Ever wonder what spy novels a real-life Special Forces and CIA operative can't put down?
Former Special Forces & CIA operative James Stejskal reveals his top five spy thrillers on Spybrary's Dead Drop 5.
The Dead Drop 5 is back! In this much-requested Spybrary feature, our guest is embedded behind the Iron Curtain and can request five spy books, a gadget, luxury items and more from their handler.
Today’s guest is James Stejskal, a former U.S. Army Special Forces and CIA operative, turned military historian and author. James spent 35 years operating in high-stakes locations across Africa, Europe, the Balkans, and the Near and Far East. Now an accomplished writer, he’s best known for his Cold War thriller series, The Snake Eater Chronicles, and the highly regarded non-fiction book Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the U.S. Army's Elite (1956–1990).
In this episode, James shares his five essential spy reads—spy thrillers that influenced him and shaped his view on espionage fiction. From atmospheric Cold War thrillers to forgotten espionage gems, James’ picks will send you straight to your bookseller of choice! He also reveals the spy gadget he'd want behind enemy lines, the luxury item he can’t do without, and the spy movie he’d take with him into exile.
We are hosting a Spybrary meet-up in Washington, D.C., on February 26th at Kirwans on the Wharf featuring James and fellow authors I.S. Berry, Adam Brooks, Dan Fesperman, and Simon Conway—come join us for beer, pizza, and spy chat!
🎯 Top 3 Takeaways for Spybrary Listeners and Viewers:
James and Shane agree that Berlin remains the ultimate spy city – whether in history or fiction, the Cold War legacy still lingers in its streets.
Explore lesser-known spy fiction – James’ picks go beyond the usual suspects and introduce lesser known yet exciting espionage reads.
Real spies read spy fiction – even seasoned intelligence professionals find inspiration and entertainment in the genre.
1️⃣ Carnival of Spies – Robert Moss
💬 “My first encounter with this book was in Berlin. The author is Robert Moss. He's not well known. He wrote Moscow Rules also, but Carnival of Spies is my favorite of his because it talks about Berlin. It’s actually historical fiction. It’s based on a real-life British spy who was actually in Germany prior to World War II. He joined the Communist Party and worked for them until he had to leave. Moss brings his story to life with incredible atmosphere.” – James Stejskal
2️⃣ Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene
For his second pick, James selects Graham Greene’s satirical masterpiece, a novel that perfectly blends comedy, spy craft, and moral ambiguity. The story of a vacuum cleaner salesman-turned-British spy is a biting critique of the absurdities of espionage, filled with sharp wit, humor, and Greene’s trademark cynicism about intelligence work.
💬 “💬 “It reminds me a lot of when I was working for the agency of having to come up with intelligence reports to fill requirements. Although I never recruited a vacuum cleaner salesman, I might have come close. And one of the reports that he sent in about a vacuum cleaner that is supposed to be some kind of a secret weapon, reminded me of an April Fool's Day report I sent in once when I was in Africa.”
Greene masterfully satirizes the futility of certain aspects of espionage. I think it's just Graham Greene's ability to infuse his characters with personality traits that you don't generally see anywhere.” – James Stejskal
3️⃣ Second Sight – Charles McCarry
James’ third pick is from the legendary Paul Christopher series, written by former CIA officer Charles McCarry. The novel expertly blends historical facts with gripping espionage fiction, focusing on intelligence work across multiple global locations.
💬 “I just find that McCarry's writing, the sweep of his storyline is so broad and so interesting. And he always is pulling in historical aspects that are true and then infusing them with fiction. And he does that particularly well in Second Sight when he talks about Paul Christopher's mother who was kidnapped by Reinhard Heydrich, the German Reichsprotector of Czechoslovakia. And that subtext is in there.” – James Stejskal
4️⃣ HHhH – Laurent Binet
A shift into historical fiction, James’ fourth pick is Laurent Binet’s HHHH, a novel recounting the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, one of Nazi Germany’s most feared leaders. The book is part espionage thriller, part journalistic investigation.
A seemingly effortlessly blend of historical truth, personal memory, and Laurent Binet's remarkable imagination, HHhH―an international bestseller and winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman―is a work at once thrilling and intellectually engrossing, a fast-paced novel of the Second World War that is also a profound meditation on the nature of writing and the debt we owe to history.
HHhH is one of The New York Times' Notable Books of 2012.
💬 “On the title, it's got four H's and it's by Laurent Binet, a French author. It's been translated into English. The book title, HHHH means basically translated from the German, Hitler's brain is called Heydrich. He was the Reichsprotector of Czechoslovakia, was subordinate to Himmler, but one of the most powerful German officers in the regime and the SS.” – James Stejskal
5️⃣ The Sympathizer – Viet Thanh Nguyen
For his final pick, James selects Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer, a Cold War-era espionage thriller told from the perspective of a conflicted Vietnamese double agent. This novel is a powerful meditation on identity, ideology, and the immigrant experience, offering a rare, non-Western viewpoint on the Vietnam War and its aftermath.
The winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as seven other awards, The Sympathizer is the breakthrough novel of the year. With the pace and suspense of a thriller and prose that has been compared to Graham Greene and Saul Bellow, The Sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love and betrayal. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a “man of two minds,” a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam.
The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship.
💬 “It's just a magnificent book. The point of view of course is totally different from any American book on Vietnam. . He just doesn't see things the same way as we do. He talks about the American culture in California very derisively. But then at the same time, he wants everything that everybody else has. So he's just totally conflicted..” – James Stejskal
Guest Bio & Highlights
James Stejskal is an author, historian, and former intelligence officer with a 35-year career in the U.S. Army Special Forces and CIA. He served across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, specializing in clandestine operations.
📚 Books by James Stejskal:
- The Snake Eater Chronicles – a Cold War espionage thriller series.
- Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the U.S. Army's Elite (1956–1990) – an essential non-fiction account of U.S. covert operations in Berlin.
- Upcoming in 2025: The Rat Catcher of Berlin (April) and A Spy’s Guide to Cold War Berlin (June).
🔗 Find James online:
Interview with James Stejskal author of Question of Time – A Cold War Spy Thriller
(James’s previous appearance on Spybrary)
Website: James Stejskal – Author
Amazon Author Page: James Stejskal on Amazon
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✅ Meet us in Washington, D.C. on Feb 26! – Come have a beer with James Stejskal, I.S. Berry, Adam Brooks, Dan Fesperman, and Simon Conway.
Join us on the Spy Book Podcast, Spybrary, and discover the thrilling world of spy books in our exclusive series, ‘Dead Drop 5'.
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Best Spy Books and Dead Drops…what is this series exactly?
This riveting series is a crowd favorite, but be warned, your bank balance may take a hit based on these spy book recommendations. In these episodes, our brave podcast guests are dispatched on a clandestine mission behind the Iron Curtain, where danger lurks at every shadowy corner.
But fear not, they won't embark on this perilous journey unequipped.
Our intrepid agents can request five spy novels to be stashed in the East Berlin dead drop.
But that's not all.
Beyond these spy books, our guests are granted a selection of diverse items, each carefully curated to make their stay in East Berlin more manageable, perhaps even a touch more comfortable.
Join host Shane Whaley as he interviews spy thriller readers about their upcoming mission to East Berlin and the five books they would like to take.
Get ready to dive into ‘Dead Drop 5', only on Spybrary, but be warned this series could seriously damage your bank account!
Listen to previous Dead Drop 5 best spy books episodes
