Graham Greene is frequently included in "novels everyone should read" and "best of the century" lists, and I've been meaning to read him for years. But I'd never made it a priority ... until I found out that Colin Firth narrates this version. This short novel might not hold the broader appeal of the other novels on this list, but I found it enjoyable and thought-provoking, and Firth's narration is pitch perfect. If you love Brideshead Revisited, read this immediately.

From the publisher: "Experience the thrilling search for the Third Man as you follow Harry Lime through the gloomy and treacherous streets of Vienna, a city divided by war and corruption. This undisputed spy classic is now available for the first time with video and photography from the film that inspired the novel."

I finally read this 1958 satirical espionage thriller so I could discuss it with Craig and Andrew on this episode of the Overdue podcast. I was stunned at some of the things I learned along the way, like Greene was dear friends with notorious double agent Kim Philby. In this Cold War tale, James Wormold is a bumbling vacuum cleaner salesman with a daughter who spends money faster than he can make it. So when a British Intelligence officer offers him a job as a British spy with an attractive paycheck, he feels he can't say no. But he doesn't know the first thing about espionage, so he simply pretends to be useful—and that's when things get strange.