This is an alphabetical list of elements in a spy or thriller, which are key to creating a gripping, fast-paced, and tension-filled stories!
A
Alias
Assassination
Asset
B
Backstabbing
Black ops
Blackmail
Briefcase exchange
Bugging device
C
Car chase
CIA
Classified information
Code-breaking
Coded message
Compromised agent
Confidential file
Conspiracy
Contact
Counterintelligence
Cover story
Covert operation
Cryptography
D
Dead drop
Decoy
Defection
Double agent
E
Encryption
Espionage
Explosives
F
Fake passport
False flag
FBI
Femme fatale
Forged documents
G
Gadgets
Government agent
H
Hacking
Hand-to-hand combat
Hidden camera
Hidden microphone
Hidden room
High-stakes mission
Hostage situation
I
Interrogation
Invasion of privacy
K
KGB
Kidnapping
Kill list
L
Laptop
Laser tripwire
Listening device
Lock-picking
Low profile
M
MacGuffin
Martial arts
MI5
MI6
Microchip
Mole
Murder
N
National security
Night-vision goggles
Nuclear codes
O
Operative
P
Poison
Political corruption
Polygraph test
Power struggle
Prison break
Pursuit
R
Reconnaissance
Rendezvous
Retinal scan
Rogue agent
S
Safehouse
Satellite surveillance
Secret agent
Secret identity
Secure line
Seduction
Shadow government
Sleeper agent
Smuggling
Spy satellite
Spyware
Stakeout
Stealth
Sting operation
Surveillance van
Suspense
Swapping identities
T
Target
Tech expert
Terrorist
Torture
Traitor
Trap
U
Undercover
Untraceable phone
V
Vault
Vendetta
Villain
W
Wiretap
Witness protection
WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction)
Wrongful accusation
Z
Zero-hour
Zip line escape