Let’s get cooking, lets?
Cookbook / Whiskey Class
Yep, you learn that proper. Main our checklist of summer time reads is one which has taken over the #1 spot in Amazon’s whiskey and alcoholic spirits classes, A Spy Walked Into A Bar: A Practitioner’s Information to Cocktail Tradecraft by former senior CIA Officers Rob Dannenberg and Joseph P. Mullin Jr. Consider it as a real-life information to spies and their favourite cocktails. Based mostly on experiences from their clandestine operations backgrounds, Rob and Joe have collected, curated and perfected the cocktails that have been loved whereas celebrating milestone occasions throughout their CIA careers. From the drinks they ordered after efficiently recruiting property, to marking the tip of a serious operation, this e-book options actual life tales and homegrown photographs by the authors themselves.
Novels
Applicable for summer time, is a brand new spy novel from Tess Gerritsen, The Summer time Friends: A Thriller. That is Tess’ second spy e-book, after her very profitable TV collection a couple of years in the past referred to as Rizzoli and Isles. Gerritsen talked with Cipher Transient CEO & Writer Suzanne Kelly about her journey from the favored TV collection to spy creator within the Cowl Tales podcast – that was simply after her first e-book, The Spy Coastwas launched. Veteran CIA officers Jay and Anne Gruner reviewed her newest e-book about 4 retired CIA officers dwelling in Maine. The Gruners inform us it’s a “gripping account of a posh set of murders, a potential current kidnapping, and a secretary who was lacking for 50 years.” speaking about her earlier spy-themed e-book.
Former U.S. counterterrorism officer and cybersecurity govt Neal Pollard broke the code on Ken Dekleva’s novel, The Russian Diplomat’s Spouse. In his assessment, Neal says whereas the e-book ostensibly is a spy novel set in Vienna, it’s actually a love story between two spies. Writer (and frequent Cipher Transient contributor) Dekleva attracts on his expertise as a psychiatrist working for the State Division in most of the locales central to the e-book and his understanding of human motivation appears to deliver his tales to life. We all know as a result of we additionally interviewed the creator for the Cowl Tales Podcast.
Talking of Dekleva, we tapped his experience to assessment a number of books by different authors this yr. One worthy of particular point out is The Poet’s Sport: A Spy in Moscow by Paul Vidich. Dekleva calls the novel is a terrific examine a former CIA station chief in Moscow, now working as an investor in a non-public fairness market in Moscow. The chief was referred to as again to obligation although to exfiltrate a former agent who claims to have explosive kompromat relating to America’s president. Navigating between two perilous worlds, these of Moscow and Washington, the storyline appears to supply proof that the chilly battle by no means actually ended.
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Going again even additional in time, Dekleva additionally reviewed Project in Saigon: A Chilly Battle Thriller by former senior CIA officer Invoice Rapp. In his assessment, Dekleva says that to actually perceive the intelligence battle in Vietnam, fiction could supply extra to the reader and Rapp’s novel is a most worthy learn.
Spy mastery is the theme of retired senior CIA officer Jim Lawler’s newest novel, The Traitors Story: A Novel of Treachery inside the CIA. We turned to a different seasoned Company officer, and Cipher Transient professional, Joe Augustyn, to assessment it. Augustyn informed us: “Jim Lawler has written an intriguing and fascinating novel that ought to fulfill the urge for food of any spy novel fanatic. His character descriptions are spectacular, his data of the Company, its paperwork and its interior workings is deep, and his operational savvy is on show all through. Spectacular too is his understanding of the dynamics of non-public relationships, each skilled and private, which he calls the “metaphysics” of spying.” You may be taught extra about Lawler and his e-book from this Cowl Tales Podcast interview.
Non- Fiction
Whereas we now have reported on a ton of nice fiction over the previous six months, actual life tales, historical past and evaluation have performed a good bigger position in our protection. Among the many books we’d like to ask (or re-invite) to your consideration listed below are: Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Ladies of British Intelligence by Claire Hubbard-Corridor and reviewed for us by Cipher Transient professional Tim Willasey-Wilsey, a real-life former member of the British International Workplace. Willasey-Wilsey referred to as it a “marvelous e-book and a precious addition to what’s recognized in regards to the early days of the British secret providers.” We have been fortunate to have the creator be part of us on a Cipher Transient Cowl Tales podcast as nicely, describing the untold tales of ladies who silently served – together with Katleen Pettigrew who was the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s “Miss Moneypenny” within the James Bond novels.
For an American tackle unsung girls in intelligence, there may be Propaganda Ladies: The Secret Battle of the Ladies of the OSS by Lisa Rogak. The previous director of the CIA’s Workplace of Public Affairs, Tammy Kupperman Thorp reviewed the e-book that focuses on 4 girls who performed important roles within the Workplace of Strategic Service (OSS) affect campaigns throughout World Battle II. She writes that girls members of the OSS have been in command of “black propaganda” primarily a “collection of plausible lies designed to trigger the enemy troopers to lose coronary heart and in the end give up.”
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There’s additionally a very good learn on the market in regards to the spouses and households of intelligence operatives who function nicely. For an interesting take a look at that life, take a look at Story of a CIA Spouse: Married to the Craft by Rosie Mowatt-Larssen. Veteran journalist and contributing Cipher Transient editor Elaine Shannon reviewed that one for us and lauds the creator’s “razor wit” and tales of life in quite a few abroad posts together with time in Moscow the place she helped slip KGB tails, serviced lifeless drops and lived a life that at occasions was the stuff of spy thrillers. For extra on Rosie – take a look at her interview with us for the Cowl Tales podcast.
We even have a number of books about motion in World Battle II that we’d advocate. Let’s begin with Nothing However Braveness: The 82nd Airborne’s Daring D-Day Mission and Their Heroic Cost Throughout the La Fière Bridge by James Donovan. We went to a topic professional to assessment that one – retired Military Main Basic Jack Leide. The e-book tells of probably the most operationally essential however lesser-known tales of World Battle II. Leide praised the creator for offering “extremely insightful and complex descriptions and actions of, not solely the allied and German navy forces arrayed towards one another, however how the operation affected most of the native French residents and resistance forces as nicely.”
For a far much less heroic view of a few of the occasions in that battle, there may be The Traitor of Arnhem: The Untold Story of WWII’s Biggest Betrayal and the Second that Modified Historical past Endlessly by Robert Verkaik. Lately declassified British MI-5 paperwork assist animate this story of a strategic failure that delayed Allied victory within the battle and got here at a steep human value. CIA veteran (and Cipher Transient professional) Martin Peterson reviewed the e-book for us and writes that the creator makes a powerful circumstantial case that Anthony Blunt, one among Russia’s British brokers, performed a significant position in passing intelligence to the Germans that broken the Allies probabilities of success.
For a narrative about operational and intelligence success, there’s Taking Halfway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes and the Battle that Turned the Tide of World Battle II by Martin Dugard. Had the Battle of Halfway turned out in a different way, Hawaii and the west coast of america stood susceptible to Japanese assault. The battle was received by the U.S. although by a mixture of steely management by Admiral Chester Nimitz, and good cryptological work led by a unusual Lieutenant Commander named Joe Rochefort. Usually, our go-to supply for e-book reviewers are gray-haired subject material consultants. For this one, we tried one thing totally different and gave the mission to Jack Montgomery, a U.S. Navy ensign presently serving on a Japan-based ship. Montgomery, whose grasp’s diploma thesis was on the Solomon Islands Marketing campaign, notes that the creator’s writing fashion with brief punchy sentences makes the e-book a fast, satisfying and informative learn. Dugard joined us for a Cowl Tales podcast lately wherein he defined how he developed his story-telling fashion and researched the e-book.
One other e-book certain to fascinate many Cipher Transient readers is The Decided Spy: The Turbulent Life and Instances of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner by veteran journalist Doug Waller. Wisner’s story feels like fiction. Standout monitor star in faculty, lawyer, modern chief within the OSS throughout World Battle II, one of many founders of the CIA, creator of profitable and unsuccessful covert actions, outstanding participant within the Georgetown social set – however sufferer of what would now be referred to as bipolar dysfunction – an sickness that finally led to his taking of his personal life. Former senior CIA officer (and Cipher Transient professional) Mike Sulick reviewed the e-book for us noting that the bio was lengthy overdue and “a useful contribution to understanding the rewards and pitfalls of covert motion as a software of American international coverage.” Waller joined us in a Cowl Tales podcast to share a few of the secrets and techniques of writing about this trailblazing determine of U.S. intelligence.
A trailblazer of a distinct form was Main Basic Jack Leide whose e-book, Skilled Braveness: My Journey in Navy Intelligence By means of Peace, Disaster and Battle, was featured in a January assessment. Leide has been inducted into 4 totally different navy halls of fame. The tales he tells – and the teachings realized in Vietnam, in China throughout Tiananmen Sq., and as Central Command Director of Intelligence throughout Desert Defend and Desert Storm make it a precious learn. He additionally kindly joined us for a Cipher Transient Cowl Tales podcast the place he informed us in regards to the challenges of telling a demanding boss what they should know moderately than what they wish to hear.
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For a totally totally different form of e-book, there may be Zero Sum: The Arc of Worldwide Enterprise in Russia by Charles Hecker. It’s a take a look at the wild world of worldwide commerce launched from Russia following the autumn of the Soviet Union. Cipher Transient professional Nick Fishwick, a veteran of practically thirty years with the British International Workplace, reviewed it for us – calling it a “grizzly odyssey” and one “filled with crisp soundbites.” Hecker addresses the query of why the west was so improper in its evaluation of the submit hammer and sickle Russia.
Our tech savvy followers may significantly be eager about Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the International Battle for Democracy, by Ronald Deibert. Jean-Thomas Nicole, a coverage advisor with Public Security Canada and a frequent reviewer for us, says the e-book “provides an enlightening and terrifying glimpse into the ever present and murky world of mercenary spyware and adware and digital transnational repression.”
To wrap up our summer time books publication, what can be extra applicable than a e-book about books? We’re referring to The Admiral’s Bookshelf, by retired Navy Admiral (and Cipher Transient professional) James Stavridis. This spring, the admiral printed his fifteenth e-book, and this one is about 25 books (a combination of fiction and non-fiction) that he credit with having helped information his profession and life. Former CIA officer (and creator himself) Jim Lawler reviewed it for us and praised the best way Stavridis candidly discusses not solely his successes – but additionally his stumbles throughout his lengthy profession and the way the books on his bookshelf may also help all of us keep away from some heartache and frustration. Suzanne hosted the Admiral on a Cowl Tales podcast the place he defined how leaders can be taught not solely from Solar Tzu’s The Artwork of Battle but additionally Mario Puzo’s The Godfather.
We’ve solely touched on a few of the books reviewed in 2025 in The Cipher Transient. Yow will discover all of our evaluations right here.
One of many issues that makes Cipher Transient evaluations of books so precious is that our reviewers are consultants in their very own proper. In the event you suppose you’ll have the chops to be a Cipher Transient e-book reviewer, take a look at our tips – and when you nonetheless suppose you’d be a very good match – drop us a observe at undercover@thecipherbrief.com to toss your hat within the ring. Tell us your specific pursuits and areas of experience. At any time when potential, we attempt to marry up professional reviewers with forthcoming books. We attempt to get the reviewers advance copies – and intention to publish evaluations proper across the time a e-book is goes on sale.
We’re wishing you content summer time studying!
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