He Stole the KGB’s Secrets For Years! With Gordon Corera
Release Date: 06/25/2025
The Dark Truth About the Cambridge Five | Stalin’s Apostles with Antonia Senior
Spybrary Spy Podcast
If you think you already know the Cambridge Five story, think again. In this episode of Spybrary, Shane Whaley is joined by journalist and author Antonia Senior to discuss her powerful new book, — a major re-examination of Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt and John Cairncross. But this is not the familiar story of clubland betrayal, old boys’ networks. ping gins and establishment embarrassment. Instead, Antonia asks a darker and more important question: what did Stalin actually want from his greatest spies and what was the human cost? From Poland, the Baltics,...
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She Judges Crime Fiction’s Biggest Prizes — Here Are Her 5 Favourite Spy Books!
Spybrary Spy Podcast
One of crime fiction's most trusted voices reveals her 5 best spy novels. In our latest Spybrary Dead Drop Five series, crime fiction critic makes a passionate case for each one — and her picks may surprise you. Welcome back to the Dead Drop 5 series! In this episode, Spybrary host Shane Whaley is joined by Ayo Onatade — one of the most respected voices in crime and thriller fiction. Ayo is a critic, commentator, and moderator who has written extensively on crime and thriller fiction, contributed to major reference works on British and American crime writing, and...
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'He Gave Me Information About Spying That Frightened The Life Out of Me!' (and inspired The New Spy)
Spybrary Spy Podcast
Guest host Matthew Hurst sits down with author to explore his debut spy thriller . Dylan shares his unconventional journey from global advertising creative to full-time novelist, revealing how real-world research, including chilling conversations with a mysterious source known only as “Mr. Pickles” shaped the authenticity of his espionage writing. The conversation dives deep into modern intelligence warfare, particularly the concept of “chaos warfare,” where the goal is not conquest but destabilisation. Dylan explains how this evolving geopolitical reality inspired the novel’s...
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Remembering Len Deighton: The Outsider Who Revolutionised Spy Fiction
Spybrary Spy Podcast
We share the sad news that renowned spy novelist Len Deighton has passed away at 97. We pay tribute to his incredible work, discussing why he was considered the greatest spy novelist and his impact on cold war espionage. His contributions to the spy thriller genre remembered. Len Deighton didn’t just write spy novels… he changed the genre. In this episode, we take a step back and reflect on the life, legacy, and impact of one of the true giants of espionage fiction. From The IPCRESS File through to the Bernard Samson/Berlin Game series, Deighton gave us something very...
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He Wrote Spy Game. Now He’s Written an Epic CIA Saga | Michael Frost Beckner
Spybrary Spy Podcast
What happens when a legendary screenwriter turns decades of espionage ideas into an epic literary spy saga? On this episode of the Spybrary podcast, joins to unpack , the Spy Game universe, CIA family legacies, his influences, moral ambiguity, and the hidden machinery of intelligence. A must-listen/watch for serious spy fiction fans. Join the Spybrary Community: If you enjoyed today's episode - please can you give us a rating and review? This helps us spread the word to bring more spy readers in from the cold.
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Former Spy Turned Novelist: James Wolff on Spies and Other Gods with Tim Shipman
Spybrary Spy Podcast
Tim Shipman sits down with thriller author who worked as a British intelligence officer for over ten years. They unpack his latest spy novel Spies and Other Gods. Wolff shares how a single line in a UK parliamentary oversight report (the Intelligence and Security Committee) sparked the novel’s core idea. An anonymous whistleblower sends British Intelligence into a frenzy, threatening to reveal secrets that could bring the establishment to its knees. Wolff also reveals why it took government censors 16 months to approve his book—and shares some of the truly absurd references they...
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Fleming’s Final Bond Stories: Octopussy, Living Daylights & The Spy Boom Of 1966
Spybrary Spy Podcast
Spybrary’s James Bond Book Club jumps back to 1966 to discuss Ian Fleming’s final book of 007 short stories—Octopussy and The Living Daylights. The episode closes with a forward-looking discussion: spy fiction is exploding, and Fleming’s legacy may be less about continuation novels and more about how he opened the floodgates for Len Deighton, John le Carré, Modesty Blaise, Quiller, and the entire “spy mania” era—on page and screen.
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Everybody Wants to Rule the World: 1980s Nostalgia & Cold War Espionage with Ace Atkins
Spybrary Spy Podcast
In this thriller author interview, Spywrite's sits down with Ace Atkins to dive deep into his nostalgic Cold War spy novel — a thrilling, 80s-set espionage adventure that blends suburban coming-of-age storytelling with high-stakes KGB intrigue. Support Spybrary on Patreon - Atkins shares how discovering Ian Fleming as a teenager transformed him into a lifelong spy fiction obsessive, eventually shaping his career as a bestselling author. The conversation explores the real-life espionage inspirations behind the novel, including infamous traitors Aldrich Ames, as well as the bizarre and...
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Inside The Cormorant Hunt with Michael Idov (Spoiler Free)
Spybrary Spy Podcast
Bryan Boling sits down for a spoiler-free chat with novelist , diving into , the standalone sequel to his acclaimed spy thriller . Idov discusses the challenge of writing a compelling antagonist in Felix Burnham—a fusion of Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate who pushes protagonist Ari Falk to his limits. They explore how real-world extremism, post-COVID paranoia, and disinformation influence modern spy fiction, and why setting stories in overlooked global locales adds authenticity. From the Reichsbürger to action-packed drone chases in Georgia (the country), Idov breaks down how topical...
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Spies, Snipers, Smugglers & the Shadow War in Northern Ireland
Spybrary Spy Podcast
In this gripping episode of the Spybrary Podcast, sits down with journalist and author to explore the legacy of his landmark book . They dive into the hidden war fought in the rural heartlands of Northern Ireland during the Troubles, spotlighting the extraordinary reach of IRA intelligence and the massive British surveillance effort in response. Toby shares the story behind the book’s unexpected reissue 25 years after its release, the shadowy figure of Tom “Slab” Murphy, and the dangerous tightrope journalists walked reporting from IRA strongholds. The conversation then pivots to...
info_outlineGordon Corera makes his Spybrary debut in this riveting episode of the Spybrary podcast. Host Shane Whaley welcomes the former BBC security correspondent, espionage historian and host of The Rest is Classified podcast, Gordon Corera to discuss his latest book, The Spy in the Archive.
The Cold War might be over, but its shadows stretch far into the present. What if one of the Soviet Union’s most overlooked insiders — a quiet KGB archivist — decided to turn against the very institution he once served? How did he smuggle a mountain of secrets out from under Moscow’s nose? And why did the CIA turn him away, only for MI6 to uncover what may be the most valuable intelligence defection of the era?
This is the extraordinary true story of Vasili Mitrokhin — a man whose private rebellion against the KGB became a mission to expose its darkest truths. With deep ideological conviction, he spent years quietly copying thousands of classified files, building a secret archive buried beneath his dacha floorboards. His eventual escape, orchestrated by MI6, and the revelations that followed would reshape our understanding of Soviet espionage forever.
The conversation dives deep into the life and legacy of Vasili Mitrokhin, a former KGB archivist turned dissident who smuggled out a trove of intelligence that would become one of the most important Cold War revelations. Gordon shares the challenges of researching this secretive figure, the personal and ideological motivations behind Mitrokhin’s actions, the drama of his family’s exfiltration by MI6, and how his warnings about the persistence of the KGB mindset still echo today. This episode offers a unique blend of spy history, investigative journalism, and human drama.
- Gordon Corera's book: The Spy in the Archive
- Gordon Corera Official Website
- Join the Spybrary Community