Deception

The Untold Story of East-West Espionage Today

By: Edward Lucas

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

From the capture of Sidney Reilly, the "Ace of Spies", by Lenin's Bolsheviks in 1925, to the deportation from the USA of Anna Chapman, the "Redhead under the Bed", in 2010, Kremlin and Western spymasters have battled for supremacy for nearly a century.

In Deception Edward Lucas uncovers the real story of Chapman and her colleagues in Britain and America, unveiling their clandestine missions and the spy-hunt that led to their downfall. It reveals unknown triumphs and disasters of Western intelligence in the Cold War, providing the background to the new world of industrial and political espionage. To tell the story of post-Soviet espionage, Lucas draws on exclusive interviews with Russia's top NATO spy, Herman Simm, and unveils the horrific treatment of a Moscow lawyer who dared to challenge the ruling criminal syndicate there.

Once the threat from Moscow was international communism; now it comes from the siloviki, Russia's ruthless "men of power." "The outcome," Lucas argues, "will determine whether the West brings Russia toward its standards of liberty, legality, and cooperation, or whether Russia will shape the West's future as we accommodate (or even adopt) the authoritarian crony-capitalism that is the Moscow regime's hallmark."

©2012 Edward Lucas (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Prophecy came true

Would you listen to Deception again? Why?

Yes. This book reveals things that someone interested in Russia already knew but is putting them in a terrifying however perfectly logical context.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Deception?

Last part that is suggesting that Western services turned around one of Russian spies.

Which character – as performed by David Colacci – was your favorite?

This book doesn't have characters... but still Anne Chapman is my favourite

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It scared me, especially now given the whole Ukrainian crisis. Living in Central and Eastern Europe seems to be scary

Any additional comments?

Good read. When I was thinking about buying that book I looked up reviews from 2 years ago, when it as originally published. All of them read something like: well documented, logical but impossible as Russia isn't a threat... Well it seems Russia is a threat and this book is explaining how and why.

Excellent

What did you love best about Deception?

It discusses present day espionage cases, which is hard to find good books on.

excellent

on a russia binge, this is by far the most rational, common sense book on the subject

I felt Deceived

Any additional comments?

Yikes, the first chapter was a book summary of Red Notice (a far better read). The remaining ad-hoc subjects were out of touch with what I thought the book was about. Some people publish for the money, this felt like one of those. It will be my last Edward Lucas book.

12 hours of crushing boredom

Boring, preachy, dated, and hypocritical. What is the point of all the pearl clutchng if the author is on air defending Western apologists for the USSR and for Putin?