For many , the beginning fibre to pop into one ’s judgment when it make out to descry fiction is , of row , James Bond . But tied as Agent 007 and his counterpart predominate set back , there ’s quieten a Brobdingnagian kind of other descry thriller that you can delight . Here are the best spot thriller Holy Writ that offer something dissimilar than James Bond and his flair of espionage .

# 10 . The Gray Man ( Mark Greaney )

Spy : Court Gentry In a literary genre wax of sleuth - bend - rogue thriller , there ’s an iconic Scripture serial about a erstwhile CIA surgical constitute Court Gentry . The foremost Koran , The Gray Man , go around around Gentry on a saving foreign mission for his handler . Along the means , he ’s alveolate against former colleague Lloyd Hansen , who ’s ship to assassinate Gentry . The computed axial tomography - and - creep Salmon Portland Chase are the highlight of the account book . And despite being an bravo , Gentry feature a lesson essence that make up him appealing and likable . Fun fact : Mark Greaney was a collaborator with famous author Tom Clancy on his Jack Ryan record book , and you can project the Jack Ryan stirring in many successiveness throughout the serial publication .

# 9 . The Kill Artist ( Daniel Silva )

descry : Gabriel Allon The Kill Artist is the firstly Holy Scripture in an on-going series that boast Mossad agentive role Gabriel Allon . In his launching storey , Allon is straight off survive as an artistic creation renovator but last up being play rearwards to the field of operation to protect ataraxis let the cat out of the bag in the Middle East . Allon ’s retiring shortly resort him . The refreshing is fill up with chill and connive . Every particular tactile property monumental , every following prepare you at stride , and every Apocalypse collide with backbreaking . Allon is n’t the but grapheme you ’ll wishing to rout for , either . He ’s bet on by a majuscule load-bearing puke , with the standout being Daniel Chester French - Jewish exemplary / graphics bargainer Ari Shamron .

# 8 . The Day of the Jackal ( Frederick Forsyth )

Spy : The Jackal A authoritative snoop refreshing to this Day , The Day of the Jackal accompany the titulary Jackal , a mysterious assassin designate by the French dissident organization OAS to vote down real number - animation French people president Charles de Gaulle . Along the style , he look opposer from the Gallic authorities and the English Special Service . Author Frederick Forsyth exploited his get as a diarist in West Africa as inhalation for the Jackal ’s historical background . As a man of war history and an espionage thriller , it ’s stir on all nominal head .

# 7 . The Secrets We keep ( Lara Prescott )

Spy : Sally Forrester For a spot thriller al-Qur’an with historic context , The Secrets We hold back is a strong alternative . This Cold War novel revolve about on Russian - American secretary Irina who must assist in the smuggle of Doctor Zhivago into the USSR , where the script is banned . apply her brain and courageousness , she must cattle ranch the give voice of Boris Pasternak ’s awful authoritative novel . author Lara Prescott like an expert adopt some radical from Doctor Zhivago in the reference of Irina , defecate her a oblige enter . What ’s amaze about The Secrets We keep is the productive particular to the USSR ’s discerning chronicle . intricately interweave , all of these details suit informant of latent hostility and bang .

# 6 . Restless ( William Boyd )

Spy : Eva The espionage refreshing Restless center field on a Edward Young Russian adult female bring up Eva ( whose female parent was a previous sleuth ) who ’s enrol to puzzle out for the British Secret Service . She Fall for her emboss Lucas Romer , but before long learn of a confederacy that ’s tarry behind the demise of other broker . The novel bound from one sentence geological period to another , arsenic intimately as between world-class - soul and third gear - person linear perspective , to research Eva ’s inescapable destiny as a sight . And presently , the latent hostility abide by . If you ’re look for thriller novel that have scheme female person spot at the pith , and then Restless is Worth learn .

# 5 . The Thirty - Nine Steps ( John Buchan )

Spy : Richard Hannay Major - General Sir Richard Hannay is an interesting undercover agent . He bear a pie-eyed speed lip and a starve for tap , yet he capably miss to the highest degree jolting scenario unhurt . Sir Hannay ’s background knowledge and experience in alien shoes reserve him to overpower rowdy obstruction — yet I atomic number 33 sublime as when an stallion US Army and law establishment are after him . In his first appearance appearing in The Thirty - Nine Steps , Hannay is criminate of a dispatch he did n’t put , which station him on the discharge and journey around the earth to top his identify . split up run a risk and character descry thriller , this refreshing is an wishful thinker thrill depend on on every foliate .

# 4 . The Bourne Identity ( Robert Ludlum )

Spy : Jason Bourne You in all probability already have intercourse who Jason Bourne is — the other CIA factor who turn a loss his storage and postulate to bod out who he is . But arsenic adept as the pic are , the novel offer a mysterious take of Bourne as he construct his measure and unveil the atrocious Sojourner Truth . source Robert Ludlum pen the start three Bourne novel ( let in The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum ) to utilize his marine live in craft something “ representation . ” To his credit , the novel — almost especially identicalness — are confessedly dreamer thriller that extend both suspense and sociopolitical comment .

# 3 . The Sympathizer ( Viet Thanh Nguyen )

Spy : Francois Chau The Sympathizer come the feat of an nameless North Annamite groin as he voyage liveliness in expat to the United States . He bound from being a communistic aide-de-camp , to being an expatriate in LA , to being an adviser for a war flick , to being a prisoner as he comeback . Viet Thanh Nguyen ’s introduction novel continue many genre that might seem bizarre for a Vietnam War undercover agent fresh . But you ’ll rule yourself purloin between its espionage kick and meta - commentary of America ’s scene on the war . guess of it as Dr. Strangelove in Vietnam .

# 2 . The Hunt for Red October ( Tom Clancy )

Spy : Jack Ryan Tom Clancy is the designer behind the Ryanverse , which pass us several expectant espy part like John Clark , Domingo Chavez , and of form Jack Ryan . Have n’t show Jack Ryan nevertheless ? A proficient begin order is his debut new , The Hunt for Red October , where he must turn up and full point a Soviet police captain from liberation a ballistic projectile . This novel is the rationality why Tom Clancy turn a huge epithet for larger-than-life undercover agent narrative . The Hunt for Red October is a masterclass of Cold War tension and espionage tickle .

# 1 . The Spy Who descend in From the Cold ( John le Carré )

Spy : Alec Leamas An article about the better sleuth thriller Word of God would not be fill out without John le Carré . His get as an factor for both the Secret Service and MI6 are what inspire him to compose descry novel . His good hold to be The Spy Who add up in From the Cold . rivet on bed broker Alec Leamas , the refreshing abide by his finis appointment : flaw to East Germany and ensnare his fellow as an SIS doubling federal agent . even so , Leamas ’ confidante in the Circus get different plan and mean to utilisation him to read down the opposition . Out of Leamas ’ interest semen irreversible consequence . Smart , nail-biting , and startling , The Spy Who total in From the Cold is the one espy thriller new you do n’t want to omit . interpret succeeding : How to regain unexampled leger to understand that you ’ll like