Spybrary Spy Podcast

Intelligence Historian and Author Nigel West joins Spybrary Spy Podcast host Shane Whaley to share more about his latest book Spies Who Changed History plus, he answers your questions on the Wilson Coup, the Steele Dossier on Trump, meeting Anthony Blunt, Ian Fleming and many more!

Sunday Times Chief Political Commentator and spy book fan Tim Shipman talks with Ben Macintyre about his latest work based on Colditz, Prisoners of the Castle. The "entertaining yet objective and often-moving account" (The Wall Street Journal) of one of history's most notorious prisons—and the remarkable cast of POWs who tried relentlessly to escape their captors, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor In this gripping narrative, Ben Macintyre tackles one of the most famous prison stories in history and makes it utterly his own. During World War II, the German army used the towering Colditz Castle to hold the most defiant Allied prisoners. For four years, these prisoners of the castle tested its walls and its guards with ingenious escape attempts that would become legend. But as Macintyre shows, the story of Colditz was about much more than escape. Its population represented a society in miniature, full of heroes and traitors, class conflicts and secret alliances, and the full range of human joy and despair. In Macintyre's telling, Colditz's most famous names—like the indomitable Pat Reid—share glory with lesser known but equally remarkable characters like Indian doctor Birendranath Mazumdar whose ill treatment, hunger strike, and eventual escape read like fiction; Florimond Duke, America's oldest paratrooper and least successful secret agent; and Christopher Clayton Hutton, the brilliant inventor employed by British intelligence to manufacture covert escape aids for POWs. Prisoners of the Castle traces the war's arc from within Colditz's stone walls, where the stakes rose as Hitler's war machine faltered and the men feared that liberation would not come soon enough to spare them a grisly fate at the hands of the Nazis. Bringing together the wartime intrigue of his acclaimed Operation Mincemeat and keen psychological portraits of his bestselling true-life spy stories, Macintyre has breathed new life into one of the greatest war stories ever told. Books And Resources mentioned in this episode of Spies and Books - Spybrary with Ben MacIntyre Ben Macintyre Official Website Prisoners of the Castle - Colditz Escape from Colditz Board Game Tim Shipman Official Website Tim Shipman's top 125 spy writers - ranked The Spybrary Community for spy fans

Spybrary's man in Station L (Northern Sector) author Andy Onyx slipped us this brush pass review of Javier Marias's thriller Your Face Tomorrow: Fever And Spear He shares why spy book readers will enjoy this modern spy novel. "Your Face Tomorrow by the Spanish novelist of note, Javier Maras. I say novelist of note because Maras has sold over 6 million copies of his works worldwide to date. In amongst, which is this spy fiction trilogy published between 2009 and 2017.

What's life like working as a spy? Spy author Bevan G Roberts chats with former Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) and MI6 trained agent handler Warren Reed to find out. Most of us are fascinated by the craft of human intelligence. It's a trade as old as time, involving betrayal, secrecy, and most of all, danger! Danger to the operative danger, to the agent, danger, to innocent people and to nations. And it's the human side of this danger that keeps us turning the pages and feeds our desire to learn more. So what better than to interview a real spy to find out more about the business of espionage, a former agent handler that not only practiced the trade, but also a man who experienced the worst aspects of it. With Kingdom of Spies Author Bevan G Roberts and former real-life spy Warren Reed.

Spybrary field agent Chris Lueloff slipped us this brush pass review of Bill Granger's spy thriller November Man series Lueloff shares why spy book readers will enjoy Granger's work and boldly declares that Peter Devereaux is an American Quiller. Agree, disagree? Come and let us know your thoughts in the Spybrary fans community. More About the November Man spy series according to Randall at Spy Guys and Gals. 'Peter Deveraux, codename the November Man, is an agent for the CIA. This highly experience agent whose first name is never revealed, works for R Section of the CIA Under a man named Hanley, referred to as an "asshole" by Deveraux in the second page of the first book and expanded upon throughout the series. He is extremely good at his job, which makes him valuable, but he doesn't suffer well the fools and incompetents above him, which makes him undesirable. It makes the series delicious. Also making the series something to read are two recurring characters.'

Join Spies and Books, Spybrary host Shane Whaley as he finds outs more about the traitor Robert Hanssen in this interview with author Lis Wiehl New York Times bestselling author and former federal prosecutor Lis Wiehl delivers a behind-the-scenes account of how FBI agent Robert Hanssen, a church-going father of five, sold national security secrets to Russia for more than two decades--and how America's current political climate makes it still possible today. Three years into his career as an FBI agent, Robert Hanssen made the shocking decision to volunteer as a spy for the Soviet Union, beginning two decades of espionage that the Department of Justice considers "possibly the worst intelligence disaster in US history." Drawing upon deep archival research and exclusive personal interviews--including unique access to FBI and CIA agents and Hanssen's friends and family--former federal prosecutor and Fox News legal analyst Lis Wiehl has written a propulsive, page-turning thriller detailing how this unassuming father of five, a devout Catholic and member of Opus Dei, got away with sharing highly classified information with Russia, including the names of FBI operatives within the KGB and details about America's military weapons operations. When FBI agents--with help from an ex-KGB officer--arrested Hanssen in 2001, the resulting investigations laid bare the weaknesses in the FBI's internal security. In her careful analysis, Wiehl uncovers surprising reasons behind Hanssen's devastating acts of betrayal and sheds light on the very real possibility of another mole in operation today, particularly given our current social and political climate.

In this conversation with Spybrary host Shane Whaley, award-winning spy author Dan Fesperman reveals more about the real-life espionage events that inspired his latest novel, set in Berlin 1990, Winter Work. The Berlin Wall has fallen and in the ensuing power vacuum, a former Stasi officer and a CIA agent must fight for their lives. On a chilly early morning walk on the wooded outskirts of Berlin, Emil Grimm finds the body of his neighbor, a fellow Stasi officer named Lothar, with a gunshot wound to the temple and a pistol in his right hand. Despite appearances, Emil suspects murder. If it were a few months earlier, he would have known just what to do. But now, as East Germany disintegrates, being a Stasi colonel is more of a liability than an asset. More troubling still is that Emil and Lothar were actively involved in a final clandestine mission. Now Emil must finish the job alone and on uncertain ground where old alliances seem to be shifting by the day. Meanwhile, CIA agent Claire Saylor is sent to Berlin to contact a ranking Stasi officer, although details of her mission are suspiciously sketchy and her superior seems to have a hidden agenda. When her first rendezvous goes dangerously awry, she realizes the mission is far more delicate than she has been led to believe. With the rules of the game-changing quickly, and as their two missions intersect, Emil and Claire find themselves on unlikely common ground, fighting for their lives against a powerful enemy lurking in the shadows.

Listen in to our first ever live episode of Spybrary. A panel to discuss Tim Shipman's list of the best 125 spy writers. Tim reveals more about his method and criteria for selecting this monster list of spy authors. Joining us are Professor Penny Fielding, author and critic Jeremy Duns, spy blogger Matthew Bradford, and John le Carre book collector Steven Ritterman to run the rule over Tim's pick of the best spy writers. You can find the list and watch the live stream at www.spybrary.com/timslist

Spybrary field agent Erich Wagner slipped us this brush pass review of the nonfiction spy book The Spy Who Changed History by Svetlana Lokhova Erich tells us that the book will especially appeal to those of us with an interest in pre cold war Soviet deep cover espionage. More about the book: On the trail of Soviet infiltrator Stanislav Shumovsky, codenamed Agent BLÉRIOT, Svetlana Lokhova takes the reader on a thrilling journey through Stalin's most audacious intelligence operation. On a sunny September day in 1931, Soviet spy Stanislav Shumovsky walked down the gangplank of the SS Europa and into New York, concealed in a group of 65 Soviet students. Joseph Stalin had sent him to acquire American secrets to help close the USSR's yawning technology gap, and the road to victory began in the classrooms and laboratories of MIT. Using information gleaned from this mission, the USSR first transformed itself into a military powerhouse able to defeat Nazi Germany. Then in 1947, American innovation exfiltrated by Shumovsky made it possible to build and unveil the most advanced strategic bomber in the world. Later , other MIT-trained Soviet spies would go on to acquire the secrets of the Manhattan Project. In this thrilling history, Svetlana Lokhova takes the reader on a journey through Stalin's most audacious intelligence operation, piecing together every aspect of Shumovsky's life and character using information derived from American and Russian archives.

Shane shares a quick announcement on upcoming episodes and explains why there has been a lull in episodes of late.

James Bond fan and Spybrary's Head of Station SA, Matt Raubenheimer gives us his spoiler-free thoughts on the latest James Bond 007 novel With A Mind To A Kill written by Anthony Horowitz. It is M's funeral. One man is missing from the graveside: the traitor who pulled the trigger and who is now in custody, accused of M's murder - James Bond. Behind the Iron Curtain, a group of former Smersh agents want to use the British spy in an operation that will change the balance of world power. Bond is smuggled into the lion's den - but whose orders is he following, and will he obey them when the moment of truth arrives? In a mission where treachery is all around and one false move means death, Bond must grapple with the darkest questions about himself. But not even he knows what has happened to the man he used to be. Follow Matt on Twitter for more 007 tweets.

Shane Whaley delivers a brush pass review on Agent in Berlin by Alex Gerlis To live among wolves, first, you must become one... An unmissable new spy thriller from best-selling master of the genre, Alex Gerlis. War is coming to Europe. British spymaster Barnaby Allen begins recruiting a network of agents in Germany. With diplomatic relations quickly unravelling, this pack of spies soon comes into their own: the horse-loving German at home in Berlin's underground; the young American sports journalist; the mysterious Luftwaffe officer; the Japanese diplomat and the most unlikely one of all... the SS officer's wife. Despite constant danger and the ever-present threats of discovery and betrayal, Allen's network unearths top-secret plans for a new German fighter plane - and a truly devastating intelligence prize... an audacious Japanese plan to attack the United States. But can they prove it? The race is on.

This week, Spywrite's Jeff Quest welcomes Otto Penzler to the show. Otto shares stories from his many years of collecting books and meeting spy fiction authors. You'll hear stories about Eric Ambler, Charles McCarry, John le Carré and many more. , Plus, hear about his meeting with Len Deighton, how Ross Thomas nearly lost out on a million dollars, and a shocking revelation about a piece by Quiller writer Adam Hall.

The year is 1957 and our guests share their thoughts on the latest James Bond novel From Russia With Love written by Ian Fleming.

On April 8th, Amazon releases the movie adaptation of Olen Steinhauer's All the Old Knives. In today's episode, two of our most knowledgable spy movie experts and Spybrary agents Matthew Bradford and Jack Lescamela chat with author and screenwriter Olen Steinhauer and the director of All The Old Knives, Janus Metz. Hello, and welcome to episode 181 of the Spybrary podcast. Today, I'm delighted to serve you an absolute treat a couple of weeks ago, we received an email from the PR folks over at Amazon Prime asking us if we had any interest in a conversation with author and screenwriter, Oen Steinhauer. Many of, you will know Olen from his previous works, the Tourist series of books or maybe you know him from the hit spy tv series Berlin Station? There's a new movie about to hit Amazon prime, which is an adaptation of Olen Steinhauer's book, All the Old Knives. I know that there are many of you in the Spybrary community who are big fans of that book and are excited for the movie. Not only did the PR team offer us an interview with Olen Steinhauer, but also with the All the Old Knives Director Janus Metz. I thought to myself, I've got to get the big boys on this. I've got to call the real experienced agents that really know their spy movies and TV. So I called upon Our Men in Hollywood. Many of you know them from our Spybrary community. That's Matthew Bradford and Jack Lescamela. And I called him and said, I've got a job for you. So today we bring you that conversation that Our Menn in Hollywood had with Olen Steinhauer and Janus Metz. It's a wide-ranging conversation. They touch on a ton of different topics, Jack and Matthew really knock it out of the park for us here. It's a fascinating conversation that I just know you're gonna enjoy. Just a couple of words of warning, Janus used a couple of F words. So if you're in the car with the kids, or maybe your husband, doesn't like bad language, whatever it may be. He throws me in quite quickly. I couldn't quite edit them out and I didn't want to bleep them, because I just felt that would detract from the conversation. So just a heads up on that. After the conversation, do stick around for, a bit of post-show. Matthew and Jack have a conversation about their interview about All the Old Knives and more with Olen Steinhauer and Janus Metz

Spybrary joins forces with the Barbican Station podcast to discuss Apple TV's Slow Horses series starring Gary Oldman which airs today. The first half of this episode is spoiler-free. Today is the day many of us have been waiting for, the Apple TV's Slow Horses series starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb is now airing. Through one of our agents I was able to get an early screening of Slow Horses and today you will listen to three of us running the rule over episodes 1 and 2. If you have not watched it Slow Horses yet don't worry, the first half of the show includes no spoilers and we do tell you when we get into Spoilertown. Our good friend and Spybrary contributor Jeff Quest produces his own podcast dedicated to Mick Herron's work called Barbican Station, So rather than both of us evaluate the Apple TV's Slow Horses adaptation separately, we decided to release this episode on both of our podcasts. For discussion on episodes 3-6 of Slow Horses do subscribe to Jeff's podcast at slough.house

Today, we bring you a spy author interview. Spybrary hosts Shane Whaley and Peter Newman find out more about Charlotte Philby's latest novel, Edith and Kim. Charlotte also shares memories of her grandfather, Kim Philby, and reveals some interesting responses in the world-famous Spybrary Quickfire Round!

We get in our time machine and head for 1956 to review the latest Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel, Diamonds Are Forever. With David Craggs, author Andy Onyx and Spybrary Host Shane Whaley. What is the Spybrary James Bond Book Club exactly and what makes it different from other 007 book clubs? On the James Bond Book Club, we get in our time machine and go back to the year of publication. We dissect each of the Ian Fleming 007 novels in order and include themes such as : 1) Discussing the timing of each book. The year in which it was written. The zeitgeist of that time. Key historic and cultural events. 2) Background to the plot and any links to Fleming's personal experiences. 3) The U.K.'s first edition cover art. 4) The plot. 5) Locations 6) Bond's character development. 7) The Villain. 8) La femme fatale. 9) The supporting cast. 10) The branding. 11) Key set pieces and the best chapters. 12) Critical reception We will not be referring to or discussing the 007 movies.

And now for something completely different. We just decoded a brush pass from, author Clarke Mayer who shares his thoughts on a spy video game called Metal Gear Solid.

Welcome to Episode 176 of the Spybrary Spy Book podcast. Spywrite's Jeff Quest speaks to author Alma Katsu, formerly with the NSA and CIA. Katsu's latest book, Red Widow, follows a CIA mole hunt. It's been optioned for television and is out in paperback on March 1st. They discuss switching from NSA to CIA and back again, the explosive growth of social media and its effect on espionage, and the unique challenges women face in government bureaucracies. Plus, we talk a bit about some of the things Hollywood gets wrong about spies. All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Red Widow is 'An exhilarating spy thriller about two women CIA agents who become intertwined around a threat to the Russia Division–one that's coming from inside the agency.'

Spy Author Paul Vidich returns to the Spybrary Spy Podcast to talk about his latest spy novel The Matchmaker, set in Berlin in 1989. In the vein of Graham Greene and John le Carré, The Matchmaker delivers a chilling Cold War spy story set in West Berlin, where an American woman targeted by the Stasi must confront the truth behind her German husband's mysterious disappearance. More about The Matchmaker - A Spy in Berlin by Paul Vidich Berlin, 1989. Protests across East Germany threaten the Iron Curtain and Communism is the ill man of Europe. Anne Simpson, an American who works as a translator at the Joint Operations Refugee Committee, thinks she is in a normal marriage with a charming East German. But then her husband disappears and the CIA and Western German intelligence arrive at her door. Nothing about her marriage is as it seems. She had been targeted by the Matchmaker—a high level East German counterintelligence officer—who runs a network of Stasi agents. These agents are his "Romeos" who marry vulnerable women in West Berlin to provide them with cover as they report back to the Matchmaker. Anne has been married to a spy, and now he has disappeared, and is presumably dead. The CIA are desperate to find the Matchmaker because of his close ties to the KGB. They believe he can establish the truth about a high-ranking Soviet defector. They need Anne because she's the only person who has seen his face - from a photograph that her husband mistakenly left out in his office - and she is the CIA's best chance to identify him before the Matchmaker escapes to Moscow. Time is running out as the Berlin Wall falls and chaos engulfs East Germany. But what if Anne's husband is not dead? And what if Anne has her own motives for finding the Matchmaker to deliver a different type of justice?

In this episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff take a look at the episode "Enemy of the State" of the 60's tv show The Baron. They discuss some reasons why The Baron was a misfire upon its release in the US, Steve Forest's living up to his name with some wooden acting, and marvel at the head scratching decision to switch the character from an actual Baron into an American oil baron. Plus they discuss important considerations to remember before arranging your border spy swap! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Mentioned on the show - Matthew's review of The Baron - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/2011/11/dvd-review-baron-complete-series.html Jeff's Bad Baron Photo Covers - https://spywrite.com/2022/02/21/broken-covers-john-creasey-the-baron-edition/ Streaming on Britbox in the US. Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

Welcome to Episode 173 of the Spybrary Spy Book podcast. Today, we bring you a spy author interview. Spybrary hosts Shane Whaley and David Craggs find out more about Damascus Station with spy writer, author, and former CIA analyst David McCloskey

In this episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff take a look at the episode "I Spy Apocalypse" of the early 2000's tv show called Spooks in the UK and MI5 in the US. They discuss how the show helped revive the tv spy, why VX gas is so nasty and you should avoid being trapped in with your officemates at the end of the world. Plus Jeff reveals what he thinks is a hidden connection between the show and HBO's Succession! All that and more in this episode of the Spybrary Spy Podcast. Mentioned on the show - Spooks/MI5 wiki page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooks_(TV_series) Streaming on Britbox in the US or BBC iPlayer in the UK. An oral history on Spooks - https://www.empireonline.com/spooks/part1.html The two Mr. Darcy's spy movie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat_(film) Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

If like me, you are a big fan of audiobooks then it is highly likely that you have listened to today's guest Scott Brick narrating one of your favorite thriller audiobooks. In this conversation, Shane finds out more about life behind the mic with Scott Brick. We learn how he got started in the business plus some of his tips and tricks for delivering engaging audio and top drawer storytelling. Scott Brick also answers Spybrary listener questions such as: You recorded an excellent new version of THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER to go with you previous Clancy recordings. I was hoping you'd finish off the initial run of Clancy originals with new versions of THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. Why didn't they have you do those ones? Any chance you still will? You did an excellent job on so many original Robert Ludlum titles. Are there any more in your future? It would be great to hear you read the MATARESE novels, and they're overdue for new versions! You took over the Jack Reacher series from Dick Hill, who had a very distinctive delivery style. How conscious were you of following in someone else's footsteps? Did you do anything differently because of that? Are there any spy series or characters you HAVEN'T recorded that you'd really like a crack at?

Jason King returns to the Spybrary Podcast for his annual appearance to share his best espionage novels of 2021. This is the most requested feature of Spybrary, requested by spouses, friends, and relatives who purchase Birthday and Holiday presents for loved ones based on the Jason King picks. (I kid you not!)

In this New Year's Eve episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff welcome a special guest. Oscar winner and Man From U.N.C.L.E. superfan Robert Short join them to take a look at "The Adriatic Express Affair" a New Year's Eve-themed episode of the classic 60's spy show. They discuss how Bob would explore the sets of U.N.C.L.E. as a kid, his family connection to the show, and some of the ways U.N.C.L.E. broke new spy tv ground. Plus we talk about terrible double entendres, questionable spy gadgets and why you should probably avoid starting a cognac-based fire in your jail cell! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Mentioned on the show - The episode via DailyMotion - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x810alr The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_U.N.C.L.E. Morgan Richter's U.N.C.L.E recaps - https://preppiesoftheapocalypse.blogspot.com/p/uncle.html Bob's U.N.C.L.E. Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/369560823208688/ Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

In this episode of Spybrary Jeff dives into some of the most serious and silly questions faced by spy fans. He is joined by an all-star panel of guests - Jeremy Duns, Hannah Cooper and Shane Whaley. They tackle a wide range of espionage enigmas. Some of the questions covered are - From now on either every spy novel must be set in Berlin or no spy novels can ever be set in Berlin again. Which do you choose? Would you use your kid as camouflage while doing spy activity? Volcano lair vs underwater lair vs moonbase lair? All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. So settle in by the fire, pour yourself a drink of your favorite beverage and prepare to come to your own conclusions and share them with us as you listen! Tweet @spybrary with your opinion as we tackle these questions or hop on the discussion thread on the Spybrary Discussion group. Mentioned on the show - What is Water Polo? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_polo Blood in the Water match - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_in_the_Water_match Hannah's Twitter - https://twitter.com/MrsSimonTemplar Hannah's Website - https://backintimefortv.co.uk/ Jeremy's Twitter - https://twitter.com/JeremyDuns Jeremy's Website - https://www.jeremy-duns.com/ Shane's Twitter - https://twitter.com/spybrary Shane's Website - https://spybrary.com/ Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

Welcome to Episode 167 of the Spybrary Spy Book podcast. Today, we bring you a spy author interview. Spybrary host Shane Whaley finds out more about How to Betray Your Country with spy writer, author James Wolff Something I want to address with you all before we get into the conversation, the elephant in the room, James Wolff is not the author's real name. James Wolff reveals he has worked for the British government but does not reveal which branch nor where he was based. As a Spybrarian, naturally, I'm wondering, am I speaking with a George Smiley, a Bernard Samson, maybe it's a Dickie Cruyer or 007 or maybe he was the janitor at GCHQ? He's not going to talk about his past today, but I tell you something I can share with you. The boy can write! More about How to Betray Your Country by James Wolff Things are looking bad for disgraced spy August Drummond. In emotional free fall after the death of his wife, fired for a series of unprecedented security breaches that saw him labeled a traitor...and now his neighbour on the flight to Istanbul won't stop talking. The only thing keeping him sane is the hunch that there's something not quite right about the nervous young man several rows ahead - a hunch that is confirmed when August watches him throw away directions to an old European cemetery seconds before being detained by Turkish police. And when a reckless August decides to go in his place, little does he know that he is setting in motion a series of events that will test his ingenuity and resourcefulness to the limit, and bring him face to face with a terrifying figure from the dark heart of the Islamic State. The second novel in a trilogy about loyalty and betrayal in the modern age, How to Betray Your Country is an authentic thriller about walking the line between following your conscience and following orders.

London Station has fizzed into action, Sunday Times journalist and Spybrary contributor Tim Shipman chats with spy author Matthew Richardson. They discuss Matthew's spy novels, his writing style, his literary influences plus they pay tribute to the new generation of spy writers. And much more!!

Spy Rewind is back with Matthew and Jeff taking a look at the currently airing spy comedy starring David Schwimmer and Nick Mohammed - Intelligence. They discuss whether GCHQ is held in less esteem than MI5 or MI6, why spying is the perfect setting for a workplace comedy, and how Intelligence has more laughs than Ted Lasso. Plus, why Nick Mohammed was more interested in the GCHQ cafeteria than the eavesdropping and when the computer asks you to delete those files, think twice! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Mentioned on the show - Intelligence on Peacock - https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/intelligence/6315047360232653112/seasons/1 Intelligence on Sky - https://www.skygroup.sky/title-intelligence David Schwimmer's #ThatsHarassment video - https://youtu.be/bieGkf2n8LQ More on the anti-harassment campaign - https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/thatsharassment Matthew's review of Intelligence (2014) - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/2014/01/tv-review-intelligence-2014.html CBC's InSecurity - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InSecurity Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

In this episode of the Spybrary Spy Podcast Jeff Quest speaks to the former director of CIA's Technical Service Robert Wallace about his time in the CIA and the various non-fiction books he has co-authored since leaving the agency. They discuss how the CIA is similar to all other bureaucracies, why spy tech is so important for successful spy operations and how hard it can sometimes be to get past the CIA Publications Review Board. Plus, we talk about the spy that pulled the "Reverse Beatles" maneuver and some Chicago spies! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary.

Spy Rewind is back! Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest go deep on an episode of Spy TV show Get Smart! Shownotes at www.spybrary.com/163 Please consider subscribing to Spybrary so you don't miss out on future episodes.

Author CP Bennison gives us her thoughts on the spy novel Transcription by Kate Atkinson on the Spybrary Spy Book Podcast. Brush Pass Review. Transcription is a spy novel by British novelist Kate Atkinson, published in September 2018. The novel focuses on the activities of British orphan Juliet Armstrong throughout World War II and afterwards, and how she begins a career as a low-level transcriptionist for MI5, before rising through the ranks.

Author Andy Onyx shares the 5 spy books, movies and tv shows he would want to be stashed in his dead drop. (our riff on desert island discs with a spy twist!) Check out our Facebook group for more spy discussions and chat!

Author Andy Onyx gives us the lowdown on G K Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday on the Spybrary Spy Book Podcast.

In this episode of Spy Rewind, Double O Section's Matthew Bradford and SpyWrite's Jeff Quest take a look at the globetrotting cable spy tv show Covert Affairs. They discuss whether all spies need to meet at the Berlin listening station, the benefits of location shoots and how to be a "fashion-forward" spy. Plus, Bowie in Berlin, R.E.M., cliff diving white Jaguars, and Jeff makes another failed attempt at an accent, this time German! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary.

Guest host Steven Minegar chats with author Ralph Hope about his latest book. What do you do with a hundred thousand idle spies? By 1990 the Berlin Wall had fallen and the East German state security service folded. For forty years, they had amassed more than a billion pages in manila files detailing the lives of their citizens. Almost a hundred thousand Stasi employees, many of them experienced officers with access to highly personal information, found themselves unemployed overnight. This is the story of what they did next. Former FBI agent Ralph Hope uses present-day sources and access to Stasi records to track and expose ex-officers working everywhere from the Russian energy sector to the police and even the government department tasked with prosecuting Stasi crimes. He examines why the key players have never been called to account and, in doing so, asks if we have really learned from the past at all. He highlights a man who continued to fight the Stasi for thirty years after the Wall fell, and reveals a truth that many today don't want spoken. The Grey Men comes as an urgent warning from the past at a time when governments the world over are building an unprecedented network of surveillance over their citizens. Ultimately, this is a book about the present.

Mission France tells the full story of the thirty-nine female SOE agents who went undercover in France. We interview the author, historian Dr. Kate Vigurs to find out more.

In this episode of Spy Rewind - Matthew and Jeff take a look at the groundbreaking 1960 TV series Danger Man, specifically the episode - Time to Kill. They discuss whether John Drake is the JFK of spies, why you should always keep your bullets in loaves of bread, and the proper attire for an assassin. Plus, rock out to Jeff's rendition of the song Secret Agent Man! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. links at www.spybrary.com/156

In this episode of Spy Rewind - Matthew and Jeff take a look at the groundbreaking 1960 TV series Danger Man, specifically the episode - Time to Kill. They discuss whether John Drake is the JFK of spies, why you should always keep your bullets in loaves of bread, and the proper attire for an assassin. Plus, rock out to Jeff's rendition of the song Secret Agent Man! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. links at www.spybrary.com/156

We talk with one of the foremost collectors of John le Carré, Steven Ritterman, whose collection of pristine le Carré editions numbers over 300 items. We learn about the Haycroft-Queen list, rare signed editions and Steve's undercover mission to meet le Carré himself. All that plus talk on champagne toasts with Otto Penzler, meeting Eric Ambler, literal juggling balls and a little Silverview talk from a couple of le Carré collectors.

Jeff and Matthew are back with the latest Spy Rewind where they take a look at a specific episode of a Spy tv show and talk about that episode plus a bit about the series as a whole. This week they discuss the 1980's show Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Spybrary Spy Podcast Host Shane Whaley gives us his brush pass spy book review of The Alpha List by Ted Allbeury. 'Truly a classic writer of espionage fiction' - Len Deighton Dave Marsh and Charlie Kelly grew up together on the backstreets of Birmingham. Now Charlie is a Labour MP and Dave an Intelligence agent. When Charlie comes under suspicion of passing secrets to the Russians, Dave is given the task of investigating his old friend. He seems to be able to prove his case soon enough, but as Charlie points out, he doesn't know half of what is really going on. He doesn't know about the Alpha List.

In this episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff take a look at the 1985 TV series Mr Palfrey of Westminster, specifically series two episode - Official Secret. They discuss the joy of seeing London in all it's 80's glory, the alarming decline of walking stick/umbrella shops, and whether there really were Soviet moles hiding under every MI5 couch cushion. Plus, revel in Jeff's terrible English and Russian accents! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary.

Jeremy Duns and Jeff Quest talk through some of the in's and out's of research, and especially spy research, in the hopes of encouraging others to do research too. We talk about the lost Pinkerton manuscript, the time Jeremy nearly got kicked out of an interview before it even started, how Jeff got the title of an author's book wrong within 30 seconds of starting an interview and why you should turn every page. All that and more in this episode of Spybrary.

A special message to Spybrary listeners around the world to celebrate episode 150!

A special message to Spybrary listeners around the world to celebrate episode 150!

Today, we bring you another spy author interview on the Spybrary Podcast. We are chatting with author James Stejskal who has just penned his first-ever spy fiction novel titled A Question of Time. Some of you may know James from his non-fiction books, especially an absolute cracker - Special Forces Berlin. James draws on his time serving in Cold War Berlin and even weaves the head of the Stasi Erich Mielke and East Germany spymaster Markus Wolf into the story in a credible fashion. And I know what you're thinking, Spybrarian.... Shane, you don't do special forces stuff. Don't be fooled the book Special Forces Berlin is based on James Stejskal's time serving in a covert unit. A Question of Time is a gripping spy thriller that I recommend to Spybrarians. James Stejskal served for 23 years with US Special Forces, including two tours in Berlin. Special Forces Berlin was a small detachment of 100 highly trained soldiers who, should hostilities break out, were to wreak havoc behind Warsaw Pact lines. You can hear a fascianting conversation with James about his time in the military in Berlin over on Cold War Conversations. (Do check it out once you have listened to today's episode.) Let me share a little bit about the book with you. Berlin, 1979. When the CIA's most valuable spy, MERLIN, is compromised, the Agency realizes it does not have the capability to bring him to safety. If he cannot evade the dreaded East German security service, the result will be chaos and a cascade of failures throughout the Agency's worldwide operations. Master Sergeant Kim Becker lived through the hell of Vietnam as a member of the elite Studies and Operations Group. When he lost one of his best men in a pointless operation, he began to question his mission. Now, he is serving with an even more secretive Army Special Forces unit based in Berlin on the front line of the Cold War. The CIA turns to Becker's team of unconventional warfare specialists to pull their bacon out of the fire. Becker and his men must devise a plan to get him out by whatever means possible. It's a race against time to prepare and execute the plan while, alone in East Berlin, MERLIN must avoid his nemesis and play for time inside the hostile secret service headquarters he has betrayed. One question remains -- is the man worth the risk?

Today we decode a brush pass transmission, a spy book review of Eric Von Lustbader's Black Heart. Author and Spy Book fan, Andy Onyx gives us his brush pass spy book review of Black Heart by Eric Von Lustbader.