Books by Paul Vidich
“Vidich’s real strength is authenticity. The tradecraft feels right. The bureaucracy feels painfully familiar. And most importantly, the characters feel real. Matthews is an excellent protagonist: a former Moscow station chief still affected by the death of his first wife, struggling with a resentful teenage son, and increasingly unsure whether his second marriage is as solid as he hoped. But it’s not just about writing believable characters; Vidich’s novels are rich in atmosphere. In The Poet’s Game, Vidich captures modern Russia superbly. I felt like I was walking down the streets of Moscow.” Read more...
“Paul Vidich is so good. That’s what I enjoy most about doing the Spybrary podcast. People write to me and say, ‘I would never have discovered Paul Vidich if it wasn’t for you and now I can’t get enough of it.’ I picked it this book up at Heathrow airport. I had been planning to watch movies on the flight but I inhaled this book instead. I just couldn’t put it down. It’s a thought-provoking and intense spy novel and I just wanted to finish it. The book is set during the Israeli-Hezbollah war in 2006. The events depicted are fictional but revolve around historical incidents, including the tragic murder of the CIA station chief, William Buckley, in Lebanon in 1985. “ Read more...
Interviews where books by Paul Vidich were recommended
The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023, recommended by Shane Whaley
2023 was a fabulous year for spy thrillers, with some fans saying there hasn’t been a year like it since the 1970s, says Shane Whaley, host of the Spybrary podcast. He picks out five of his favourites from the year, all works of fiction that nonetheless give a sense of what it’s like to work as a spy.
The Best Spy Books of 2025, recommended by Shane Whaley
2025 was another bumper year for spy novels, says Shane Whaley, host of Spybrary—the go-to podcast for lovers of spy books and movies. He talks us through his five favourite standalone books published this year, from a realistic novel about a duel between Mossad and Iran’s security apparatus, to a nonfiction book about a Cold War defector that reads like a thriller.
