Colin Forbes Books in Order

How to Read Colin Forbes: The Recommended Path

For fans of classic British spy thrillers, Colin Forbes (the main pseudonym of Raymond Harold Sawkins) offers a massive library of suspense. To get the most out of his work, your reading path depends on whether you want a multi-book character arc or a quick, self-contained thriller. Here is how we recommend approaching his books:

• The Primary Path (Tweed & Co. Series): Start with Double Jeopardy (1982). Because this series follows a consistent team of intelligence officers who age and develop relationships over time, reading them in publication order is highly recommended.
• The Standalone Route: If you want to sample his writing style before committing to a 24-book series, start with Tramp in Armour (1969). This World War II tank thriller is widely considered one of his finest standalone works and showcases his trademark fast-paced narrative style.
• The Early Pseudonym Series: For completionists, you can explore his early trilogies written under his real name, Raymond Sawkins (the Snow Books), and his pseudonym Richard Raine (the David Martini Books). These should be read in publication order.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

One of the best things about reading Colin Forbes is that you do not need to worry about complex timelines, prequels, or chronological shifts. For the central Tweed & Co. series, the publication order and chronological order are identical. The characters age, the geopolitical backdrops shift from late Cold War tensions to modern anti-terrorism efforts, and the technology evolves naturally. Simply start with the first book and move forward to the last.

The Tweed & Co. Series in Detail

Spanning 24 novels from 1982 to 2006, the Tweed & Co. series is Forbes's defining masterpiece. The stories follow Tweed, the brilliant Deputy Director of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), and his elite team as they travel across Europe and the globe to dismantle elaborate international conspiracies. Tweed is accompanied by Paula Grey, a highly capable intelligence officer, and Bob Newman, a battle-hardened foreign correspondent and field operative. The "Co." in the series title refers to this dedicated group of operatives.

Here is the complete publication (and chronological) order of the Tweed & Co. books:

1. Double Jeopardy (1982) – Tweed and his team investigate a neo-Nazi conspiracy following the murder of an operative.
2. Terminal (1984) – A tense thriller centered on a mysterious, high-security medical clinic in Switzerland.
3. Cover Story (1986) – A high-stakes race involving a missing journalist and transatlantic political deception.
4. The Janus Man (1987) – Tweed must identify a traitor deep within the ranks of British intelligence.
5. Deadlock (1988) – The team races to stop a Soviet plan to block vital waterways in Northern Europe.
6. The Greek Key (1989) – A deadly chase across the Mediterranean involving a powerful blackmailer.
7. Shockwave (1990) – High-altitude tension and sabotage in the snowy wastes of Scandinavia.
8. Whirlpool (1991) – A complex web of financial manipulation and murder centered in Cologne and London.
9. By Stealth (1992) – Tweed investigates the mysterious appearance of an advanced submarine in British waters.
10. Cross of Fire (1992) – The team is caught in a conspiracy to destabilize France and trigger a new revolution.
11. The Power (1994) – A sinister cult leader threatens global stability with a terrifying plan.
12. Fury (1995) – A deeply personal and emotionally charged story written in memory of Forbes's late wife, Jane.
13. The Cauldron (1996) – A search for missing scientists leads to a terrifying weapon conspiracy.
14. Precipice (1996) – A race against time to stop an international syndicate from executing a devastating plot.
15. The Sisterhood (1997) – Paula Grey takes center stage as the team uncovers a dangerous secret society.
16. This United State (1998) – Tweed must deal with a plot threatening the internal union of the United States.
17. Sinister Tide (1999) – The team investigates a deadly new biological threat on a remote island.
18. Rhinoceros (2000) – A fast-paced conspiracy involving political assassinations and hidden wealth.
19. The Vorpal Blade (2001) – Tweed tracks a brilliant killer across a series of atmospheric European locales.
20. The Cell (2002) – The series shifts to address post-9/11 counter-terrorism challenges in London and beyond.
21. No Mercy (2003) – A brutal syndicate forces Tweed and his team to take extreme measures to survive.
22. Blood Storm (2004) – The team investigates a shadow network operating out of Austria.
23. The Main Chance (2005) – A high-finance thriller involving missing billions and corporate espionage.
24. The Savage Gorge (2006) – The final Tweed adventure, taking the team to the dramatic landscapes of the Swiss Alps.

Standalone Novels

Before and during the publication of the Tweed series, Forbes wrote a selection of highly regarded standalone thrillers. Most of these are historical adventure or action-espionage novels set during World War II or the Cold War. They can be read in any order:

1. Tramp in Armour (1969) – A classic WWII thriller following a British tank crew trapped behind enemy lines in France.
2. The Heights of Zervos (1970) – A dramatic tale of allied soldiers defending a Greek mountain pass against German forces.
3. The Palermo Ambush (1972) – A high-stakes train-sabotage mission set in wartime Sicily.
4. Target Five (1973) – A cold-weather Arctic thriller detailing the defection of a Soviet scientist.
5. Year of the Golden Ape (1974) – A suspenseful plot involving a supertanker, oil politics, and a nuclear threat.
6. The Stone Leopard (1975) – A Parisian political thriller centered around a mysterious resistance leader.
7. Avalanche Express (1977) – A famous train-bound Cold War espionage thriller focusing on the defection of a senior Soviet official.
8. The Stockholm Syndicate (1981) – A tense investigation into a secretive cabal seeking to dominate Europe's economy.
9. The Leader and the Damned (1985) – A historical fiction thriller examining the inner circle of Adolf Hitler and a conspiracy to end the war early.

What to Know Before You Start

To fully appreciate Colin Forbes’s books, keep these practical points in mind:

Authenticity of Settings: Forbes was famous for his dedication to research. He physically visited every location featured in his books—ranging from the fjords of Norway to the winding streets of Zurich. This gives his settings a vivid, atmospheric realism that makes the locations characters in their own right.

Early Pseudonym Works: Before writing under the Colin Forbes pen name, Sawkins wrote two trilogies. The Snow Books (written as Raymond Sawkins) follow investigator John Snow. The David Martini Books (written as Richard Raine) follow Martini as he uncovers international corporate conspiracies. While these are separate from the Colin Forbes universe, they offer a fascinating look at the author's development.

Adapting to the Screen: Only one of Forbes's novels was adapted for film: Avalanche Express (1979), starring Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw. Although the film had a troubled production due to the deaths of actor Robert Shaw and director Mark Robson during filming, the novel remains highly recommended for readers who love train-bound suspense.