A trilogy of trilogies with an epic thrown in for good measure, this is the second best known series of Len Deighton ("Harry Palmer" comes first).

It stars a British spy called Bernard Samson, who discovers that his wife, also a spy, is working for East Germany.

The books in the series, divided by their trilogy:

Trilogy 1: In which Fiona Samson turns out to be an East German agent and defects. Bernard acquires a girlfriend called Gloria.

  • Berlin Game
  • Mexico Set
  • London Match

Adapted into a TV series in 1998. It was a ratings failure and Len Deighton disowned it. He has since bought the rights and has prevented it being re-released on DVD.

The Epic:

  • Winter- The story of two brothers living in Germany from 1900 to 1945. Background to the series.

Trilogy 2: In which Fiona Samson turns out to actually be a triple agent. Her sister ends up dead and buried in an East German roadworks.

  • Spy Hook
  • Spy Line
  • Spy Sinker- Hook and Line from points of view rather than that of Samson.

Trilogy 3: Written after the fall of the Berlin Wall, but set before it.

  • Faith
  • Hope
  • Charity
Tropes used in Bernard Samson Series include:
  • Berlin
  • Bookends: Each book in the 'Game, Set and Match' trilogy begins and ends inside a car.
  • Clear My Name: Fiona's defection throws suspicion on Bernard too.
  • Fake Defector
  • The Mole
  • Oxbridge: Bernard has a chip on his shoulder over those who owe their advancement to their connections as opposed to his field experience.
  • The Stale Beer approach to Spy Fiction
  • World War Two (Winter)
  • Ugly Guy Hot Girlfriend: Bernard and Gloria
  • Unreliable Narrator
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