Could you make the cut as a Cold War Spy? Spybrary Spy Podcast Listener Clarissa Aykroyd reviews her experience of John le Carre's The Circus, a new immersive spy game in London. On Sunday, 9 September I took part in ‘John le Carré’s The Circus’, a real-life spy game devised by Fire Hazard Games and played in central London. Le Carré fans were … [Read more...] about Review of John le Carre’s The Circus Spy Game
Spybrary Blog
‘Jack Ryan’ Goes Prime
First appearing nearly thirty-five years ago in the pages of The Hunt For Red October, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan is arguably the closest thing to an American James Bond. Not only with a highly successful series of novels but also a trilogy of successful films in the early 1990s. Recently, however, the CIA analyst has struggled a bit at cinemas with two reboots not quite hitting it off with audiences. … [Read more...] about ‘Jack Ryan’ Goes Prime
The Koenig Memo – Agent of Influence by Jeremy Duns
Agent of Influence is a slim book at 83 pages, but one with significant effect. Author Jeremy Duns works his subtitled topic, “Antony Terry and the Shaping of Cold War Fact and Fiction”, weaving an utterly fascinating behind-the-curtain story I didn’t want to end. Duns, tell me this self-published edition is merely you dipping a toe into the water to gauge the size of your potential … [Read more...] about The Koenig Memo – Agent of Influence by Jeremy Duns
‘The Very Best Men’ Of The CIA’s Early Years
My recent viewing of the film The Good Shepherd and my reading of the CIA History Staff's 2007 critique of the film left me curious about the fact behind the Hollywood fiction. Hitting upon a recommendation from that analysis and the film's archived website, I bought a book that had been sitting for months already on my Amazon wishlist. Published in 1995 with an updated preface in 2006, Evan … [Read more...] about ‘The Very Best Men’ Of The CIA’s Early Years
Spybrary Spy Podcast at 50
The more observant of you will have noticed that we recently sailed past our 50th episode of the Spybrary Spy Podcast! I really had no idea if Spybrary had any legs when I started up a spy podcast so I am delighted listeners keep coming back for more. Apparently the majority of podcasts do not make it past episode 8! With that said, I have always viewed Spybrary as our show, yes ours dear … [Read more...] about Spybrary Spy Podcast at 50
Review – Into The Shadows: The Fever
Having heard Shane interview author Michael Brady on the show nearly a year ago, Into The Shadows: The Fever has long been on my radar. It wasn't until Spy-Con this past spring that I finally acquired a copy of the novel in question and only in the last couple of weeks that I've had the chance to read it. What a read it turned out to be. If you've heard Episode 20, you'll likely know about the … [Read more...] about Review – Into The Shadows: The Fever
Review Of The Good Shepherd (2006)
I am quite fond of the saying that "truth is stranger than fiction." As those of us who read spy fact (and those fiction works which blur the boundaries between the two) know, it is often the case. The film The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert De Niro and released by Universal Pictures in 2006, would seem to be such an example on the surface. It is true that the film had the tagline … [Read more...] about Review Of The Good Shepherd (2006)
