If you loved
The Spy
Gideon Raff · Series · 2019
What hooked you in The Spy was the way the weight of high-stakes espionage rests entirely on the shoulders of one man.
Books on the same thread
The Secret War with Iran
Ronen Bergman · Book · 2008
If you loved The Spy, you will appreciate this deep dive into the real-world clandestine maneuvers that mirror the dangerous, long-term undercover operations Eli Cohen navigated for the Mossad.
Hunting Eichmann
Neal Bascomb · Book · 2009
You will find the same obsession with identity and pursuit in this account that defined The Spy, capturing the meticulous effort required to track a target across international borders.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Mark T. Sullivan · Book · 2018
The Spy captures the life-altering cost of infiltration, a theme echoed here as a young man balances an ordinary life with the extreme dangers of clandestine wartime resistance work.
A Century of Spies
Jeffrey Richelson · Book · 1997
Those drawn to the professional world of intelligence in The Spy will enjoy this comprehensive history, which provides the strategic context behind the covert operations Eli Cohen performed.
Films on the same thread
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Tomas Alfredson · Film · 2011
If The Spy fascinated you with its exploration of deception and the psychological toll of deep-cover work, this film offers a similarly somber, grounded look at the shadow world.
Operation Finale
Film · 2018
This film mirrors the historical weight and Israeli intelligence focus of The Spy, centering on the high-stakes mission to bring a major figure to justice through secret operations.
The Red Sea Diving Resort
Gideon Raff · Film · 2019
Sharing the same creator as The Spy, this story also highlights how Mossad agents utilize elaborate, risky cover stories to execute humanitarian missions under the nose of hostile authorities.
Spy
Paul Feig · Film · 2015
While lighter in tone than The Spy, this film explores the same core concept of an unlikely individual thrust into a high-stakes undercover role to infiltrate dangerous circles.
Podcasts on the same thread
CounterClock
Audiochuck · Podcast · 2025
If you were gripped by the investigative persistence seen in The Spy, this podcast will satisfy your interest in digging through layers of history to uncover hidden truths.
The Rest Is Classified
Podcast
This podcast provides the real-world expertise behind the espionage depicted in The Spy, pulling back the curtain on the actual tradecraft and geopolitical stakes of intelligence work.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Spy based on a true story?
The Spy is based on the life of Eli Cohen, an Israeli clerk who became a secret agent for Mossad. The series depicts his real-life mission in the 1960s where he went undercover inside Syria to gather intelligence over the course of several years.
How long is the mission depicted in The Spy?
The mission portrayed in The Spy spans several years. The series follows the journey of Eli Cohen as he transitions from his role as an Israeli clerk into a deep-cover operative working within Syria during the 1960s for the Mossad intelligence agency.
What is the primary role of Eli Cohen in The Spy?
In The Spy, Eli Cohen serves as a secret agent for Mossad. He begins his career as an Israeli clerk before undertaking a dangerous, years-long undercover mission inside Syria to spy for his country during the 1960s.
When does the story in The Spy take place?
The events of The Spy take place during the 1960s. The narrative focuses on the covert operations of Eli Cohen, who transitions from his life as an Israeli clerk to a deep-cover agent tasked with spying on Syria for the Mossad.