What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Amateur
James Hawes · Film · 2025
If you loved The Amateur, start with The Recruit (Alexi Hawley, 2022) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Amateur across media.
If The Amateur captivated you, it is because you love watching ordinary individuals forced into high-stakes shadows to seek personal justice.
Books on the same thread
The Widow: A Novel
John Grisham · Book · 2025
Explores: Secrets, Betrayal, Justice.
Like the protagonist of The Amateur, the lead in this story finds themselves thrust into a desperate quest for truth that forces them to operate outside their professional comfort zone.
Clown Town
Mick Herron · Book · 2026
Shares a thread with The Amateur: Espionage Thriller.
Fans of The Amateur will recognize the same cynical, high-stakes atmosphere where the intelligence community is more of a hurdle than a partner in the search for resolution.
The Hunter
Tana French · Book
Explores: Outsider status, Protecting family, Hidden pasts.
Much like the decoder in The Amateur, the retired officer here is a fish out of water who must rely on his own skills to protect his family.
One Shot
Lee Child · Book
Explores: Vigilante Justice, Military Expertise, Small-town Secrets.
If you appreciated the singular determination of the lead in The Amateur, you will be drawn to this story of a man taking matters into his own hands.
Series on the same thread
The Agency: Central Intelligence
Jez Butterworth · Series · 2024
Shares a thread with The Amateur: Espionage Thriller.
The Amateur shares this title's focus on the tension between personal loyalty and the cold, unyielding machinery of the CIA when agents are left to fend for themselves.
Your Friends & Neighbors
Jonathan Tropper · Series · 2025
Explores: wealth inequality, midlife crisis, moral decay.
Just as the hero of The Amateur turns to illicit methods after being abandoned by his superiors, this narrative explores the thrill of a man operating outside the law.
The Recruit
Alexi Hawley · Series · 2022
Shares 3 threads with The Amateur: Fish Out of Water, Espionage Thriller, Action Thriller.
Like the protagonist in The Amateur, the lead character here is a civilian suddenly plunged into the dangerous and unfamiliar world of international espionage and institutional conspiracy.
Man on Fire
Kyle Killen · Series · 2026
Explores: redemption, guilt, protective bond.
The Amateur captures a similar spirit of a lone individual driven by a protective, vengeful bond to navigate a world that has turned its back on them.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
Explores: unsolved homicide, seeking justice, historical mystery.
If the hunt for answers in The Amateur kept you engaged, you will appreciate this deep dive into cold cases where the truth is buried by systemic negligence.
The Rest Is Classified
Podcast
Explores: Cold War, Intelligence agencies, Covert operations.
This podcast provides the real-world context for the intelligence failures seen in The Amateur, explaining exactly why the CIA often refuses to take the actions victims demand.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary motivation for the protagonist in The Amateur?
The protagonist of The Amateur is a brilliant but introverted CIA decoder who takes matters into his own hands after a terrorist attack in London kills his wife. He decides to act independently because his supervisors refuse to take any action regarding the tragedy.
Is The Amateur based on a true story?
The Amateur is a 2025 film directed by James Hawes that follows a fictional narrative about a CIA decoder seeking justice for his wife. There is no information provided to suggest that The Amateur is based on actual events or a true story.
Who directed the 2025 film The Amateur?
The 2025 film The Amateur was directed by James Hawes. The story centers on a CIA decoder who pursues his own investigation into a London terrorist attack after his wife is killed and his superiors fail to address the situation.
What happens to the protagonist's wife in The Amateur?
In The Amateur, the protagonist's life is turned upside down when his wife is killed during a terrorist attack in London. This tragic event serves as the catalyst for the main character to abandon his role as a CIA decoder and pursue justice on his own.