One of my favourite openings ever, setting up a mystery, an action adventure and a death all in one succinct sentence. Bagley was the best at what he did – exotic thrillers from the 60s, 70s and 80s – and this is one of his finest. If you don’t know his books, seek them out: you’ll thank me for it.

The book that introduces the ultimate anti-spy George Smiley was first published in 1961. Its opening chapter is seven pages long and entitled ‘A Brief History of George Smiley’. You expect it to be dry but it’s utterly mesmerising from the off, and the rest of the slim volume is a master class in erudite brevity. To borrow from another espionage franchise, nobody does it better.

OK, so I’m cheating here by including what is still one of the greatest TV shows ever made, but there genuinely is a book of teleplays by the master of dialogue, and the pre-titles teaser from episode one is among the most sublime introductions to a cast of characters that you’ll ever read. What comes afterwards is pretty good too…

BIO: Michael Davies is a writer of stuff, including thrillers Outback and Thin Ice. Also, the playwright of award-winning plays The Seagull Has Landed and Rasputin’s Mother, and the book and lyrics for Tess – The Musical. Watch out for a new HarperCollins series, Murder They Read, in 2026. Follow him on Facebook as Michael Davies – Author and instagram as @michaeldaviesauthor