Set in Cuba prior to Castro, the story follows a mild-mannered Englishman just as he elects to make his life a little more exciting. With Greene’s trademark brevity and humour, it’s an unusual espionage thriller, as it’s also a sinister look into Batista’s dictatorial regime.

Set in the seaside town of Brighton in the ’30s, this is the murderous tale of a young  sociopathic gangster. Vicious characters with names like Pinkie and Spicer drive the narrative forward, and it’s a clever chase thriller with sinister twists.

Set in Haiti and loosely based around Papa Doc’s murderous and witchcraft-inspired regime, the British hotel-owner protagonist shines as a reluctant agent trapped on a crumbling island. Although short and with very few local characters, it’s a clever, unusual thriller.