WW II Spy Novels discussion

This is a place to post reading suggestions. =)

random picks

The Eagle Has Landed
Storm Warning
Fall from Grace
The Heat of the Day

I'll add them in! =)

44' Vintage by Anthony Price - maybe not a traditional WW2-spy thriller? Most of Price's books comes across as rather detached, where the action happens off-stage. Not so in The 44' Vintage , which is atypical for Price, with more action than usual. Interesting as the frist volume (timeline-wise) in Price's saga about David Audley, anyway.

Robert Wilson's "A Small Death in Lisbon" and "Company of Strangers" - both interesting reads.

Robert Harris - Enigma
Ben Macintyre - Operation Mincemeat
Jeffrey Deaver - Garden of Beasts

That's actually Robert Harris, rather than Thomas Harris

here's one I do not recommend...

Emerald Decision

..has to do with the idea of Nazi Germany invading Britain by way of Ireland. Good author, he gave us 'Firefox' but this one was a snoozefest

Lets not forget:

The Saint plays with fire - a novel written several years before WO2 that is about the industralists that favour the next great war, the monologue by Simon Templar about the fascists is very good.

The Saint in Miami - about the Bund in the US and a halood man versus the Nazis in Florida. great fun

Alistair Maclean with Where Eagles dare, Guns of Navarone & Force 10 from Navarone all actionovels and at the same time they have a spy side to them.

Lot of great recommendations above most I've read and some I'll be looking into, some of my favorites are:
Phillip Kerr's, Bernie Gunther novels
Alan Furst, just great reading.
Helen Macinnes, the Queen of the spy novels
Dennis Wheatley's, Gregory Sallust novels of great WWII spy craft

Wheatley for sure!

Feliks wrote: "Wheatley for sure!"

I just discovered Wheatley not that long ago while reading denofgeek, which had a nice article on the man. Can't believe I haven't heard or read the guy earlier.

Influential on Ian Fleming's writing, as they worked together during the war.

I bet that made for some interesting discussions. Your picture reminds me of a character from from Reilly Ace of Spies...

Give that man a ci-gar. That's exactly where the image is from. Love that series.

Yep one of mine as well along with the original BBC production of TTSS, with the great Sir Alec Guinness. Plus the books are great reads to.

Top man, Doubledf.

Preaching to the choir, re: me. See my overviews here:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...-

Wow, that is some extensive reading there, you definitely have put in some time and thought, I've have read a majority of those authors. Funny i just finished with the Honorable Schoolboy a week or so ago, great read, and I'm looking forward to the next one on his list. There sure is a lot of great reading out there. Good time to be alive...

The Berkut by Joseph Heywood is a great novel of WWII, Germans and Russians.. That I highly recommend.

Thanks! Please add whatever you can to that thread. Its all of value.

I also have individual reviews tailored to each book page; where I could. Chirp up where you can!

The Berkut is probably one of my favorite books. I think I have read it at least 20 times. I would not want the Berkut and his team after me!

The Berkut is one heck of a good story, would love to see a movie on it..

I immensely enjoyed Heywood's second novel The Domino Conspiracy, a pretty good one two punch.

He shouldn't have used that title. Anything 'Domino' rightly belongs to Adam Kennedy..he carved out a trilogy or series in that realm already. Its uncomfortable when authors don't respect boundaries..

Interesting, I'll have to ask my brother to keep an eye out for Kennedy's books, when he visits his favorite book stores.

Night of the Generals by Hans Hellmut Kirst, a pretty good who done it.

Ah yah, was wondering if I should mention that. There's a movie with Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay. Wasn't sure how good the book could be based on the lameness of the flick. You say its well done?

This is an oldie, but I liked Tim Binder's SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY so much, I bought it in hard copy after I read the paperback. It's set in the Channel Islands, the only English-speaking area occupied by the Nazis.

I like some of Jack Higgins' earlier works about British spies in WWII. He's no literary giant, but I find these works actually better written then those later having to do with the IRA, etc.

I'm glad to see these posts. Also, I'm a fan of a couple of British TV series that deal with the occupied Channel Islands. I think I'd like SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY.

Coincidentally, I am playing a Nazi officer in NUMBER THE STARS, a Newbery Award winning children's book and play. It is about occupied Denmark, the Nazi experiment. The kids here in South Jersey read the book in class and then see the play. An easy way to introduce the younger kids about the Nazis, the Danish resistance and the Jewish situation.

Where Eagles Dare is one of my favorites, and the movie wasn't bad either.

Mark wrote: "Lets not forget:

The Saint plays with fire - a novel written several years before WO2 that is about the industralists that favour the next great war, the monologue by Simon Templar about the fasci..."

Jack wrote: "I like some of Jack Higgins' earlier works about British spies in WWII. He's no literary giant, but I find these works actually better written then those later having to do with the IRA, etc.

I thought it was pretty good, thought the premis was good as well, it was probably the first book I read along those lines..

Jack wrote: "I like some of Jack Higgins' earlier works about British spies in WWII. He's no literary giant, but I find these works actually better written then those later having to do with the IRA, etc.

I'm ..."
OT: Flame and Citron is a damn. Fine movie with plenty of tense moments.

Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Jack wrote: "I like some of Jack Higgins' earlier works about British spies in WWII. He's no literary giant, but I find these works actually better written then those later having to do with the IR..."

If you liked Flammen og Citronen - Flame & Citron - you should also check out the Norwegian movie 'Max Manus'.

Loved FLAME AND CITRON; will put MAX MANUS ON my Netflix queue.

The Last Supper and Shibumi have strong plot-roots set in WWII, in case anyone's interested. Violent and disturbing scenes as well, if that's your particular thing.

Karl wrote: "Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Jack wrote: "I like some of Jack Higgins' earlier works about British spies in WWII. He's no literary giant, but I find these works actually better written then those later ha..."

Yep have Max on my wish list.

Feliks wrote: "The Last Supper and Shibumi have strong plot-roots set in WWII, in case anyone's interested. Violent and disturbing scenes as well, if that's your particular thing."

Picked up Tears of Autumn, hope to get to The Last Supper most tick.

Feliks wrote: "Ah yah, was wondering if I should mention that. There's a movie with Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay. Wasn't sure how good the book could be based on the lameness of the flick. You say i..."

Yes, i thought it a heck of a good read, and actually enjoyed the movie.

The flick was acceptable, adequate (in terms of just my own reaction to it) but its one where I wished it could have been a lot better. Only, I can't suggest how. Great actors; competent writing..just seemed a bit lifeless.

Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Picked up Tears of Autumn, hope to get to The Last Supper most tick. ..."

You're kinda reading in reverse order; but maybe it won't bother you..

Feliks wrote: "Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Picked up Tears of Autumn, hope to get to The Last Supper most tick. ..."

You're kinda reading in reverse order; but maybe it won't bother you.."

Good morning, ya I am at that, I don't mind, just the way it worked out since I have the actual book.

The Bridge over the River Kwai was a great read.
Loved early Alistair MacLean, Force 10 from Navarone
Ice Station Zebra, Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare.

Anyone read any of Daniel Silva's novels, reading his bio looks likes he has done one WWII Spy novel, any comments pro or con on his other books??

While not spy novels - I thought David L. Robbins WW II noves are a pretty good reads. He has 5 of them

three set on the eastern front
War of the Rats
Last Citadel
The End of War

one in the Phillipines
Broken Jewel

and one in post Normandy France
Liberation Road: A Novel of World War II and the Red Ball Express

In keeping with the Spy Novel genre Ken Follett's
Eye of the Needle is pretty good

If you are looking for a good Daniel Silva, try "The Unlikely Spy" - I'm not quite finished yet, but it is a great read.

As mentioned, Follett's "Eye of the Needle" is a classic. One of my all time favorite WWII spy novels. Quite frankly, you can't go wrong with Follett.

Also take a look at "Agent ZigZag" by Ben Macintyre - great read and a true story.

Will have to give "The Unlikely Spy" a go then..

Just finished William Boyd's, WWI Spy novel, "Waiting For Sunrise".
Thought it was pretty good, like the way he wrote it, it's a page turner, and thought it a lot better than his Bond book "SOLO".

I'm on top of dis! Most of these titles are added to our bookshelf..

My favourites:

Philip Kerr (Bernie Guenther series)
John Lawton (Frederick Troy series)
David Downing (John Russell series)
Alan Furst (Night Soldiers series)

This is very helpful. I didn't what to read next.

Let me second Laura; I didn't know the Lawton series. Thanks!

I actually came up with a viable Bond story all on my own, a couple years ago. Not doing anything with it though (not unless they start doing period-setting Bonds)

Off topic--just noticed that David Downing (having completed his "Station" series of WWII novels) published a WWI spy novel:

Jack of Spies