15 Books Similar To Alex Rider [2026 Updated]

If you are reading this, chances are you have already raced through the high stakes missions of Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series. You know the feeling well. The adrenaline of the chase, the sleek gadgets that actually work, and the thrill of watching a teenager outsmart the world’s most dangerous criminals. It is a specific kind of literary magic that combines coming of age relatability with pulse pounding espionage action. But what happens when you turn the final page? The post series slump is real, my friends. We have all been there, staring at our bookshelves and wondering where our next MI6 style adventure is coming from.

Luckily, the world of Young Adult (YA) espionage and action adventure is thriving in 2026. Whether you love the gadgetry, the secret organizations, or the “kid vs. the world” trope, there are incredible titles waiting to be discovered. I have scoured the shelves to bring you a curated list of books that capture that same lightning in a bottle. These picks are not just placeholders; they are legitimate contenders for your new favorite series. So, grab your reading glasses and maybe a night vision scope, because we are diving deep into the best books similar to Alex Rider.

Why We Love Teenage Spy Thrillers

Before we jump into the recommendations, let’s talk about why this genre hooks us so hard. It is not just about the explosions or the secret missions. It is about agency. In a world where teenagers often feel powerless or unheard, characters like Alex Rider prove that competence and bravery have no age limit.

The best books in this genre share a few semantic keywords and themes that you will see repeated below: reluctant heroes, secret academies, high tech espionage, and global conspiracies. The data from recent publishing trends shows a massive resurgence in this category, with readers craving stories that blend fast paced action with genuine character growth. If you are looking for that specific mix of danger and wit, the following list is your new classified dossier.

Top 15 Books for Fans of Alex Rider

1. The Recruit (CHERUB Series) by Robert Muchamore

If Alex Rider feels a bit too “James Bond” and you want something grittier and more grounded in reality, CHERUB is your next obsession. The premise is brilliant in its simplicity: adults are suspicious, but nobody suspects a child. That is the motto of CHERUB, a secret branch of British Intelligence that recruits orphans to work as undercover agents. The first book, The Recruit, introduces us to James Choke, a bit of a troublemaker who hits rock bottom before being offered a lifeline by this mysterious organization.

What makes this book a perfect follow up to Alex Rider is the intense training sequence. Robert Muchamore dedicates a huge chunk of the book to the grueling physical and mental preparation James must endure to earn his “grey shirt.” It feels incredibly earned. Unlike Alex, who sort of falls into his skills, James has to sweat and bleed for them. The missions are less about supervillains with doomsday devices and more about drug dealers, terrorists, and gangs, giving the series a realistic, urban edge. It is raw, punchy, and absolutely addictive for anyone who loves the undercover aspect of spy fiction.

2. SilverFin (Young Bond Series) by Charlie Higson

It is impossible to talk about teen spies without mentioning the grandfather of them all, James Bond. But before he was 007, he was just a boy at Eton. Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series is a masterful period piece set in the 1930s that captures the DNA of the original Ian Fleming novels while making them accessible to a younger audience. SilverFin takes us to the Scottish Highlands where young James is visiting family, only to stumble upon a dark mystery involving a local laird and some terrifying genetic experiments.

The connection to Alex Rider is obvious, but the vibe is distinct. This is historical espionage at its finest. There are no smartphones or hacking devices here; James has to rely on his wits, his fists, and good old fashioned detective work. The villain, Lord Hellebore, is delightfully terrifying and fits right in with the eccentric antagonists Alex Rider often faces. Higson does a phenomenal job of planting the seeds of the man James will become, showing us his vulnerability and his developing killer instinct. If you enjoy the British boarding school aesthetic mixed with life threatening danger, this is a non negotiable addition to your reading list.

3. Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

Sometimes you want the action without the heaviness. Enter Spy School, a series that takes the tropes of the genre and has a lot of fun with them. Ben Ripley is a math genius who dreams of becoming a CIA agent, but he is also incredibly awkward and not exactly “field ready.” When he gets recruited to a top secret academy for future spies, he assumes it is because of his potential. In reality, he is being used as bait to catch a mole inside the organization.

This book is perfect for younger readers or anyone who needs a palate cleanser after the intensity of Horowitz’s work. While Alex Rider is a reluctant but highly capable spy, Ben Ripley is a willing but highly incapable one, at least at first. The humor is sharp and laugh out loud funny, often poking fun at the very clichés that make spy movies so serious. However, do not let the comedy fool you; the plot is tightly woven with plenty of twists, double crosses, and action sequences. It is a smarter, lighter take on the secret agent school trope that appeals to the puzzle solving side of your brain.

4. I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls) by Ally Carter

Let’s hear it for the girls. For too long, the spy genre was a boys’ club, but Ally Carter changed the game with the Gallagher Girls series. The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women might look like a posh boarding school for snobby heiresses, but it is actually a training ground for the world’s most elite female spies. Cammie Morgan is a sophomore who can speak fourteen languages and kill a man with her bare hands, but she has absolutely no idea how to talk to a regular boy.

The charm of this book lies in its duality. It balances high stakes espionage training (like covert operations class and chemical warfare) with the terrifying ordeal of normal teenage romance. Fans of Alex Rider will appreciate the “secret life” aspect, where the protagonist has to hide their true capabilities from the outside world. Cammie is a “chameleon” (her code name), an expert in blending in, which offers a different perspective on spycraft compared to the more confrontational style of Alex. It is witty, empowering, and features a strong ensemble cast of characters who support each other through thick and thin.

5. Hostage (Bodyguard Series) by Chris Bradford

Chris Bradford is a black belt and a trained bodyguard, and he brings that authentic, technical knowledge to every page of this series. In Hostage, we meet Connor Reeves, a teenager recruited into a covert organization that provides protection for the children of the rich and famous. His first assignment? Protect the daughter of the American President. No pressure, right?

The Bodyguard series flips the script. Instead of being the spy who infiltrates and attacks, Connor is the shield who defends and protects. This shift in dynamic creates a unique tension. He has to be constantly vigilant, scanning for threats and reacting in a split second. The action scenes are visceral and realistic, detailing close protection formations and defensive combat techniques. If you loved the specific details of Alex Rider’s combat gear and tactical decision making, you will geek out over the tradecraft in this book. It is fast paced, cinematic, and filled with “die hard” scenarios that keep the pages turning late into the night.

6. City Spies by James Ponti

This is one of the more modern entries on our list and has quickly become a favorite in the library and bookstore community. City Spies features a diverse team of five kids from around the world, each with a unique skill set—from hacking to sleight of hand—adopted by a British spy named Mother. They live in a castle in Scotland (the dream!) and train to take on missions that adults simply cannot handle.

The first book sees the team heading to Paris to stop a sinister plot during a youth environmental summit. What makes this similar to Alex Rider is the global scale of the adventure. We get that jet setting feel, moving from city to city, which adds a layer of sophistication to the story. The team dynamic is the heart of the book; watching these misfits find a family in each other while saving the world is incredibly satisfying. It is smart, inclusive, and packed with clever puzzles that the reader can try to solve alongside the characters. The “found family” trope is strong here, adding emotional weight to the action.

7. H.I.V.E. (Higher Institute of Villainous Education) by Mark Walden

What if you were rooting for the bad guys? Or at least, the guys training to be bad? H.I.V.E. takes place at a school located inside an active volcano (a classic villain move) where children are trained to become criminal masterminds. Otto Malpense, a brilliant young hacker, is kidnapped and brought to the school, but he has no intention of becoming a supervillain. He just wants to escape.

This book is a fantastic inversion of the spy school genre. Instead of learning to save the world, the students are learning how to build doomsday lasers and manage henchmen. However, the protagonist, Otto, shares that same sharp intellect and rebellious streak as Alex Rider. He is constantly outsmarting the adults and the high tech security systems around him. The technology in this series is futuristic and wild, leaning heavily into sci-fi elements like killer plants and androids. If you liked the “gadget porn” aspect of the Stormbreaker mission, H.I.V.E. ramps that up to eleven.

8. Jimmy Coates: Killer by Joe Craig

This series is often described as “The Bourne Identity for kids,” and that description is spot on. Jimmy Coates seems like a normal boy until he discovers he is actually a genetically engineered assassin designed by a secret government agency. When his programming kicks in, he finds he can do things he never learned—fight, run, and strategize with superhuman efficiency. But unlike a robot, Jimmy has a conscience and fights to control his own destiny.

The pacing in Jimmy Coates: Killer is breathless. From the moment the truth is revealed, Jimmy is on the run, and the tension never lets up. It explores themes of identity and free will that are slightly darker and more psychological than your average adventure book. For Alex Rider fans, the appeal is the “one boy against the government” conflict. Jimmy is being hunted by the very people who created him, forcing him to use their own weapons against them. The action choreography is written with a kinetic energy that makes you feel every punch and narrow escape.

9. Boy Nobody (The Unknown Assassin) by Allen Zadoff

If you are looking for something with a darker, noir atmosphere, Boy Nobody is the book for you. The protagonist has no name, no past, and no emotions. He is a teenage assassin working for a shadowy organization known as The Program. His missions are simple: infiltrate a target’s life, gain their trust, and then eliminate them. But his latest assignment the daughter of the Mayor of New York City starts to crack his icy armor.

This book is structurally fascinating. It reads like a hardboiled thriller, with short, punchy chapters and a detached first person narration that eventually warms up as the character reclaims his humanity. It is less about saving the world and more about saving his own soul. The similarity to Alex Rider lies in the cold efficiency of the protagonist and the manipulation by adult handlers. However, Boy Nobody takes the moral ambiguity of espionage much further. It is a gripping, fast read that questions the cost of being a weapon.

10. The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the queen of intricate plots (you might know her from The Inheritance Games), and The Fixer is her take on political scandal and high stakes mystery. Tess Kendrick is not a spy in the traditional sense, but she has a unique set of skills. Sent to live with her sister in Washington D.C., she discovers that her sister is a “fixer” for the political elite someone who makes problems disappear. Tess soon realizes she has a knack for the family business.

While it lacks the explosions of an Alex Rider novel, it makes up for it with political intrigue and secrets that can topple governments. The tension here comes from information, blackmail, and social maneuvering rather than physical combat. Tess is incredibly sharp, observant, and cynical, much like Alex. She views the high school hierarchy and the political landscape as battlefields to be navigated. If you enjoy the investigative side of spy thrillers and the feeling of uncovering a massive conspiracy layer by layer, this book is a cerebral treat.

11. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

Let’s get a little weird with this one. Imagine a spy school, but set it in a Victorian steampunk world with vampires and werewolves. Sophronia Temminck is a terrible lady; she is far too interested in climbing trees and taking things apart. So, her mother ships her off to Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. But Sophronia quickly learns that “finishing” includes learning how to finish off an attacker with a deadly curtsy or a poisoned fan.

This crossover genre gem is hilarious and adventurous. It combines the manners of Downton Abbey with the gadgets of Mission Impossible. The “sneakiness” is a major theme here. The girls are taught that deceit and diversion are a woman’s best weapons in a society that underestimates them. It is a delightful departure from modern day settings, yet it scratches that same itch for secret training and covert missions. The world building is rich and imaginative, perfect for readers who want their spy fiction with a side of supernatural flair.

12. Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans

For those who like their action with a sci-fi twist, Michael Vey is a strong contender. Michael is a teenager with Tourette’s syndrome and a secret power: he is electric. He can shock people, interact with electronics, and generate energy. He discovers there are other kids like him, and they are being hunted by a powerful organization called the Elgen.

While Michael has superpowers, the structure of the story is pure thriller. There are kidnappings, escapes from secure facilities, and a global conspiracy to overthrow governments. Michael is a classic underdog hero who has to step up and lead a resistance. The book deals with themes of bullying and acceptance, making it very grounded despite the fantastical elements. It appeals to Alex Rider fans because it pits a group of resourceful teenagers against a seemingly unstoppable corporate military power. The stakes are global, and the pacing is relentless.

13. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

John Grisham is the master of the legal thriller, and he brings that expertise to the YA world with Theodore Boone. Theo is a thirteen year old who knows more about the law than most practicing attorneys. He is effectively a “legal spy,” hanging around courtrooms, digging up information, and helping his classmates with their legal woes. When a high profile murder trial hits his town, Theo uncovers evidence that could change the verdict.

There are no gunfights or car chases here, but the intellectual thrill is very similar to solving a mystery in an espionage novel. Theo uses his brain, his connections, and his persistence to seek justice. He is often the smartest person in the room, underestimated by the adults around him a feeling Alex Rider knows all too well. This is a great recommendation for readers who love the “investigation” phase of a spy story, where the hero has to piece together clues to find the truth before time runs out.

14. Masterminds by Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman is a legend in children’s literature, and Masterminds is one of his most thrilling concepts. The story takes place in Serenity, New Mexico, a town that is too perfect. No crime, no poverty, honesty is the only policy. But when a group of kids discovers the dark truth about their town and their own origins, they have to flee.

I will not spoil the twist, but it involves genetic experiments and a massive conspiracy that keeps the kids trapped. The group has to use their unique (and sometimes criminal) latent abilities to survive in the outside world. It is a story about nature versus nurture and breaking free from the path laid out for you. The tension of being hunted by the people who raised you is palpable. It captures that paranoid, “trust no one” atmosphere that defines the best spy thrillers. The dynamic between the friends as they realize their whole lives have been a lie is compelling and emotional.

15. Traitor by Andy McNab

We finish our list with another author who has walked the walk. Andy McNab is a former SAS soldier, and his Traitor series (focusing on Danny Watts) is as authentic as it gets. Danny’s grandfather was a traitor or so the official story goes. When Danny is rejected from the army because of his family history, he sets out to find his grandfather and clear his name. This journey puts him in the crosshairs of MI5 and forces him to go on the run.

This book is gritty, realistic, and cynical about authority. It portrays the intelligence services not as heroes, but as bureaucrats who are willing to ruin lives to keep secrets. Danny is a survivor, using urban camouflage and survival skills to stay one step ahead of the surveillance state. It is a fantastic companion piece to Alex Rider because it shows the darker, unglamorous side of the spy world. There are no fancy gadgets here, just desperation and a burning need for the truth.

Honorable Mentions for the Voracious Reader

If you manage to get through those fifteen and still need more, keep an eye out for “The Paladin Prophecy” by Mark Frost (an excellent blend of sci-fi and action) and “Code Name Verity” by Elizabeth Wein (a heartbreakingly beautiful historical spy novel for more mature readers).

The landscape of YA thrillers is vast and exciting. Whether you prefer the realistic grit of The Recruit or the comedic twists of Spy School, there is a mission waiting for you. The most important thing is to keep turning those pages. After all, the world is not going to save itself.