Espionage Recommended Books and Bestsellers

1Secret Agent

By Joseph Conrad

<em>The Secret Agent</em> is Conrad's dark, and darkly comic story of a band of spies, anarchists, agents-provocateurs plotting and counter-plotting in the back streets of London in the early 20th Century. The novel centers on Verloc, a shop-owner, phony-anarchist and double-agent, who becomes embroiled in an ambitious terrorist plan to bomb the Greenwich Observatory. (Summary by Hugh McGuire)

2Spy

By James Fenimore Cooper

James Fenimore Cooper's second novel, <em>The Spy</em> (1821), is based on Sir Walter Scott's Waverly series, and tells an adventure tale about the American Revolution. The protagonist is Harvey Birch, a supposed loyalist who actually is a spy for George Washington, disguised as 'Mr Harper.' The book brought Cooper fame and wealth, and is regarded as the first great success in American fiction.<br /> (Summary by Gord MacKenzie)

3Man Who Was Thursday, A Nightmare

By G. K. Chesterton

In a surreal turn-of-the-century London, Gabriel Syme, a poet, is recruited to a secret anti-anarchist task force at Scotland Yard. Lucian Gregory, an anarchist poet, is the only poet in Saffron Park, until he loses his temper in an argument over the purpose of poetry with Gabriel Syme, who takes the opposite view. After some time, the frustrated Gregory finds Syme and leads him to a local anarchist meeting-place to prove that he is a true anarchist. Instead of the anarchist Gregory getting elected, the officer Syme uses his wits and is elected as the local representative to the worldwide Central Council of Anarchists. The Council consisting of seven men, each using the name of a day of the week as a code name; Syme is given the name of Thursday... (Summary from Wikipedia)

4Riddle of the Sands

By Erskine Childers

Containing many realistic details based on Childers' own sailing trips along the German North Sea coast, the book is the retelling of a yachting expedition in the early 20th century combined with an adventurous spy story.<br /><br /> It was one of the early invasion novels which predicted war with Germany and called for British preparedness. The plot involves the uncovering of secret German preparations for an invasion of the United Kingdom. It is often called the first modern spy novel, although others are as well, it was certainly very influential in the genre and for its time.<br /><br /> The book enjoyed immense popularity in the years before World War I and was extremely influential. Winston Churchill later credited it as a major reason that the Admiralty decided to establish naval bases at Invergordon, the Firth of Forth and Scapa Flow. (Summary from Wikipedia)

5History of Henry Esmond, Esq., A Colonel in the Service of Her Majesty Queen Anne

By William Makepeace Thackeray

A classic Victorian novel and a historical novel rolled into one! Read about court and army life during the reign of Queen Anne - a story of Catholic - Protestant intrigue, and the party which aspired to the restoration of Bonny Prince Charlie. And, a good love story as well. (Summary by Karen Merline)

6Scarlet Pimpernel (version 3 dramatic reading)

By Baroness Emma Orczy

Baroness Emma ("Emmuska") Orczy (September 23, 1865 – November 12, 1947) was a British novelist, playwright and artist of Hungarian origin. She was most notable for her series of novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel. Some of her paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. (Summary by Wikipedia)<br><br><strong>Cast</strong><br> Narrators: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/52">Luisa Hall</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1656">Sheldon Slade</a> <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/2630">tpincombe</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6281">Beth Thomas</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1061">Missie</a>, <a href="http://www.justinbvocal.com/">Justin S Barrett</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3790">hpark</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1963">Belinda Brown</a>, <a href="http://www.dogtaghistory.com/">Snapdragon</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3315">Holly Bliss</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3994">Miriam Esther Goldman</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3243">Rissa Byrne</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/5708">Eliza</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/5860">J L Raimundo</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/5101">E.Lee</a> <br> Citoyen Bibot, Mr Hempseed, Vicomte de Tournay, Captain Briggs, Lord Fancourt, Brogard, Sergeant: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4015">JimOCR</a><br> Corporal: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3994">Miriam Esther Goldman</a><br> Crowd: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4705">Algy Pug</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6281">Beth Thomas</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3157">TriciaG</a><br> Old Hag in Cart: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1644">Timothy H. VanderWall</a><br> Captain of Guard, Mr Jellyband: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4570">Bill Mosley</a><br> Sally: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/2057">Paige</a><br> Jemima: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3523">Marissa Oakey</a><br> Martha: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4150">LovesChesterton</a><br> Jimmy Pitkin: <a href="http://pix4blogs.blogspot.ca/">Sami Koivisto</a><br> Stranger: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3157">TriciaG</a><br> Sally: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3243">Rissa Byrne</a><br> Lord Antony: <a href="http://www.jaysplays.net/">Jay Saunders</a><br> Comtesse de Tournay: <a href="http://www.cmworks.info/">CM Slosson</a><br> Sir Andrew, Groom: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4705">Algy Pug</a><br> Suzanne: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1061">Missie</a><br> Stranger, Spy: <a href="http://rschmfem.com">Roseanne Schmidt</a><br> Lady Marguerite: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3315">Holly Bliss</a>, <a href="”http://librivox.org/reader/1623”">Lisa Theriot</a>, <a href="”http://librivox.org/reader/1061">Missie</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3994">Miriam Esther Goldman</a>, <a href="”http://librivox.org/reader/1066">Laurie Anne Walden</a><br> Beggar: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/7419">Helen Jensen</a><br> Sir Percy: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/4572">om123</a>, <a href="http://csjewell.comyr.com/”">Curtis Jewell</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6705">D. A. Frank</a>, <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1570">Ken Theriot</a><br> Armand: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/61">Paul-Gabriel Wiener</a><br> Chauvelin: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/1570">Ken Theriot</a>, <a href="http://alexfoster.me.uk/">Alex Foster</a><br> Lady Portarles: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/2270">Megan Kunkel</a><br> Lord Grenville, Majordomo, Desgas: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6754">ToddHW</a><br> Louise: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/2481">Alana Jordan</a><br> Runner: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/5860">J L Raimundo</a><br> Benjamin Rosenbaum: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6705">D. A. Frank</a><br> Soldier: <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/6281">Beth Thomas</a><br> Editing by ToddHW<br><br> Series:<br> 1: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?q=the scarlet pimpernel&search_form=advanced">The Scarlet Pimpernel</a><br> 2: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?title=i+will+repay&author=orczy&reader=&keywords=&genre_id=0&status=all&project_type=either&recorded_language=&sort_order=alpha&search_page=1&search_form=advanced">I Will Repay</a><br> 2.5: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?q=league of the scarlet Pimpernel&search_form=advanced">The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel</a><br> 3: <a href="The Elusive Pimpernel">https://librivox.org/search?q=elusive pimpernel&search_form=advanced</a><br> 4: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?title=el+dorado&author=orczy&reader=&keywords=&genre_id=0&status=all&project_type=either&recorded_language=&sort_order=alpha&search_page=1&search_form=advanced">El Dorado: Further Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel</a><br> 5: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?title=Lord+Tony's+Wife&author=orczy&reader=&keywords=&genre_id=0&status=all&project_type=either&recorded_language=&sort_order=alpha&search_page=1&search_form=advanced">Lord Tony's Wife</a><br> 6: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?q=Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel&search_form=advanced">The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel</a><br> 7: Sir Percy Hits Back<br> Prequel: <a href="https://librivox.org/search?q=laughing cavalier&search_form=advanced">The Laughing Cavalier</a><br>

7Phineas Finn the Irish Member

By Anthony Trollope

Phineas Finn is the sequel to “Can you Forgive Her?” and the second novel in Trollope’s Palliser series. The eponymous hero is a young Irishman who becomes a member of the English parliament. Trollope aspired to become an M.P. himself, and he ably describes the workings of the English political scene. There is also a love interest, as the somewhat inconstant Phineas courts three different women: his Irish sweetheart, Mary Flood Jones; Lady Laura Standish, the daughter of a prominent Whig politician; and a lovely heiress, Violet Effingham. (Summary by Karen Merline)<br /><br /> This is the second of Trollope’s six “Palliser” novels. LibriVox recordings of other novels in the series are available:<br> <a href="http://librivox.org/can-you-forgive-her-by-anthony-trollope/">1-Can You Forgive Her?</a><br> 2-Phineas Finn<br> <a href="http://librivox.org/the-eustace-diamonds-by-anthony-trollope/">3-The Eustace Diamonds</a><br> <a href="http://librivox.org/phineas-redux-by-anthony-trollope/">4-Phineas Redux</a><br> <a href="http://librivox.org/the-prime-minister-by-anthony-trollope/">5-The Prime Minister</a><br> <a href="http://librivox.org/the-dukes-children-by-anthony-trollope/">6-The Duke’s Children</a>

8Angel of Terror (version 2)

By Edgar Wallace

Beautiful Jean Briggerland is the epitome of evilness in this twisting and turning thriller. She plots many different ways to steal her new victim's riches including lies and murder. Only Jack Glover the lawyer of Jean's most recent victim, is aware of her true nature. Can he stop her crime spree and bring her to justice before she murders her way to wealth and happiness? Don't count on it! Page after page offers action, new twists, and unexpected surprises that will keep the reader listening for more! (Summary by Allyson Hester)

9Elusive Isabel

By Jacques Futrelle

Elusive Isabel is a novel by Jacques Futrelle (April 9, 1875 - April 15, 1912) first published in 1909. Set in Washington, D.C., it is a spy novel about an international conspiracy of the "Latin" countries against the English-speaking world with the aim to take over world control (Summary from Wikipedia)

10Brain Twister

By Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer

"Mark Phillips" is, or are, two writers: Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer. Their joint pen-name, derived from their middle names (Philip and Mark), was coined soon after their original meeting, at a science-fiction convention. Both men were drunk at the time, which explains a good deal, and only one has ever sobered up. A matter for constant contention between the collaborators is which one.<br /><br />Originally published as That Sweet Little Old Lady, Brain Twister follows the adventures of FBI agent Kenneth J. Malone as he attempts to unravel the machinations of a telepathic spy. His first problem: how do you find a telepath to catch the first telepath?<br /><br />The novella was nominated for the Hugo Award in 1960. (Summary from the text and Catharine Eastman)