002 Charlie Muffin by Brian Freemantle
Blue collar, Hushpuppied, Charlie Muffin has made fools of the Russian, Chinese,
American, and his own British, espionage service. With the collapse of the Soviet
Union Charlie’s been working with the Russians to combat the possibility
of terrorists or rogue states acquiring weapons grade nuclear material from
underpaid scientists, soldiers, or those with access.
003 Bernie Samson by Len Deighton
The Bernie Samson series ran to ten books. Winter, is a back-story to the whole
of the network that Bernie works with. It can be read first or in the middle
where it falls naturally. The other nine cover the most important case of Bernie’s
up and down career. Espionage ploy and counter ploy at its best.
004 Various by Joseph Kanon
Sent his first spy to Los Alamos to solve a murder. His second book takes place
from the 50’s forward dealing with the Red scare and its aftermath. His
latest, is The Good German and takes us into Berlin just as the war is ending.
005 Simon Bognor by Tim Heald
Often undercover and advertised now and then as a spy; Simon Bognor, working
for the Board of Trade, has done some spying but comes across more as an undercover
policeman. The reason being, he often catches his own countrymen in the wrong
rather than some foreign enemy. It’s Heald’s (not his real name) way
of poking fun at English eccentricity.
006 Various by John Altman
Two World War Two stories, two beautiful women, intrigue, action, espionage
Altman is starting to make a name for himself. His newest, A Game of Spies,
has a British agent recruit a woman to penetrate the German system only to have
them turn her back on the British.
007 Bond, James Bond by Raymond Benson - John Gardner - Ian Fleming
Of course, his cover’s blown; but James Bond in his various forms and by
various hands remains a quick enjoyable read. The early Fleming’s are pretty
good spy stories, sticking close to reality. Read the books, they’ve got
more depth to them than the movies.
If you want to go deep under cover try finding Bond in Colonel Sun by Robert
Markham (actually, Kingsley Amis)
Classified - Need to know only - (008 The Cooler by George Markstein)
Partial premise for the TV series The Prisoner, this is one of the best kept
secrets of spy stories out there. What happens to spies when something goes
wrong?)
Other agents to consider
George Smiley - John LeCarre
Quiller - Adam Hall
Paul Christopher - Charles McCarry