Move Over, James Bond

Spy thrillers and espionage novels used to focus on the Cold War, think Graham Greene and John Le Carré. Today’s titles have a different focus and a new kind of spy, sometimes even a woman.

The Expats by Chris Pavone

Kate and Dexter and their two young sons have moved to Luxembourg where Dexter has taken a job at a private bank. Their new expat life is great, but Kate is an ex-CIA agent and their new friends may not be what they seem. Intricate, suspenseful, and compelling.

The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
Milo Weaver has retired from his post as a “tourist,” a black-ops agent with no name or home base. When his old enemy, an international assassin, reappears, Milo must fight to keep himself and his family alive. Dark, convoluted, and action-packed.

The Swimmer by Joakim Zander
A burned out CIA agent scours Europe to find the now-adult daughter he left behind as she goes on the run with her former lover. Billed as Homeland meets Stieg Larsson.