The history of Russia’s most secret spy program, from the earliest days of the Soviet Union to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and a revelatory examination of how that hidden history shaped both Russia and the West.
Fascinating and meticulously researched ... Walker, a reporter for The Guardian, has done the kind of deep archival spelunking and source-cultivating that makes editors nervous about expense accounts.
Utterly gripping ... Makes the sparkling most of an outlandish cast of characters ... Walker is gleefully aware that he has the material for a dozen films here.
Electrifying ... Consistently fascinating and at times thrilling ... Walker, a correspondent for The Guardian, makes good use of archival sources ... As interesting as the program’s nuts and bolts are its psychological dimensions, which Walker explores throughout the book.
