Espionage/Thriller w

Hi

When I was younger I really enjoyed spy thrillers with different settings and villains every book. A particular favourite was the CHERUB series by Robert Muchamore.

I wanted something with a similar feel aimed at adults but I’ve found the Jack Reacher/Jason Bourne books to be unrelatable. Jack Reacher in particular is always the best at everything he does and knows more than anyone would have any right to about whatever subject comes up. I understand there will always be contrivances for a character to have the requisite knowledge to overcome a particular problem but in the case of Reacher it’s too much too often in my opinion.

In a video I saw on YouTube recently (MrSundayMovies’ Caravan of Garbage: The Bourne Identity), the two hosts highlighted how in the film Bourne often doesn’t do the exact right thing but follows a really clear logic in order to complete his objectives. This is epitomised in the escape from the embassy where he beats up someone and then leaves, then doubles back to get the guy’s radio and when he’s looking for a way out of the embassy he steals a map of fire exits off the wall. Small actions that then justify why he can eventually make his way out of the embassy.

I tried the Bourne books themselves but I found the plot was a bit plodding and the love interest, in the first book at least, two dimensional.

Could someone please recommend a spy book/thriller that has a similarly relatable protagonist who figures things out in a believable way. Bonus points if it is part of a series where each book has an episodic/ villain of the week plot.