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Mother, Neighbor, Russian Spy cover art

Mother, Neighbor, Russian Spy

By: BBC Studios
Narrated by: Rosamund Pike
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  • Summary

  • Cindy Murphy is the early 2000s poster girl for having it all. A top job in finance in Manhattan, two delightful daughters and a house in the suburbs. But Cindy’s life is built on a lie. She’s really a Russian spy sent to live in deep cover in the US and send intel back to Moscow.

    Rosamund Pike narrates this true story documentary about an extraordinary woman who deceives her friends, neighbors, boss and even her children.

    ©2023 Audible, Ltd. (P)2023 Audible, Ltd.
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Episodes
  • Ep 1: Cindy Murphy
    Apr 19 2023

    It’s 1999 and Cindy Murphy is your regular New Jersey mom. Except she’s not. She’s a deep cover spy trained up by Moscow Center to infiltrate the US government.

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    32 mins
  • Ep 2: Make Contacts
    Apr 19 2023

    Working mom Cindy embeds herself in Manhattan life. As she makes friends she works out how they can support her mission.

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    27 mins
  • Ep 3: Homing In
    Apr 19 2023

    Cindy has a second child and becomes a stay-at-home mom, but she’s still a spy. And the FBI are homing in on her.

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    29 mins

What listeners say about Mother, Neighbor, Russian Spy

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Riveting, jaw-dropping, absolutely extraordinary

Nobody really thinks that spying ended with the end of the Cold War, but we thought things had changed a lot. I'm a big fan of old-school spy fiction, and the true story in this podcast is a match for all the best and sharpest stories, with the added fascination of being very recent. It's the story of a Russian woman who 'embeds' in American life with a false background: she marries another Russian spy and has two children, and they live their very normal US life, close to indistinguishable from their neighbours. But the FBI is on their trail. The story is enthralling, and at points you just can't stop listening because of the need to know what will hapen next. The podcast really looks at what it would mean to be living a double life, and what it would mean for the children. The makers have obtained interviews with many people who were very close to the spies, and the level of research is very impressive. There are some very moving moments concerning people who find out they didn't know their friends at all, but also looking at the way women make friend with other mothers, and what those friendships mean. And there is an interview with one of the sons of the Rosenbergs (the couple executed as spies by the US in the 50s) - the whole podcast would be worth it to hear what he has to say: I felt I didn't move or breathe while he spoke. But the podcast is full of great moments. I defy anyone to start listening and not want to know where it's going... HIghly recommended.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Yes BUT...

A very good podcast series and well worth listening too. However I also found it rather too full of the American way of seeing the world. So much of what seems to be seen as horrific (eg spying, assassinations) the US has done too. The US is also using spies in the same way as the Russians and others, so I would suggest that while the details are fascinating, I am sure another podcast could be made of American spies who live as Russians in Russia. That too would be interesting to hear.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Binged It!

Absolutely gripping. Had to binge it over a couple of days.
Rory Stewart's recommendation on his pod made me seek it out.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A little bit of something different

A fascinating story narrated superbly by Rosamund Pike, with no unnecessary melodrama and plenty of interesting "talking heads". I really enjoyed it. Recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it!

Best podcast I’ve heard in ages, fascinating story, beautifully detailed & narrated, would definitely recommend wholeheartedly

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Spies Among Us

An excellent insight into Russian clandestine operations. This is the REAL story behind the TV series 'The Americans".

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Very interesting and engaging

I really enjoyed this one. Rosamund like was a fantastic narrator and I learned a lot.

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3 people found this helpful

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Great, interesting

Great, interesting and kept me curious until the end. Great performance and overall experience

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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INTERESTING

well put together story that gives us a picture of how a real spy balances both worlds.

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2 people found this helpful

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Enthralling!

Binge listened to the whole series in almost a sitting. Found it super interesting and really well presented.

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2 people found this helpful