“If you get away with something for long enough, you start to think you’re too clever to be caught.”
For most of us, spy novels are the closest we’re going to get to living a James Bond-esque lifestyle. Stories filled with secrets, lies, conspiracies, intrigue and undercover plots, fictional espionage deals with high-stakes scenarios and adrenaline-pumping bursts of action that never fail to keep a reader entertained. Which is we here at What We Reading have decided to pay homage to all things shaken not stirred with our favourite modern spy novels from 2023. Whilst we have all the time in the world for the classics, these releases are all grounded in the contemporary world, with our heroes tackling threats and challenges that are relatable to all of us. From the personal to the political, check out these gripping 2023 spy books!
The Secret Hours – Mick Herron
First in the firing line of our list of gripping modern spy novels from 2023 is Mick Herron’s The Secret Hours. Two years ago, a hostile Prime Minister launched the Monochrome Inquiry, an investigation into ‘historical over-reaching’ by the British Secret Service. Monochrome’s mission was to weed out any hint of misconduct by any MI5 officer and gave Griselda Fleet and Malcolm Kyle, two civil servants, access to all confidential information in the Service archives.
But MI5’s First Desk has thwarted the investigation at every turn so far. When the administration that launched Monochrome is ousted and the investigation is shuttered, it looks as though Griselda and Malcolm’s career prospects are finished. Until an MI5 case file appears without explanation, documenting a classified operation in Berlin in 1994. An operation that ended in tragedy and scandal, whose cover-up has re-written thirty years of Service history.
A Spy Alone – Charles Beaumont
Everyone knows about the Cambridge Spies from the fifties, identified and ousted after leaking national secrets to the Soviets for years. Yet, no spy ring was ever uncovered in Oxford. Was that because there wasn’t one? Or because it was never found?
Former spy Simon Sharman is carving out an existence in the private sector when a commission to delve into the financial dealings of a mysterious Russian oligarch lands on his desk. But, as his investigation gets underway, he begins to discover more and more unsettling patterns. Trips to Oxford without explanation, payments into an offshore account suddenly stop. Is he being paranoid? Or has he stumbled upon the impossible, a Russian spy ring in the heart of the British Establishment? Charles Beaumont’s 2023 spy novel A Spy Alone is a gripping international thriller that paints a portrait of cynical populism in the modern world.
Kennedy 35 (Box 88 #3) – Charles Cumming
In the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, twenty-four-year-old spy Lachlan Kite and his girlfriend, Martha Raine, are sent to Senegal on the trail of a wanted war criminal. Their mission soon spirals out of control, however, which leads Lachlan into a series of impossible choices. Choices that will not only have devastating consequences on his career at the secret intelligence agency BOX 8 but also on his relationship with Martha.
Fast forward to 2023 and Eric Appiah, an old friend of Lachlan an off-the-record BOX 88 asset, uncovers explosive information about what happened in West Africa back in 1995. When tragedy threatens to strike again, Lachlan must use all of the resources at his disposal to protect Martha from an international clandestine network with links to global terrorism. One of the best spy books from 2023, Charles Cumming’s Kennedy 35 is a high-tension thriller that straddles two timelines.
The Traitor (Alias Emma #2) – Ava Glass
An MI6 operative is found dead, locked inside a suitcase in his own apartment. No fingerprints are found on the scene. Emma Makepeace and her handler, Ripley, know an assassination when they see one, and the nature of the murder can mean only one thing: someone wants to send a message.
As she begins investigating the death, Emma soon learns that the spy had been investigating two Russian oligarchs based in London. He had been obsessed with the idea that the two men had been receiving assistance from a third individual, whose identity he was yet to uncover. But, when he had shared his findings with MI6, the response had been swift: drop the investigation. Emma is forced to go undercover on one of the oligarch’s million-dollar yachts to pick up where the spy left off, without ending up in a suitcase herself. If her identity is discovered, she will have signed her death sentence. Ava Glass delivers one of the most adrenaline-pumping modern spy novels in her 2023 book, The Traitor, the second entry in her Alias Emma series.
Beirut Station – Cary Reed
Nava Sarsi, one of Iran’s most skilled intelligence officers, has been given a sensitive assignment – to work with one of the Lebanese Hezbollah. As Nara begins her investigation into the disappearance of a Hezbollah commander and tries to recover missing funds, she discovers that hardline blocs inside Iran are pushing for a resumption of conflict in Lebanon and escalation with the United States.
With the assistance of a handful of American-born mercenaries, Nava must find a way of rescuing a hostage and preventing a war from breaking out. But, when things take a deadly turn, she finds herself as the chief suspect for her boss’ murder. Attempting to clear her name and find justice, Cary Reed’s Beirut Station is a gripping modern spy novel that promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Peacock And The Sparrow – I.S. Berry
Shane Collins is a world-weary CIA operative who is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain for his final tour, he’s keen to put his investigation into Iranian support for toppling the local monarchy to bed. But then he meets Almaisa, a beautiful and enigmatic artist, and instantly finds his eyes open to a Bahrain most never see, and to questions he never thought to ask.
When his trusted informant becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself being drawn deeper into the conflict. His blossoming romance with Almaisa, and his loyalties, are thrown in the air and he is soon caught in the eye of a storm in the form of a growing revolution. Leaning on all of his skills as a spymaster, he sets out to learn the truth behind the Arab Spring, win Almaisa’s heart and uncover the sketchy border where Bahrain’s secrets end, and the United States begin.
Chameleon (Black Box Ops #1) – Remi Adeleke
When a mysterious former South African commando begins taking wealthy hostages across the world, it appears to be a typical hostage gambit. But, it soon becomes clear that Lucan Van Groot is not only making a fortune with his ‘Hostage Inc.’ venture but is also manipulating global stock markets and causing panic from Wall Street to the Federal Reserve, which is where Black Box, the CIA’s most skilled and secretive special operations branch, step in.
Kali Kent, a Nigerian-born and Brosuperstarr star in the Black Box program leads the charge in search of Van Groot and his clandestine network of international criminals. However, he soon learns that the South African mastermind is after a much bigger prize. To stop Van Groot and prevent a worldwide disaster, Kali will have to confront the demons from his childhood and face what led him to become a Chameleon with Black Box in the first place. One of the best modern spy books from 2023, Remi Adeleke introduces his Black Box Ops series with Chameleon.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
