The last few years have been major for thrillers going mainstream on streaming services, with both The Terminal List (starring Chris Pratt) and The Gray Man (starring Ryan Gosling) turning heads on Amazon Prime and Netflix, respectively. And if you enjoyed those, you might be looking for a book series or two that’s similar. If that’s the case, we’ve got you covered.
Below is a list of 6 must-read thriller series to read if you enjoyed The Terminal List or The Gray Man.
Strap in tight.
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
His memory is a blank. His bullet-ridden body was fished from the Mediterranean Sea. His face has been altered by plastic surgery. A frame of microfilm has been surgically implanted in his hip. Even his name is a mystery. Marked for death, he is racing for survival through a bizarre world of murderous conspirators—led by Carlos, the world’s most dangerous assassin. Who is Jason Bourne? The answer may kill him.
Patriot Games by Tom Clancy
As an American in London on vacation with his family, Jack Ryan never imagined his quick thinking would prevent an assassination attempt on Britain’s royal family and earn him the gratitude of an entire nation—and the scorn of an ultra-left-wing faction of the IRA. Irish terrorist Sean Miller and his followers in the Ulster Liberation Army intend to make sure Ryan pays for his interference in blood. But he’s not the only one they’re after…
With the lives of his pregnant wife and young daughter in mortal danger, Ryan accepts a role as a CIA analyst in order to find Miller and shut down the ULA. Going head to head with a ruthless terrorist is a fool’s errand, but Jack Ryan is the kind of man who will do whatever it takes to protect his family.
Dead Drop by M.P. Woodward
In Dead Drop (Berkley), the heart-pounding, action-packed sequel to M.P. Woodward’s explosive debut, The Handler, readers are transported back into the world of intrigue and suspense where exes John and Meredith Dale find themselves entangled in a sinister plot orchestrated by a ruthless terrorist organization.
John Dale is unexpectedly thrust back into action when the notorious ATLAS arrives on American soil, determined to extract every ounce of intelligence he possesses. Meanwhile, Meredith, a dedicated CIA Case Officer and John Dale’s ex-wife, struggles to reconcile her personal life with the mounting crisis. Dragged back to Washington D.C., she races against time to handle the imminent threat of rockets targeting Israel.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
This astonishing debut espionage thriller depicts the collision course between two geniuses, one a tortured hero and one a determined terrorist, in a breakneck story reminiscent of John le Carré and Robert Ludlum at their finest.
The astonishing story of one man’s breakneck race against time… and an implacable enemy. An anonymous young woman murdered in a run-down hotel, all identifying characteristics dissolved by acid. A father publicly beheaded in the blistering heat of a Saudi Arabian public square. A notorious Syrian biotech expert found eyeless in a Damascus junkyard. Smoldering human remains on a remote mountainside in Afghanistan. A flawless plot to commit an appalling crime against humanity. One path links them all, and only one man can make the journey.
Pilgrim
The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
To those who lurk in the shadows, he’s known as the Gray Man. He is a legend in the covert realm, moving silently from job to job, accomplishing the impossible and then fading away. And he always hits his target. Always.
But there are forces more lethal than Gentry in the world. Forces like money. And power. And there are men who hold these as the only currency worth fighting for. And in their eyes, Gentry has just outlived his usefulness.
But Court Gentry is going to prove that, for him, there’s no gray area between killing for a living and killing to stay alive….
Enemy of the State by Vince Flynn
After 9/11, the United States made one of the most secretive and dangerous deals in its history—the evidence against the powerful Saudis who coordinated the attack would be buried and in return, King Faisal would promise to keep the oil flowing and deal with the conspirators in his midst.
But when the king’s own nephew is discovered funding ISIS, the furious President gives Rapp his next mission: he must find out more about the high-level Saudis involved in the scheme and kill them. The catch? Rapp will get no support from the United States.
Forced to make a decision that will change his life forever, Rapp quits the CIA and assembles a group of independent contractors to help him complete the mission. They’ve barely begun unraveling the connections between the Saudi government and ISIS when the brilliant new head of the intelligence directorate discovers their efforts. With Rapp getting too close, he threatens to go public with the details of the post-9/11 agreement between the two countries. Facing an international incident that could end his political career, the President orders America’s intelligence agencies to join the Saudis’ effort to hunt the former CIA man down. With white-knuckled twists and turns leading to “an explosive climax” (Publishers Weekly), Enemy of the State is an unputdownable thrill ride that will keep you guessing until the final page.
