Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| To Catch a Spy |
1966 |
Buy |
| The Man Who… |
1992 |
Buy |
Arthur Abdel Simpson Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Light of Day |
1962 |
Buy |
| Topkapi |
1962 |
N/A |
| Dirty Story |
1967 |
Buy |
Charles Latimer Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Background to danger |
1939 |
N/A |
| The Mask of Dimitrios / A Coffin for Dimitrios |
1939 |
Buy |
| Das Intercom- Komplott. |
1969 |
N/A |
| The Intercom Conspiracy / Quiet Conspiracy |
1969 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Great Cases of Scotland Yard |
1978 |
Buy |
| Here Lies Eric Ambler: An Autobiography |
1985 |
Buy |
| The Story So Far |
1995 |
Buy |
Short Story Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Ability to Kill and Other Pieces |
1964 |
Buy |
| Waiting for Orders |
1991 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Dark Frontier |
1936 |
Buy |
| Epitaph for a Spy |
1938 |
Buy |
| Journey Into Fear |
1940 |
Buy |
| Skytip |
1951 |
Buy |
| Judgment on Deltchev |
1951 |
Buy |
| Tender To Danger / Moonlight |
1951 |
Buy |
| The Schirmer Inheritance |
1953 |
Buy |
| The Maras Affair |
1953 |
Buy |
| Charter To Danger |
1954 |
Buy |
| The Night Comers / State of Siege |
1956 |
Buy |
| Passport To Panic |
1958 |
Buy |
| Passage of Arms |
1959 |
Buy |
| A Kind Of Anger |
1964 |
Buy |
| The Levanter |
1972 |
Buy |
| Doctor Frigo |
1974 |
Buy |
| The Siege of Villa Lipp / Send No More Roses |
1977 |
Buy |
| The Care of Time |
1981 |
Buy |
Valeshoff Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Uncommon Danger / Background to Danger |
1937 |
Buy |
| Cause for Alarm |
1938 |
Buy |
Eric Ambler was one of the most influential thriller writers of the twentieth century. Beginning with The Dark Frontier in 1936, he reinvented the spy novel by replacing aristocratic heroes with ordinary people caught up in espionage and political intrigue. His prewar novels, including The Mask of Dimitrios, Epitaph for a Spy, and Journey Into Fear, are considered classics of the genre.
Ambler wrote steadily through the postwar decades, producing novels like The Light of Day (filmed as Topkapi), Passage of Arms, and Doctor Frigo. He also wrote screenplays, short stories, and an autobiography. His influence on later spy fiction writers, particularly John le Carre, is widely acknowledged.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Eric Ambler written?
Eric Ambler has written 33 books across seven series.
What was Eric Ambler's first book?
Eric Ambler’s first book is The Dark Frontier, published in 1936.
Why is Eric Ambler important to spy fiction?
Eric Ambler is credited with transforming the spy novel from pulp adventure into serious fiction. Writing from the late 1930s onward, he introduced ordinary, reluctant protagonists into espionage stories and brought political realism to the genre, directly influencing writers like John le Carre and Graham Greene.