7 Books Like Kaleidoscope 4th of July

With his depressingly accurate depiction of Britain and Europe in general, Charles Beaumont takes the reader on an intelligent and exciting tale of an investigation into a suspected Russian infiltration of the British government. Although the story invokes some of the classics, like Deighton or le Carré, A Spy Alone is in a class of its own. Beaumont is comfortable in his role as "a former turned author" who knows the business of spying and geo-politics as well.

It's an extremely well-founded story, totally plausible (if not true), with characters who show real personalities. His main man, Simon, is not world-weary, but has been around the block, rode hard, and put away wet. He's had many of his sharp edges ground down and realizes his world is not perfect but loves it nevertheless. Taut, engaging, confidently told, with twists and turns to satisfy almost any reader.

David McCloskey's "7th Floor"... with a whirlwind performance by my favorite antagonist Artemis Procter (she succeeds in antagonizing everyone). David brings his writing, analytical, and tradecraft skills to the game and delivers a realistic (specific cookies about the OOB & NOB) page turner of a hunt for betrayal. -- I took it off the TBR pile early and 48 hours later realized I finished it.

The author's experience as a former CIA officer show in his writing, the tradecraft he infuses into the story is genuinely accurate and the 7th Floor’s bureaucracy maddeningly real.

If you don't know, you will by the end.

I had to include Alan Furst, the absolute master of historical fiction of the pre-WWII era. The first book of Furst’s Night Soldiers Series, this book introduced me to a new sort of spy thriller: instead of secret agents, these are ordinary people swept up in history.

I do love a makeover, but this is a life-and-death self-reinvention. When Khristo is targeted by the local fascist gang in 1934 Bulgaria, it’s time to run. When his first reinvention becomes dangerous, he reinvents himself again. And again. And finds love on the way. I was inspired at every turn by Khristo’s transformations without ever losing his core decency. The historical detail is so vivid I felt like I was right there with Khristo, whether he was in Moscow, Spain, or Paris. 

Very exciting story and obviously based on the author's real life experiences doing intelligence work.

McCarry has never had the wide acclaim that my first two picks have had, and that’s a shame.

The Tears of Autumn is set in late 1963. Kennedy has been assassinated, and Vietnam has come to a fast boil. McCarry’s protagonist, Paul Christopher, an introspective poet and burned-out spy, takes it upon himself to find out the truth behind the rumor that the Vietnamese were behind Kennedy’s killing.

It’s a novel that spans continents and provides professional insight into the motivation and temperament of the spy world. Like Le Carré, McCarry’s style is sparse, lean, and enthralling. In a world beset by conspiracy theories, disinformation, and fake news, The Tears of Autumn is superb.

This book will surprise the hell out of you.

The author (& screenwriter of Spy Game) writes deftly with incisive dialogue and humor. He details the hidden human motivations that drive spies and their masters, and with his command of intelligence tradecraft, rules that can be twisted, and an insider's grasp of the Agency’s culture, you have a recipe for great reading.

Beckner takes the reader into a high-stakes battle of wits and memories between two Cold Warriors that spans years and takes the reader through a dense wilderness of mirrors. Old operations and secrets no one wants revealed lie in wait and propel the story towards a whirlwind conclusion that will leave you breathless.

This is a deliciously layered tale told from the front porch of a Florida vacation home under the influence of good whisky cut with rainwater. There are echoes of Chandler, hints of Thompson, and… show more.

Okay, I like almost anything that is set in Berlin because I lived and “worked” there during the Cold War, but Canon really brings it in this tightly woven story of Martin Keller, a hapless former convict who has been co-opted to work for the CIA in East Berlin.

From the first page, paranoia sets in, as it must on anyone working against the Communist regime of East Germany, when Keller embarks on his own agenda to save himself and, more importantly, the family he loves.

Kanon re-creates the tension of a divided Berlin while his well-drawn characters try to escape the clutches of a morally corrupt government. Kanon is simply one of the best.