The Spy and the Traitor
An incredible espionage and spy thriller and the greatest true story of the Cold War
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4.7 • 524 Ratings
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- £0.99
Publisher Description
THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
An exciting Cold War story about a KGB double agent, by one of Britain's greatest historians and the ultimate gift for anyone who loves a good spy thriller!
'The best true spy story I have ever read' John le Carré
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On a warm July evening in 1985, a middle-aged man stood on the pavement of a busy avenue in the heart of Moscow, holding a plastic carrier bag. In his grey suit and tie, he looked like any other Soviet citizen. The bag alone was mildly conspicuous, printed with the red logo of Safeway, the British supermarket.
The man was a spy. A senior KGB officer, for more than a decade he had supplied his British spymasters with a stream of priceless secrets from deep within the Soviet intelligence machine. No spy had done more to damage the KGB. The Safeway bag was a signal: to activate his escape plan to be smuggled out of Soviet Russia. So began one of the boldest and most extraordinary episodes in the history of spying.
Ben Macintyre reveals a tale of espionage, betrayal and raw courage that changed the course of the Cold War forever . . .
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'The world's most important spy since the Second World War. Mercilessly gripping' Sunday Times
'Extraordinary. His best book yet' John Preston, Evening Standard
'A remarkable story of one man's courage' The Times, Book of the Week
BEN MACINTYRE'S NEXT BOOK, REDWOOD, IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW
Ben Macintyre, Sunday Times bestseller, August 2023
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Macintyre (Rogue Heroes) recounts the exploits of Oleg Gordievsky, the KGB agent turned British spy responsible for "the single largest operational download' in MI6 history," in this captivating espionage tale. Building on in-depth interviews and other supplementary research, Macintyre shows Gordievsky expertly navigating the "wilderness of mirrors" that made up the daily existence of a Cold War spy passing microfilm, worrying that his wife will turn him in to the KGB, battling an unexpected dosage of truth serum. In Macintyre's telling, Aldrich Ames, the CIA agent turned KGB operative who gave up Gordievsky's cover, functions as a foil and a vehicle for moral comparison between the KGB and MI6. In a feat of real authorial dexterity, Macintyre accurately portrays the long-game banality of spycraft the lead time and persistence in planning with such clarity and propulsive verve that the book often feels like a thriller. The book has a startling relevancy to the news of the day, from examples of fake news to the 1984 British elections in which "Moscow was prepared to use dirty tricks and hidden interference to swing a democratic election in favor of its chosen candidate." Macintyre has produced a timely and insightful page-turner.
Customer Reviews
very good!
i enjoyed this very much
The Drying Cycle of Boredom
Incredibly dry, not even some cheese and pickle would make it more enjoyable. I read it to get my moneys worth. 2 stars as It did help my insomnia and I learnt some new words.
Captivating read
Very interesting