Harry Maxim

Major Harry Maxim is a former SAS officer assigned as intelligence adviser at 10 Downing Street, the protagonist of Gavin Lyall's Cold War espionage series.
Character

Major Harry Maxim is the protagonist of Gavin Lyall’s Cold War espionage series. A battle-scarred former SAS officer, Maxim is assigned as an intelligence aide and security adviser at 10 Downing Street, where he works alongside George Harbinger, the Prime Minister’s private secretary. The job puts him in the middle of operations involving MI5, MI6, and Soviet intelligence, while navigating the political rivalries between agencies.

The character was originally developed for a proposed BBC television series. Lyall wrote four novels featuring Maxim between 1980 and 1988, shifting from the sardonic aviation thrillers of his earlier career to tighter Cold War espionage fiction.

Reading Order

See the complete Harry Maxim reading order for all books in the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Harry Maxim?

Major Harry Maxim is a former SAS officer assigned as an intelligence aide and security adviser at 10 Downing Street. He works alongside George Harbinger, the Prime Minister’s private secretary, navigating Cold War espionage involving MI5, MI6, and Soviet intelligence.

How many Harry Maxim books are there?

There are four Harry Maxim novels by Gavin Lyall: The Secret Servant (1980), The Conduct of Major Maxim (1982), The Crocus List (1986), and Uncle Target (1988).

Was Harry Maxim created for television?

The character was originally developed for a proposed BBC television series. While the TV adaptation did not go ahead as planned, Lyall wrote four novels featuring the character between 1980 and 1988.

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