Spy Thriller Author Len Deighton Dies At 97

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

LONDON (AP) " Len Deighton, a prolific writer whose tough, stylish spy thrillers featured on bestseller lists for decades, has died. He was 97.

Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 03:34 PM | 4 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Every one of his books I've read were great. Especially the Cold War era spy thrillers.

#1 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-03-17 03:44 PM | Reply

Sorry to read this. Len Deighton made it to 97, so good for him.

I'll check my library and see if I have any of his novels left.

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-03-17 04:46 PM | Reply

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS

I may reread a couple of his Cold War era novels.

Reminders of a simpler time when there were rules and no American president kowtowed to Russia like Trump does, even as they provide Iran with drones and satellite imagery to target U.S. forces in the region.

#3 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-03-17 04:58 PM | Reply

You said it, AU.

Len Deighton couldn't have written our present reality: A Russian sleeper agent would take over the reins of the USG after the end of the Cold War.

The closet fictional examples I could think of: The Manchurian Candidate, novel and film both excellent, and an Outer Limits TV episode where a Chinese spy replaces the VPOTUS: "One Hundred Days of the Dragon."

#4 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-03-17 05:13 PM | Reply