Spy novel

[Fyredraca]

Can you recommend me a spy novel?
I loved The Bourne Identity (but didn't get on with the sequels).
Tried Ian Fleming, a no from me.
I don't know much about guns and bombs so perhaps not too much of that.
Any suggestions?

Just listened to The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré

But I'd recommend you start the Smiley series from the start. I really like them.

Mick Herron's Slough House series might be worth a try. They're cynical and darkly humorous, and in many ways more about office politics than espionage. Certainly no long passages about the specifics of guns.

The basic set-up is that there's a office an 'administrative oubliette' somewhere near the Barbican where MI5 sends field operatives who've messed up somehow; left data on a train, become an alcoholic, or failed a training exercise. Each novel finds them somehow being drawn back into some kind of national threat.

The first one is Slow Horses. They're really good; I recommend them a lot on here.

Thanks both of you, I love the intrigue but am not fond of the technical jargon. Some seem to rely too much on that stuff. I guess the ones aimed at men.
Will have a look at these suggestions.

I mean I don't like technical details in place of plot which a lot of spy thrillers suffer with

@BIoodyStupidJohnson thank you I got Slow Horses and am enjoying so far. Stayed up too late reading it!

Try Rory Clements - his Tom Wilde series set before and during WW2 is great, and not full of jargon at all.

His John Shakespeare series set is also brilliant if you fancy some medieval espionage. Love them all.

@Fyredraca You’re welcome, I hope you continue to enjoy it! Jackson Lamb gets all the best lines

I'm keeping all your recommendations, thank you all!
WWII and medieval espionage also good. I enjoyed the Cadfael books and the Shardlake series so I'm sure I would like those @cooperage
@BIoodyStupidJohnson Jackson Lamb in appearance reminds me of someone I used to work with, Timothy Spall if he let himself go
Peter Judd is very close to the bone PJ, BJ

Have you tried Helen McInnes?

Have a look at
Charles Cummings
Henry Porter
Daniel Silva
If you like historical , then Sharon Penman wrote a short series , set around Eleanor of Aquitaine - , first one is The Queens Man

Another vote for Daniel Silva. He’s splendid. Thoughtful, beautiful, informative, moving, compelling.

For 20th century historical, some of Anthony Quinn's books feature spies - see Our Friends in Berlin

David Downing has written a series of books - #7 was published after a big gap early this year - about a rather reluctant and accidental spy - an English ex-communist living in Nazi Germany. His son with his ex wife has become involved in the Hitler Youth and he doesn't want to abandon either his son or the woman he now loves.

Kate Atkinson's last but one novel is about woman involved in spying.

And there is The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Simon Mawer and a sequel.

I've just read one called Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Based on a true story from WWII in Italy.

Oh, and another historical spy series, or two linked series, is by John Lawton, though you might need to look at a list of series books as you need to choose whether to read in order of writing/publication or internal chronology. I've gone for the first one, as I don't think spoilers as such are an issue if the author's chosen to go back and fill in his or her characters' earlier lives later on.

The Lines We Leave Behind: a female special ops agent in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia in WW2 who develops PTSD when she returns to London, and is unfairly accused of attempted murder and incarcerated in an asylum.

I finished Slow Horses, it was really good. Highly recommend thanks to @BIoodyStupidJohnson

Cooperage Thanks for the Rory Clements recommendation above. Just looked at some of his books and will definitely be buying.

Fryredraca - I'm another who loves the Slough House books so glad you enjoyed that recommendation. They are filming them for TV (Sky, I think) with Gary Oldman playing Jackson Lamb.

I would also recommend Anne Perry's series of novels set during WW1 regarding a spy ring.

What about Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith? KGB are in a few of his.

The Artemis File by Adam Loxley - brilliant, contemporary spy novel

Restless by William Boyd is excellent.

I see you’ve already gone for the one I’d recommend - the Slough House novels by Mick Herron. Love them.

It is also worth finding the Slough House novellas, they fill in some blanks.

BTW I'll be interested to see if Gary Oldman is Method enough for the performative farting, or will he be dubbed?

I've just got the second Slough House novel