Fiction novels with CIA agents as their protagonists have a huge fan following, and it’s easy to see why. The best CIA books fiction are thrilling and often a little sexy. They analyse political schemes and history through a unique lens.
Well, if you’re into this classy and adrenaline-inducing genre, we’ve got you covered with this list of the five best books on the CIA agents of all time. You’ll be topping buildings, defusing bombs, and collapsing entire governments, all from the comfort of your reading chair.
- The Nighthawk Quadrilogy by C. Edgar North
The Nighthawk quadrilogy by C. Edgar North is an exciting example of books that involve CIA agents. The series includes the following four books:
‘Nighthawk Crossing’ is about Joseph Branson, the leader of a drug and weapon smuggling gang. His business is going smooth until his men end up killing some FBI agents. While pursuing the killers, the FBI discovers drug and gun distribution rings in America and a terrifying plan to supply a secret weapon to Al-Qaida and the Taliban.
In ‘Nighthawk: African Ice’, Joseph Branson escapes with his wife Hazel to the Maldives and partners with an old friend, who happens to be an arms dealer. They are successful trading weapons for raw diamonds straight out of the conflict zones of Africa.
The third installment, ‘Nighthawk: Chief Hazel’, follows Hazel Branson taking the reins of the family smuggling business in her hands. However, when North Koreans kidnap her daughter, she is forced to smuggle terrorists into America.
In ‘Nighthawk: The Deacon’, the final part of the series, Brian West, a genius socio-psychopath who worked for the CIA and Canadian Intelligence during the Cold War, dies. His former colleagues arrange a celebration on a yacht to commemorate their old friend and his daring espionage services.
- The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson
‘The Faithful Spy’ is a book about CIA agent John Wells, who infiltrates Al-Qaeda. The events of 9/11 call his worth into question, if not his loyalty. However, he keeps his cover and keeps searching for Osama. In the meantime, as the years roll by, he sincerely converts to the one true faith of Islam.
- The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
‘The Bourne Identity’ is about a CIA agent rescued by fishermen in the middle of the ocean. He is the sole survivor of an attack at sea. When he gains consciousness, it is revealed that he’s suffering from amnesia and is unable to remember anything about himself or his past life except a few irregular flashbacks. Armed with only the details of his bank account, he sets off to try to piece together his own identity. As the truth begins to unfold, panic mounts when it becomes clear that Bourne’s life was anything but ordinary.
- Need to Know by Karen Cleveland
This book about the CIA agent Vivian Miller tells the story of how she gets into trouble when she creates a system to identify Russian operatives that control sleeper agents in the U.S., those seemingly ordinary people who live among us in plain sight.
- Safe House by Dan Fesperman
Helen Abell, a low-ranking CIA agent, has been demoted to virtually a maintenance job, cleaning up at various safe houses, changing the tapes, refilling the cabinets, etc. When making an unscheduled visit to one of the houses, she comes upon a top-level agent, Robert, attempting to rape a source. Helen acts on impulse and intercedes. Next, she finds herself on the run from her superiors, aided by two female agents who also have scores to settle with Robert. If you want to experience a fast-paced CIA agent action thriller, ‘Safe House’ is the book for you to read.
Various authors use CIA agents as their protagonists to satisfy the craving we have for thrills in our life. Reading one of the books on this list can turn your slow afternoon into an action sequence from a movie.