Begin a new year by reading some of the best crime novels from years past. I invite readers of The Poisoned Martini to join me—online that is—in reading classic spy thrillers. These four titles appear on both the Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time and the Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time lists put out by the Crime Writers’ Association and Mystery Writers of America respectively.
Share your love of mysteries. Explore the rich diversity of the mystery genre from the earliest examples and Golden Age authors to today’s contemporary sleuths and cozy tales. Comment on this post with some of your favorite espionage authors. And join me in reading these books in the “Classic Spy Thrillers” series.
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- Published in 1907
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- Published in 1949
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- Published in 1963
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- Published in 1971
For January, read The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad. Published in 1907, this early classic of the spy thriller genre follows the exploits of Adolf Verloc, a spy for an unnamed country, plotting anarchy in the heart of 1886 London.
In February, The Third Man by Graham Greene will be featured. American Holly Martins arrives in post-war Vienna at the start of the Cold War and is told that his friend Harry Lime was killed in an apparent accident.
March brings The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John LeCarré. In one of the top ten spy thrillers of all time, British agent Alec Leamas is sent on a mission in East Germany to conduct a disinformation campaign.
Finally, in April, read The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth. A professional assassin known as “The Jackal” is contracted to kill the president of France, but he is being hunted by authorities out to stop him.
The reviews for these selections should appear around mid-month on The Poisoned Martini. Look for them and share your thoughts on these thrilling reads!
