
Spies on Screen
From Silent to Streaming
Paul Burke(Author)
Oldcastle Books Ltd (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 24. September 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-0-85730-633-3 (ISBN)
Description
From Hitchcock to Herron, Spies on Screen is the first comprehensive guide of the modern era, including the British and American films that have defined the genre alongside their foreign influences. It features more than 900 case studies and covers every major espionage movie and TV series, by way of romance, escapism, explosive action and gritty realism. Written by a lifelong lover of espionage on screen, each entry notes the director, key actors, writers, plot outlines and their inspirations - from both the real world and fiction.
More popular than ever, the genre that first exploded during the Cold War continues to offer an insight into the world around us, reflecting topical concerns surrounding geopolitics, personal betrayals, issues of privacy and state control, cyber wars and counterterrorism. In a series of compelling and accessible essays, this guide defines the trends, themes and transformations of spying across more than a century of hot and cold conflict.
Taking in everything from Oscar winners, Nobel laureates, auteurs and real-life spies to the high octane thrills of Bond and Bourne and the calculated cool of mole hunter George Smiley; from silent movies to the latest streaming series - they are all here. Whether you are hoping to discover a new series or to reconnect with a forgotten classic, look no further.
More popular than ever, the genre that first exploded during the Cold War continues to offer an insight into the world around us, reflecting topical concerns surrounding geopolitics, personal betrayals, issues of privacy and state control, cyber wars and counterterrorism. In a series of compelling and accessible essays, this guide defines the trends, themes and transformations of spying across more than a century of hot and cold conflict.
Taking in everything from Oscar winners, Nobel laureates, auteurs and real-life spies to the high octane thrills of Bond and Bourne and the calculated cool of mole hunter George Smiley; from silent movies to the latest streaming series - they are all here. Whether you are hoping to discover a new series or to reconnect with a forgotten classic, look no further.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Harpenden, Herts
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-85730-633-3 (9780857306333)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
PAUL BURKE was born in London, university educated and has worked in the private, voluntary and academic sector over the years. He has been writing about crime, thriller and mystery fiction since 2016 and podcasting for Crime Time FM since 2021. His first passion as a reader was Cold War spy fiction. Paul is interested in sports, arts, politics and history. He is also the editor of Aspects of Crime, a new online magazine/website dedicated to crime fact and fiction.