London Bookshops Recommended by the Spybrary community — the readers and spy book collectors who know these shelves better than anyone.
Want to hunt a signed le Carré first edition? Track down that out-of-print Cold War paperback? Or just browse where George Smiley shopped? London's bookshops deliver for spy fans—if you know where to look.
One of the questions I'm asked most often in the Spybrary community is: where are the best bookshops in London for spy fans? Whether you're hunting a signed first edition, a long-out-of-print Cold War classic, or a serious espionage history section, London still delivers — if you know where to look.
So I put the question to the Spybrary community, and this guide is the result: the best London bookshops (or bookstores, for our American followers planning a trip) for spy fiction and espionage history, from grand Piccadilly institutions to a chaotic treasure trove by Putney Bridge.
Note from Shane: Please double-check opening hours and addresses before setting out on your London spy bookshop adventure. They are all correct as of August 2026.
Best Spy Bookshops in London for New Books and Signed First Editions
Goldsboro Books (Cecil Court)
Tucked into Cecil Court — the Victorian book-dealers' alley off Charing Cross Road — Goldsboro is the home of signed first editions in London, and a first stop for any spy fiction collector. New releases from the biggest names in the genre regularly arrive signed, numbered and sometimes exclusive to the shop. If you're building a collection of signed spy novels, start here.
“Goldsboro.” — Tim Shipman
(Short and to the point from Tim — but when the creator of the world-famous Tim's list of the best 125 spy authors ranked gives you a one-word answer, you take it.)
‘All the new releases are in the main room when you go in. All the older crime, thriller, and espionage stuff is in the room to the right. Some well-priced gems on the main shelves. The high-end stuff in the cases, as you might expect, has a very ripe markup. I don’t buy vintage stuff from them very often. But plenty of signed hits from 5 years ago which haven’t sold and you will get good rates there.'
Tim Shipman
23-27 Cecil Ct, London WC2N 4EZ
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat 10.00am – 6.00pm
Closed on Sundays
Goldsboro Books Website · Nearest Tube: Leicester Square
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Listen/Subscribe to the Goldsboro Books Podcast – Confessions of a Book Collector
Hatchards (Piccadilly)
London's oldest bookshop, founded in 1797, and still one of its finest. Hatchards is superb for signed spy books and first editions — their events programme regularly brings the genre's leading authors through the doors, and signed stock lingers on the shelves for the sharp-eyed.
187 Piccadilly, next to Fortnum & Mason.
Hatchards Official Website
Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus / Green Park
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Heywood Hill Bookshop(Mayfair) — ‘Ninety Years of Tailored Bookselling'
If you visit one shop on this list for the atmosphere alone, make it Heywood Hill on Curzon Street — famously referenced in John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. A Mayfair institution and the epitome of the fine British book purveyor, with a serious pedigree in literary history.
“Heywood Hill forever, even if it hadn't been Mr. George Smiley's bookshop of choice. The epitome of a fine British book purveyor.” — Clay Major
10 Curzon Street, London W1J 5HH
Nearest Tube: Green Park
Opening Times
The shop is open from 9.30am – 6.00pm
Monday – Friday
Heywood Hill Official Website
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Foyles (Charing Cross Road)
The flagship on Charing Cross Road is one of the largest bookshops in Europe, with deep crime, thriller and espionage sections spanning fiction and history. If a spy book is in print, Foyles almost certainly has it on the shelf.
107 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DT
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Foyles Website
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Waterstones Piccadilly (and Waterstones Gower Street)
The Waterstones Piccadilly branch is Europe's largest bookshop located in a historic Art Deco building at 203-206 Piccadilly, it features six floors and over eight miles of bookshelves holding more than 200,000 individual titles. At the time of writing, they curate the best spy novels on the I Spy table on the ground floor. If a title isn't in stock, use their same-day order service and collect it before you leave town.
203/206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HD
Nearest Tube: Piccadilly Circus
Waterstones Piccadilly Website
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The Waterstones Gower Street branch is also worth knowing — it carries a substantial second-hand department alongside new stock (more on that below).
82 Gower Street, London, WC1E 6EQ
Daunt Books (Marylebone and Holland Park)
Daunt Books' galleried Marylebone shop is one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, and its travel-led selection makes it a joy for espionage readers — browse by country and discover spy fiction and intelligence history shelved by the places where the stories unfold. The Holland Park branch is a quieter gem.
83-84 Marylebone High Street,
London W1U 4QW
Nearest Tube: Baker Street
Daunt Books Website
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John Sandoe Books (Chelsea)
A beloved independent just off the King's Road, crammed floor-to-ceiling in the best possible way. Expert hand-selling and a discerning stock — the kind of shop where the staff will put the right spy novel in your hand before you knew you wanted it.
“John Sandoe in Chelsea is very nice.” — Clarissa Aykroyd
10 Blacklands Terrace, London SW3 2SR, United Kingdom
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square
John Sandoe Books Website
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Best Second-Hand Spy Bookshops in London
Used and second-hand shops are where the real hunting happens — out-of-print Cold War thrillers, US editions you won't find in the UK, and espionage history that's long vanished from the new-book tables.
“The secondhand book options in London have declined significantly over the last thirty years… Of those remaining, Skoob Books is the best in central London.”
David Clark
Skoob Books (Bloomsbury)
The best second-hand bookshop in central London, by common Spybrary consent. Well organised (not a given in this trade), with a couple of dedicated shelves of non-fiction espionage and intelligence history alongside strong fiction stock. Off Russell Square, and two minutes from Judd Books — do both.
66 The Brunswick,
off Marchmont St,
London WC1N 1AE
Nearest Tube: Russell Square
Skoob Books Website
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Judd Books (Marchmont Street)
Head downstairs: Judd has a bookcase in the basement marked up ‘espionage' — a proper non-fiction section covering intelligence history, memoirs and tradecraft. It's especially good for US-published titles that never got a UK release, and they stock a large amount of remainders at friendly prices.
“It has a small bookcase in the basement marked up ‘espionage.' I picked up six books over the years which, being US published, I doubt I would have easily found elsewhere.” — Chris Rawlings
Nearest Tube: Russell Square
Address: 82 Marchmont St, London WC1N 1AG, UK
Hours: Monday–Saturday 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM; Sunday 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Any Amount of Books (Charing Cross Road)
‘Keeping the tradition of secondhand bookselling alive on Charing Cross Rd.'
A ‘classic' Charing Cross Road second-hand bookshop, still going strong when so many of its neighbours have gone. Always worth a browse of the crime and thriller shelves on your way between Foyles and Cecil Court. Lots of Espionage History books too!
“Any Amount of Books is still going strong as a ‘classic' Charing Cross Road secondhand bookshop.” — Lee Warren
Nearest Tube: Leicester Square
Any Amount of Books Website
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Hurlingham Books (Putney Bridge)
Chaotically arranged — and that's the charm. There's usually a good pick of classic spy fiction here if you're prepared to dig for it, and Spybrary members reliably come away with two or three finds. I have found many a Ted Allbeury and Gavin Lyall spy novels here.
“Chaotically arranged, but there's usually a good pick of classic spy fiction if you can find it.” — David Clark
‘We like to claim that Hurlingham Books is possibly the oldest independent bookshop in South West London. The owner, Ray Cole was inspired to open the shop in 1968. His love of books, and people means that, to this day, he's still the first to open our doors every morning! If you love books as much as he does, our shop is the place to visit.'
Whenever I visit London, I use a safehouse in Hammersmith. Several times a week I walk along the River Thames from Hammersmith to Putney – my destination is always Hurlingham Books. There is a lovely pub next door (hydration is important) as well as a charming coffee shop on the corner nearer the bridge. This bookshop is for those of us who are up for a good rummage through piles of books. The lady at the shop informed me that they also have a warehouse nearby with over 1 million books. I hope to visit that on my next trip to London and will report back.
91 Fulham High Street
London, England, SW6 3JS
United Kingdom
Nearest Tube: Putney Bridge
Hurlingham Books Website
Follow Hurlingham Books on Instagram
BookMongers (Brixton)
Better for fiction than non-fiction, and a happy hunting ground for US editions of spy novels — possibly, as one member speculates, thanks to Brixton's transatlantic links. Worth the trip south of the river.
They actually have a bookcase marked ‘Espionage' fill your boots!
439 Coldharbour Lane Brixton, London SW9 8LN
Nearest Tube: Brixton
Bookmongers Website
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Foster Books and Bookcase (Chiswick)
Two reasons to make a west London detour: Foster Books‘ handsome antiquarian shop on Chiswick High Road, and Bookcase nearby for bargains. If you collect vinyl records as well as spy books, check out the basement at Bookcase for a wide selection and decent prices.
Pair them with the Oxfam bookshop at Chiswick/Turnham Green (see below) for a compact Chiswick book crawl.
Foster Books
We are one of the few rare and secondhand bookshops left in West London, housed in our beautiful 18th century bow-windowed building.
We are open to the public Monday to Saturday 10.30 to 17.30 GMT, and most Sundays 11 to 5. – If you find yourself in Chiswick in West London, do come in and browse.
183 Chiswick High Road London W4 2DR
Nearest Tube: Turnham Green
Foster Books Website
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Bookcase London
268 Chiswick High Road, London W4 1PD
Bookcase Website
Follow Bookcase on Instagram
Oxfam Bookshop Chiswick/Turnham Green
90 Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick London, W4 1QN
Hidden Gems: Book Markets and Charity Shop Finds
Some of the best spy fiction finds in London don't come from bookshops at all.
The South Bank Book Market (under Waterloo Bridge) — the open-air second-hand book stalls under Waterloo Bridge are a London institution, and Spybrary members have pulled genuine gems from the tables. [Nearest Tube: Waterloo]
Oxfam Bookshops (Turnham Green and Bloomsbury) — Oxfam's dedicated bookshops are consistently strong on thrillers; the Bloomsbury branch slots neatly into a Skoob–Judd walking route.
British Heart Foundation (Streatham High Road) — an excellent second-hand book operation where sharp-eyed members have occasionally found real treasures.
A Spy Fan's Bookshop Crawl: The Bloomsbury Route
Several of the best hunting grounds sit within a short walk of each other, and Spybrary member David Clark covers them all on foot: start at Skoob Books off Russell Square, walk two minutes to Judd Books on Marchmont Street, drop into the Oxfam bookshop in Bloomsbury, and finish at Waterstones Gower Street for its large second-hand department. Four shops, one afternoon, and — on a good day — a bag full of Cold War paperbacks.
Shane Whaley adds that if you have more gas in the tank and, in the unlikely event that you still have cash for more books, make your way over to Fopp (they have a decent selection of books at very good prices), then cross over the road to the magnificent Foyles.
Beyond London: Finding Second-Hand Bookshops Across the UK
Heading further afield? The Book Guide (thebookguide.info) is an excellent resource for finding second-hand bookshops across the UK and Ireland, complete with an interactive map — many of the country's best used bookshops are outside city centres.
FAQ: Spy Fiction Bookshops in London
Where can I buy spy novels in London? For new spy fiction, head to Foyles, Hatchards, Waterstones Piccadilly or Daunt Books. For second-hand and out-of-print spy novels, the best options are Skoob Books in Bloomsbury, Any Amount of Books on Charing Cross Road, and Hurlingham Books by Putney Bridge.
Which London bookshop sells signed first edition spy books? Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court specialises in signed first editions and is the top choice for spy fiction collectors. Hatchards on Piccadilly also regularly stocks signed copies from major espionage authors.
Where can I find espionage history books in London? Judd Books on Marchmont Street has a dedicated espionage section in its basement, strong on intelligence history and US-published titles. Skoob Books nearby carries non-fiction espionage shelves, and Foyles has a deep intelligence history section in new stock.
This guide was compiled with recommendations from Spybrary community members Chris Rawlings, David Clark, Clay Major, Clarissa Aykroyd, Tim Shipman, Lee Warren and Taff Hughes. Found a gem? Share your London spy bookshop discoveries, Email me at shane@spybrary.com
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