Philippe Chapuis wins spy novel award

Philippe Chapuis, a filmmaker and screenwriter, has won the Spy Novel Prize – Amicale des anciens des services spéciaux for his debut novel Le Réseau Vogelmann (Konfident), published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. The novel is set in Paris and Berlin during the 2010s, with flashbacks to East Germany in the late 1980s, and explores secrets from the Cold War era.

Novel centers on Cold War legacy

The story follows Christine Vergne, a character suspected by Americans of having connections to Werner Vogelmann, a German spy who worked for France while serving the Stasi, the intelligence agency of former East Germany. Jacques Galéni, head of internal intelligence, fears that this history might give Moscow leverage over her.

Quest for lost files drives plot

The files left behind by Vogelmann could hold answers. Paul Dugay, once close to the spy, must find them to save his wife’s life. The novel also highlights tensions between American and Russian intelligence services.

Jury includes former intelligence officials

The prize jury consisted of fourteen members, led by Alain Juillet, former director of intelligence for the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (DGSE). Among them were two former general directors of the DGSE, François Mermet and Érard Corbin de Mangoux, as well as Jean-François Gayraud, director of the Academy of Intelligence.

Other jury members include writers and media figures

Other jurors included Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, former director of the Direction de la surveillance du territoire (DST), and Léonard Lièvre, publisher at Konfident. The panel also featured Geneviève Benmeziane, a bookseller; Nadir Djennad, a journalist; and Marie Gatard, an author and editor, among others.

Prize highlights espionage literature

The Spy Novel Prize was established in 2023 in partnership with the Amicale des anciens des services spéciaux of the National Defense and the publisher Konfident. It awards an unpublished French manuscript focused on espionage and intelligence activities, judged on literary quality, character development, plot originality, and the author’s research.

Previous winners include notable authors

Philippe Chapuis succeeds Gilbert Gallerne, who won in 2025 for Nos chers Alliés (Konfident). Before that, Pierre Pouchairet was honored in 2024 for Captagonia (La Manufacture de livres/Konfident).