Ten Spy Reads & Podcasts to Explore

Looking for your next spy read or podcast? Your mission (yes, you’ll want to accept), is to check out the following:

Defectors

What if your only brother turned out to be a KGB spy and defected to the Soviet Union? What if, years later, he asked you to come visit him in Moscow to help him edit his memoirs? That’s the question posed in this edge-of-your-seat novel by Joseph Kanon. If you’re a Cold War and/or espionage history buff, keep an eye out for multiple members of the illustrious Cambridge Five to make a cameo. (Like the Author? See Leaving Berlin as well as Istanbul Passage)

The 14th Colony

A flaw in the Constitution and an ex-KGB officer threaten to derail the inauguration of both incoming president and vice-president in this page-turner by Steve Berry. Full of history from past plans to make Canada part of the U.S. to a meeting between Reagan and Pope John Paul II, this book never fails to keep the reader entertained. (Like the Author? See The Patriot Threat as well as The Lost Order)

Moonraker

Still trying to forget the 1979 movie starring Roger Moore as 007? It’s time then to revisit the original novel by Ian Fleming. Set in the mid-1950’s, British Secret Service Agent James Bond is sent by M to investigate a mysterious man funding the country’s rocket program. It’ll be up to the legendary spy to uncover the truth and prevent nuclear mayhem from happening. (Like the Author? See Casino Royale as well as From Russia with Love)

The Moscow Rules

Real-life spymasters Tony Mendez (of Argo fame) and his wife Joanna provide a captivating look at the tactics used to beating the Soviets in their own backyard. In this insightful read, you’ll learn how the CIA avoided surveillance on the streets of Moscow, the gadgets used and the brave men and women who helped win the Cold War. (Like the Author? See Spy Dust as well as Argo)

Chief of Station: A Cold War Spy Novel

An aging spy, a KGB officer on the run and a woman living a double life must work to stop a deadly conspiracy in this Cold War thriller. Set during the Reagan era, this piece of historical fiction shows the Soviet Union on the cusp of Gorbachev as its leader and struggling to hold back the looming sea of change. At just under 200 pages, it makes a quick but satisfying weekend read. (Like the Author? See 5 Facts: Moscow Station & Spaso House)

Spymaster

A great introduction into the Scott Harvath series by Brad Thor, Spymaster takes the reader on a thrilling journey. From a cabin in the wilderness of Norway to a plot to undermine the NATO alliance the reader will be kept in near non-stop action. (Like the Author? See Backlash as well as The Lions of Lucerne)

Patriot Games

The prequel to The Hunt for Red October, it holds up today as one of Tom Clancy’s best. When Jack Ryan stops an attempt on the lives of the British Royal family, his family becomes the target of the IRA offshoot organization. With thorough descriptions and a focus on family, Clancy crafts a spy story like no other. (Like the Author? See Red Storm Rising as well as Clear and Present Danger)

The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB

Based on documents kept over the years and finally smuggled by senior KGB archivist Vasili Mitrokhin, this book sheds light on the history of one of the most feared intelligence organizations ever to exist. Written along with Christopher Andrew, this book is extensive in detail at over 700 pages (paperback). Details include the beginnings of the KGB, operations in the West and operations against President Reagan. (Like the Author? See The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World - Newly Revealed Secrets from the Mitrokhin Archive)

I Spy (podcast)

Looking to hear real-life stories? How about a show hosted by Margo Martindale of The Americans fame? Each episode of this series created by Foreign Policy features one former spy telling the story of a past operation. If you’re looking for a stellar episode to jump into, check out The Widow Spy, featuring Martha Peterson describing her work in the Soviet Union and handling one the CIA’s most valuable spies.

True Spies (podcast)

Similar to I Spy (in fact True Spies is a sponsor of them), this podcast narrated by Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) and Haley Atwell (Captain America) puts this listener into the shoes of real-life spies. With interviews from the spies themselves, the show covers anywhere from Winston Churchill’s ‘Secret Army’ in WWII to The War on Terror in the Middle East today.