This volume presents thirteen essays on the spy thriller in the twentieth century and includes a critical introduction to the subject. Each essay combines in a clear and understandable way, formal, historical, and aesthetic theory with sound practical criticism. Authors covered range from past masters such as Joseph Conrad and John Buchan to present masters such as Ian Fleming, Len Deighton and John le Carr, whilst subjects range widely from discussion of the formal characteristics of the genre to the conditions governing modern state surveillance and control, of which the spy novel is not only a symptom but also a warning. The book, which combines a comprehensive range of literary approaches, is the companion volume to Nineteenth-Century Suspense: From Poe to Conan Doyle, Twentieth Century Suspense: The Genre Comes of Age, Literature and Imperialism and American Crime Fiction, all available in the Insights Series.