9 books like David Shirazi

I love thrillers that teach me about the culture of the Middle East, but it’s rare to find a novel that also includes how Christianity can be shared with such cultures. However, both of these are present in this novel, which is what makes the story so enjoyable.

This is book one in the Marc Royce Thriller Series and features intel officer, Marc Royce who’s sent on a secret mission to Iraq. Since I don’t like too much description in a novel, I admire Davis Bunn’s ability to portray the setting in this story, while not neglecting the characters and dialogue. There’s also a faith element to the narrative, which adds a lot of depth to the plot.

I love thrillers that tell the story of a group of operatives who must work together under the leadership of a strong central figure in order to accomplish a difficult mission, and from the opening chapter, I knew this novel would be exactly that.

This is the first book in the Warrior Spy Thriller Series. While I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the hero of the story, Delta Force operator, Reagan Rainey, who is temporarily assigned to a CIA entity, I was also fascinated by the other members of his special ops team, not only because of their unique personalities, but also by the way Rainey was able to share his faith with them without sounding preachy and to remind me of how grateful I am to live in America.

I love thrillers with a bit of romance mixed in with them, although I don’t want the romantic elements to overwhelm the story, and this book’s focus is definitely on the story’s intense action, with the romance only adding depth to the characters.

This book is the first book in the Shadow Agency series and introduces the protagonist, an agency operative, and a female employee of a tech firm who could possibly be a murderer but who ultimately helps the operative find the real killer by relying on her faith in God. While the plot sounds predictable, it wasn’t, which is something I really enjoy in a thriller.

What keeps me reading past midnight is an unanticipated twist—this novel had several of those—along with another one of my favorites, an unpredictable ending. 

I love thrillers with in-depth character development and realistic situations involving clandestine operations, and this book hits both of those marks.

This is the first book in a three-book series featuring the Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service. I’ve always been fascinated by books that give me a behind-the-scenes look at how an intel agency operates and the tech gadgets that make the business of spying possible, and these authors describe both extremely well while giving me insights into how a Messianic Jew lives out his faith. 

Many of my books are ghost stories, and I enjoy finding other authors who write scary stories in that genre. Darcy Coates, a prolific author from Australia, does a wonderful job creating an eerie, spine-tingling setting and characters who will remind you of that monster you thought was in the closet. These are downright scary stories that will cause you to sleep with the light on. She has written numerous excellent stand-alone books, but her Gravekeeper series is a great way to delve into the mind of an author who has this genre nailed down tight (just like that coffin that might be hidden behind a wall in your basement)!   

Peter Ackroyd has written several wonderful books about London, the Thames, and aspects of English life, but this six-volume series (the last to come in 2023) is the best and most comprehensive I’ve found. It’s a delightful trip through history, not only covering the politics of the times but giving insight into the daily lives of people from one era to the next, how towns became cities, infrastructure and the system of government developed. The page counts are daunting, but don’t be dissuaded—nobody can make history come alive better than Ackroyd.

Rosenberg, whose knowledge of Israeli and U.S. politics provides a great background for his writing, has produced several series, all of which are excellent. But if you’re new to this author, I recommend reading this book first. His political thrillers are spellbinding, especially since Rosenberg foretold the 9/11 disaster and the killing of Saddam Hussein in his novels. In The Last Jihad, Saddam is hell-bent on attacking the West. On the eve of a treaty signing that may ensure peace for Israel and Palestine, the Israelis discover an Iraqi Scud missile armed with a nuclear warhead. It’s clear that Hussein is planning an attack on major U.S. cities and Tel Aviv, and Israel issues an ultimatum to the USA—take Saddam out or we’ll do it instead. This book is a fascinating tale about events that are as real and as possible as today’s newscasts. 

Although the books in this series are not released in chronological order, I found it helpful to begin at the beginning, with George Washington. Each of these books is well-written and provides a concise way to learn about the significant events that occurred. Several times I’ve finished a book in this series and then selected an in-depth biography to further my knowledge about the ones I found most interesting. Though occasionally laborious reading, the insight gained from a brief look at each president’s life is worth every word.

Silva’s novels about Gabriel Allon—a reluctant Israeli secret agent posing as an Italian art restorer—are my current favorite read and a serious contender for the best spy thrillers by a contemporary writer.

Each of the novels in the series works as a separate episode; in this case, Allon is lured into action to track down a Palestinian assassin.

But Allon is brought to life by recurring themes across the series, including the fact that his traumatized wife is permanently assigned to a psychiatric hospital by the car bomb that killed their son.

Silva’s meticulous writing and ingenious mixing of historical fact and fiction will appeal to literary readers.