The Needle." He is tasked with finding information about the Normandy landing. However, as he tries to complete his mission, he meets Lucy, a young English woman standing between the Nazis and their victory. Like James Bond, "Eye of the Needle" had a film adaptation in 1981.

He is tasked with finding information about the Normandy landing.

#3 on the list is "The 14th Colony" by Steve Berry. This book is about the struggle of Cotton Malone, a former agent of the United States Justice Department, as he tries to stop Aleksandr Zorin, a Soviet Union loyalist who aims to bring about chaos in the country by killing off both the president and the vice-president at the same time. The Russian's destabilization plot, fueled by his disdain for America, involves a powerful weapon, long forgotten by history, and a secret hidden in the Society of Cincinnati's archives, which involves plans to colonize Canada.

Coming in at #4 is "The Detachment" by Barry Eisler. John Rain, an assassin, is commissioned by Colonel Horton from black ops to dispatch three prominent individuals. Even with his formidable skill set, Rain believes that his targets are going to be hard to get to, so he recruits three men to help him. Together, he and his team face off against tough security agents and impossible obstacles in order to tick victims off their hit list. Fans of James Bond will definitely be impressed with John Rain and his action-packed story.

#5 is "Vanished" by Joseph Finder. When Roger, Lauren Heller's husband, suddenly disappears, she enlists the help of his brother, Nick Heller, a skilled investigator. Using his ability to uncover even the most hidden conspiracies, he embarks on a search to find his brother, leading him to discover various details about Roger's life that had been kept hidden. The suspense and twists make this an absolute page-turner for readers who love mystery.

When Roger, Lauren Heller's husband, suddenly disappears, she enlists the help of his brother, Nick Heller, a skilled investigator.

#6, "The Other Woman" by Daniel Silva. This is the eighteenth book of the Gabriel Allon series. Allon and his team are dispatched to Russia to rendezvous with a defecting Soviet spy. However, they fail to do so since their target is assassinated before they can get to him. It turns out that they have a traitor in their midst, who compromised their operation.

He and his team start to hunt for the mole, leading them to clash against the Soviet Union itself. They also meet the titular woman, who becomes pivotal to the story because of who she is, and what she knows. Packed with action and thrills, this book will be more than enough to satisfy fans of the espionage genre.

#7 on the list is "Isle of Joy" by Don Winslow. Walter Withers is a former CIA agent who decides to retire and live out a simpler, more peaceful existence. However, he is sent back into the field when he is tasked to act as bodyguard for Senator Keneally's girlfriend at a gathering.

Walter Withers is a former CIA agent who decides to retire and live out a simpler, more peaceful existence.

Despite his best efforts, the senator's girlfriend ends up dead, and Withers becomes a suspect. Using his skills and experience, he works to clear his name, taking on people from the FBI and the CIA.

#8 is "Eleventh Commandment" by Jeffrey Archer. This is the story of Connor Fitzgerald, a CIA agent who is about to retire in peace. But before he gets a chance to do so, he comes face-to-face with his former mentor, Helen Dexter, whose position has suddenly become dependent on taking Connor down. The veteran becomes embroiled in a conflict that he cannot fail, where his very life and the fate of the world are at stake.

#9 on the list is "The Charm School" by Nelson DeMille. An American tourist crosses paths with an escaped prisoner-of-war, from whom he learns about a secret operation called "The Charm School." Inside, KGB agents are being taught to blend in with American society, in an attempt to fully infiltrate it from within. The CIA begins a thorough investigation in order to try and stop the impending threat.