Anonymous
11/11/2022 19:45
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Olen Steinhauer is coming up on my reading lists. Haven’t tried him yet but curious if anyone has thoughts.
Also, I enjoyed the Power Couple by Alex Berenson, which has an interesting look at a DC couple spy marriage. But I can’t recommend the author anymore, as he is a Covid vaccine denier. Please do not give him a platform for misinformation
Also, I enjoyed the Power Couple by Alex Berenson, which has an interesting look at a DC couple spy marriage. But I can’t recommend the author anymore, as he is a Covid vaccine denier. Please do not give him a platform for misinformation
Anonymous
11/04/2022 16:19
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Alias Emma by Ava Glass
Female spy in London and Russian threat
I thought I would love this book, but for me it felt like non-stop logistics (the details of getting from Point A to Point B) rather than character development or even much of a mystery about why things were happening.
Did I miss something? (I ended up quitting about halfway through.)
Anonymous
11/04/2022 12:21
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Alias Emma by Ava Glass
Female spy in London and Russian threat
Female spy in London and Russian threat
Anonymous
11/03/2022 20:17
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
+1 Mick Herron series
Anonymous
11/03/2022 19:24
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
State of Terror, by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton. It’s a geopolitical thriller, with a modern Middle East plot. But unlike the James Patterson/Bill Clinton books that have big explosions and fight scenes, this one is more character driven and has these wonderful scenes describing being the only woman in the room in geopolitical diplomatic situations and managing male egos.
Anonymous
11/03/2022 07:01
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good contemporary spy novel? Nothing set during the Cold War or WWII. I'm more interested in novels involving contemporary Russia, China, or the Middle East.
I've recently liked Damascus Station, by David McClosky, and Red Cell, by Mark Henshaw. Also loved the Red Sparrow trilogy awhile back. (Haven't seen the movie but heard it wasn't nearly as good as the book.)
Any other ideas? Thanks!
The first 2 Red Sparrow books were great - the last, not so much. And the movie was absolutely horrible if you read the book first.
Anonymous
11/03/2022 06:59
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good contemporary spy novel? Nothing set during the Cold War or WWII. I'm more interested in novels involving contemporary Russia, China, or the Middle East.
I've recently liked Damascus Station, by David McClosky, and Red Cell, by Mark Henshaw. Also loved the Red Sparrow trilogy awhile back. (Haven't seen the movie but heard it wasn't nearly as good as the book.)
Any other ideas? Thanks!
Philip Kerr and the Bernie Gunthe series. Sadly Kerr passed away a few years ago.
Trilogy "March Violets" set in 1936.
While the Bernie Gunther series is really, really good, it's not contemporary - it takes place before, during and after WWII.
For that era, I love the Allen Furst books, too.
Anonymous
10/28/2022 10:41
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good contemporary spy novel? Nothing set during the Cold War or WWII. I'm more interested in novels involving contemporary Russia, China, or the Middle East.
I've recently liked Damascus Station, by David McClosky, and Red Cell, by Mark Henshaw. Also loved the Red Sparrow trilogy awhile back. (Haven't seen the movie but heard it wasn't nearly as good as the book.)
Any other ideas? Thanks!
Philip Kerr and the Bernie Gunthe series. Sadly Kerr passed away a few years ago.
Trilogy "March Violets" set in 1936.
Anonymous
10/27/2022 23:38
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Red Widow by Alma Katsu An exhilarating spy thriller written by an intelligence veteran about two women CIA agents whose paths become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division--one that's coming from inside the agency.
OP here. YES! I really liked Red Widow, too.
Anonymous
10/27/2022 21:07
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
For slapstick, comedic thrillers, Lee Goldberg’s Ian Ludlow thrillers. Killer Thriller (Chinese spying) and Fake Truth (Russian misinformation)
Anonymous
10/27/2022 21:01
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Love this thread and can’t stop updating.
David Ignatius, Quantum Spy and The Director were quite good - he’s a WashPost journalist and I get the sense he includes gossip that he can’t properly source. Couldn’t get into Palladin.
Nonfiction but reads like a spy novel - The Lazarus Heist, by Jean Lee and Geoff White. It is about the North Korean bitcoin hacks. Also a great BBC podcast
David Ignatius, Quantum Spy and The Director were quite good - he’s a WashPost journalist and I get the sense he includes gossip that he can’t properly source. Couldn’t get into Palladin.
Nonfiction but reads like a spy novel - The Lazarus Heist, by Jean Lee and Geoff White. It is about the North Korean bitcoin hacks. Also a great BBC podcast
Anonymous
10/27/2022 20:51
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Anonymous wrote:Also, Kathy Wang, Imposter - this is more of a Silicon Valley feminist novel (think Sheryl Sandburg as Russian spy). I also like Kathy Wang’s fashion blog and Hermes bag collection, lol.
The title is Imposter Syndrome, by Kathy Wang
Anonymous
10/27/2022 20:49
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Also, Kathy Wang, Imposter - this is more of a Silicon Valley feminist novel (think Sheryl Sandburg as Russian spy). I also like Kathy Wang’s fashion blog and Hermes bag collection, lol.
Anonymous
10/27/2022 20:44
Subject: Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
For China: Adam Brookes is excellent. Night Heron, Spy Games, and the Spy’s Daughter. Plus, the author is a Brit, but lives in Takoma Park, so lots of DC references.
Oliver Harris, A Shadow Intellligence has great cyber tradecraft.
Chris Pavone, for a more pop-spy thriller with female middle aged moms juggling family and work ambition.
I would love to find more female writers in this genre!
Oliver Harris, A Shadow Intellligence has great cyber tradecraft.
Chris Pavone, for a more pop-spy thriller with female middle aged moms juggling family and work ambition.
I would love to find more female writers in this genre!
Anonymous
10/26/2022 13:26
Subject: Re:Recommend a Good Contemporary Spy Novel
Red Widow by Alma Katsu An exhilarating spy thriller written by an intelligence veteran about two women CIA agents whose paths become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division--one that's coming from inside the agency.