Manning Coles was the pen name of British authors Adelaide Manning and Cyril Coles. Known for clever spy thrillers, they created the popular Tommy Hambledon series, including titles like Drink to Yesterday and A Toast to Tomorrow.
If you enjoy reading books by Manning Coles then you might also like the following authors:
Eric Ambler creates espionage stories that show spies as ordinary people in extraordinary situations. His novels often feature realistic, believable protagonists swept up in political intrigue in prewar and wartime Europe.
Ambler’s style is clear and engaging, blending suspense and insightful commentary on international affairs.
If you appreciate Manning Coles, you'd likely enjoy Ambler’s novel The Mask of Dimitrios, which unravels the mysterious past and crimes of an elusive criminal across Europe.
Geoffrey Household writes adventurous thrillers centered around tense pursuits and survival scenarios. His stories focus on ordinary individuals thrust into dangerous circumstances, having to rely on ingenuity to survive. Household's narratives are fast-paced and atmospheric.
Fans of Manning Coles might particularly enjoy Rogue Male, where a British man attempts to outwit pursuers after a failed assassination attempt against a European dictator.
John Buchan set the standard for classic spy thrillers that blend action, espionage, and adventure. His stories usually depict resourceful heroes caught up in secret plots involving international intrigue. Buchan’s straightforward narrative style makes for quick, engaging reads.
Readers who enjoy Manning Coles' blend of intrigue and adventure should try Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps, a classic chase thriller full of quick thinking and daring escapes.
Graham Greene's espionage novels are often thoughtful and morally complex. His writing captures not just action but inner conflicts, doubts, and ethical questions faced by spies caught between conflicting loyalties.
His clear style and insight into human motives are particularly appealing. Manning Coles fans might find Greene’s The Quiet American particularly rewarding for its exploration of the moral ambiguity of espionage during the Vietnam conflict.
Len Deighton writes spy thrillers combining gritty realism with complex plots and detailed espionage methods. Like Manning Coles, he fills his novels with sharp dialogue, engaging detail, and wit.
Deighton's clear prose provides vivid portrayals of Cold War espionage and intelligence operations. Manning Coles readers who enjoy authentic detail and believable spy craft would likely enjoy Deighton's popular novel The IPCRESS File.
Helen MacInnes writes espionage adventures with believable characters and plenty of action, as seen in Above Suspicion. Her fiction often explores international intrigue and spies caught in tense wartime scenarios.
If you appreciate Manning Coles's storytelling, MacInnes's blend of suspense and realistic settings should be right up your alley.
Dennis Wheatley is known for thrilling and suspenseful espionage novels like The Forbidden Territory. His stories revolve around secret societies, daring heroes, and dangerous international plots.
Readers who enjoy the espionage atmosphere of Manning Coles will likely find Wheatley's mixture of spies, adventure, and hidden danger enjoyable.
E. Phillips Oppenheim specializes in intrigue and international suspense, often involving polished and sophisticated protagonists. In novels like The Great Impersonation, he creates memorable spy thrillers with clever twists and detailed European settings.
Fans of Manning Coles's spy fiction will appreciate Oppenheim's carefully crafted deceptions and suspenseful storytelling.
Somerset Maugham explores characters caught up in secrets, espionage, and moral dilemmas with a literary touch. Ashenden: Or the British Agent blends realistic characterizations with genuine spy experiences drawn from the author's own wartime service.
Those fond of Manning Coles's detailed spy writing and humanistic themes will appreciate Maugham's deeper emotional insight and nuanced portrayal of espionage.
Ian Fleming creates smooth, stylish thrillers known worldwide for excitement, spies, and adventure, exemplified by his famous debut Casino Royale. Featuring the iconic spy James Bond, Fleming's writing is sophisticated yet full of fast-paced action, exotic locales, and danger.
Readers who enjoy Manning Coles’s spy settings and intricate plotting will find Fleming's vivid storytelling and famous spy adventures particularly appealing.
If you like Manning Coles' blend of intrigue and espionage, John le Carré could be a perfect match. His spy novels offer complex emotional depths and a realistic look at the moral ambiguity and cynicism within intelligence agencies.
His style is thoughtful and full of psychological insight. A good starting point is his classic The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, a gritty look at Cold War espionage.
Joseph Conrad is famous for exploring human psychology through tense plots often set in exotic or challenging places. Fans of Manning Coles' richly textured storytelling might enjoy Conrad’s The Secret Agent.
This book mixes political intrigue with deep character studies, capturing the dark humor, absurdity, and moral confusion associated with espionage.
For something lighter, Compton Mackenzie offers wit, charm, and satire against the backdrop of espionage adventures. Like Manning Coles, Mackenzie doesn't take secret service life too seriously, gently poking fun at bureaucratic absurdities.
A fine example is Whisky Galore, an entertaining and humorous tale based on wartime incidents involving secretive misadventures around whisky smuggling.
Fans who enjoy Manning Coles' engaging, fast-moving narratives might find Peter Cheyney appealing. Cheyney gives readers stylishly gritty thrillers featuring tough, quick-thinking protagonists.
His novel This Man is Dangerous is an exciting and fast-paced story involving detective and spy adventures, packed with sharp dialogue and vivid characters.
If you appreciate the witty dialogue, charismatic characters, and thrilling pace of Manning Coles, you should try Leslie Charteris. He's best known for his Saint stories, featuring the smooth, audacious, and charming hero Simon Templar.
Begin with Enter the Saint, a series of energetic adventures full of humor, action, and quick-thinking ingenuity.