DEADLY PLEASURES MYSTERY MAGAZINE’S BEST ESPIONAGE FICTION OF 2023
George Easter from Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine, with some help from myself and Canadian reviewer Steele Curry, has come up with a list of the Best Espionage Fiction of 2023:
Best Espionage Novels
THE SCARLET PAPERS, Matthew Richardson (U.K. and Australia only)
THE SECRET HOURS, Mick Herron
MOSCOW EXILE, John Lawton
THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW, I. S. Berry
BEIRUT STATION, Paul Vidich
KENNEDY 35, Charles Cumming
Honorable Mention
TRAITOR, Ava Glass
MOSCOW X, David McCloskey
THE COLLECTOR, Daniel Silva
BLACK WOLF, Kathleen Kent
THE SPY COAST, Tess Gerritsen
THE HELSINKI AFFAIR, Anna Pitoniak
THE YEAR OF THE LOCUST, Terry Hayes (2024 title in U.S.)
SECOND SHOT, Cindy Dees
CHAMELEON, Remi Adeleke
RED LONDON, Alma Katsu
THE MAN IN THE CORDUROY SUIT, James Wolff
WHITE FOX, Owen Matthews
THE PARTISAN, Patrick Worrall (2023 title in the U.S)
I think it is a pretty good list. I can heartily recommend the books by Matthew Richardson, Mick Herron, John Lawton and Charles Cumming. I am keen to read the I. S. Berry book, but it is hard to get in Australia. I am also a big fan of Paul Vidich’s novels and Beirut Station is at the top of my to read pile.
Of the Honorable Mentions, I thought that the books by Terry Hayes, Ava Glass, Alma Katsu and Patrick Worrall (2022) were also good. Cindy Dees’ Second Shot is not as accomplished as the other books, but is good fun.
Visit George’s site for the full article, including insightful reviews of the books: http://new.deadlypleasures.com/2023/11/29/deadly-pleasures-best-espionage-fiction-of-2023/
Here are the links to some of the reviews I did:
https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-year-of-the-locust-by-terry-hayes/
https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/moscow-exile-by-john-lawton/
https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/the-traitor-by-ava-glass/
https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/old-cold-war-spies-new-books-by-tom-bradby-and-patrick-worrall/