10 Espionage Novels That Will Keep You Guessing

A terrorist is targeting Britain—and the threat comes from an “invisible,” someone traveling under a British passport, making them nearly impossible to track. MI5 agent Liz Carlyle is no stranger to high-stakes missions, but this case is unlike any she’s faced before. As she races to identify the invisible before an attack, Liz must rely on every bit of her experience, intelligence, and instincts to stop a disaster in the making. With danger closing in and time running out, the stakes have never been higher. One wrong move, and countless lives could be lost. Can Liz outmaneuver an enemy hiding in plain sight, or will this mission prove too elusive even for her?

Villanelle is a cold-blooded assassin who thrives on luxury and the thrill of the kill. Specializing in high-profile targets, her latest mission—murdering a powerful Russian politician—puts her in the crosshairs of a determined enemy. Eve Polastri, a former MI6 operative, is tasked with bringing Villanelle down. Sharp, resourceful, and unafraid to break the rules, Eve’s quiet life shifts as she dives into the high-stakes pursuit of one of the world’s deadliest killers. As they play a dangerous game of cat and mouse across the globe, Eve and Villanelle’s lives become dangerously intertwined. With corrupt governments and criminal masterminds in their way, only one can come out on top. In the end, who will survive this deadly pursuit?

An elderly French couple is brutally murdered in Egypt, and soon after, MI6’s first female Chief, Amelia Levene, vanishes from the streets of Paris. With six weeks until Amelia’s appointment to the most powerful spy role in Europe, her disappearance is a national crisis. MI6 is desperate to find her—without tipping off the world. Enter Thomas Kell, a disgraced former MI6 officer, given one last chance to redeem himself. Tasked with finding Amelia, Kell follows a trail that leads him to France and Tunisia, where he uncovers a shocking conspiracy that threatens Britain and its allies. As the clock ticks down, Kell must stop a catastrophe from unfolding—but can he save Amelia and his career before it’s too late?

In a world of shifting alliances and deadly secrets, CIA agent Tom Rogers arrives in Beirut with one mission—recruit a high-level operative from the PLO. Idealistic and determined, Rogers quickly discovers that espionage is far more treacherous than he imagined. As he navigates the dangerous political landscape, Rogers is drawn deeper into a web of deception, where trust is scarce and innocence is a liability. Each decision he makes pulls him further from his moral compass, forcing him to confront the true cost of his mission. With lives hanging in the balance, can Rogers outmaneuver the shadowy forces at play, or will the price of his innocence be too steep to pay?

In modern Russia, Dominika Egorova is forced into becoming a “Sparrow”—a spy trained to seduce and manipulate targets. Her first mission: entangle Nathaniel Nash, a CIA officer protecting America’s most valuable mole within Russian intelligence. As their worlds collide in a game of tradecraft and deception, the stakes rise dangerously high. Nathaniel and Dominika’s forbidden attraction threatens not only their careers but the safety of a key intelligence asset in Moscow. Each move they make pulls them deeper into a deadly web of intrigue and betrayal. With lives and national security on the line, will they survive the dangerous game they’ve been thrust into, or will their growing connection lead to their undoing?

During the Cold War, Irina, a young Russian-American secretary, is unexpectedly pulled from her CIA desk job and tasked with a dangerous mission: smuggle Doctor Zhivago back into the USSR, where it’s banned. Her mentor, Sally Forrester, a charismatic and skilled spy, teaches Irina the art of espionage, using seduction and deception to extract secrets from powerful men. As Irina navigates her new world of covert operations, she must balance her growing attraction to the risks and uncover hidden truths about herself. But with every secret she ferries, the stakes rise—one wrong move could shatter not only her mission, but her life. Can Irina succeed where failure is not an option, or will the Cold War’s shadowy game consume her?

CIA officer Sam Joseph is sent to Paris with a dangerous mission: recruit Mariam Haddad, a Syrian Palace official. But their professional connection turns into a forbidden affair, intensifying her recruitment and plunging them both into danger. As they venture into Damascus to track down the killer of an American spy, they uncover a web of high-profile assassinations and a dark secret at the core of the Syrian regime. With Assad’s ruthless spy catcher Ali Hassan and the feared Republican Guard watching their every move, Sam and Mariam must outwit a regime that thrives on fear and betrayal. With lives on the line, can they survive the deadly game of espionage before the regime catches up to them?

In the summer of 1968, as Europe teeters between love and conflict, Oxford students James Borthwick and Eleanor Pike set out to hitchhike across the continent. Their budding friendship turns complicated as they reach Czechoslovakia, where Alexander Dubček’s promise of “socialism with a human face” offers hope. At the same time, British diplomat Sam Wareham watches the country’s political awakening with a blend of skepticism and excitement. With Czech student Lenka Konečková, he immerses himself in the vibrant energy of Prague’s youth. But as Soviet tanks gather on the borders, the looming threat grows impossible to ignore. As idealism clashes with harsh reality, how will these fragile connections survive the impending invasion? And can love and friendship endure when history is about to change forever?

Lebanon, 2006. Bombs rain down as the Israel-Hezbollah war rips Beirut apart. Amidst the chaos, the CIA and Mossad are hunting Najib Qassem, a Hezbollah terrorist planning to assassinate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in just ten days. CIA agent Analise has a plan: she’s befriended Qassem’s grandson as his tutor and will use this connection to locate and eliminate the threat. But as the mission unfolds, Analise uncovers a darker agenda—Mossad may be using the war to take out key Lebanese political figures. When her warning is dismissed, Analise becomes a target herself. Now, with no one to trust—not even her own agency—she must decide whether to risk her life for the truth. Can she survive in a world where every ally may be an enemy?

Lachlan Kite, a member of the elite black ops group BOX 88, has spent decades in the shadows, navigating a dangerous world. But at the funeral of his childhood best friend, he walks into a trap. Captured and interrogated, Lachlan’s pregnant wife is held hostage, forcing him to confront a secret he’s sworn to protect. Thirty years earlier, fresh out of boarding school, Lachlan joined BOX 88 on his first mission in France, where a friendship gave him access to one of Iran’s most dangerous men. But the mission’s betrayal haunts him to this day. Now, Lachlan must revisit the painful memories of that fateful summer to save his family. Can he outwit his captors, or will his past destroy everything he loves?