Fat Bastard, me too, only it wasn't from reading them as much as seeing the movies when I was fairly young. Anything which had clandestine activities in it, esp. the old WWII movies and 007 made me want to be a spy even more. I used to play at it all of the time! Of course I was the only woman, surrounded by men; I even had one scenario as a resistance fighter living in a cave in Greece, though I was Scottish?! Ah, imagination is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

Way to go, Mets!

Also, forgot to mention Round the Bend by Nevil Shute. His best, imo.