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  • The Spy and the Traitor

  • The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
  • By: Ben Macintyre
  • Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
  • Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (6,968 ratings)
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The Spy and the Traitor

By: Ben Macintyre
Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The number one Sunday Times best seller

Shortlisted for the 2018 Baillie Gifford Prize

A thrilling Cold War story about a KGB double agent, by one of Britain's greatest historians - now with a new afterword.

On a warm July evening in 1985, a middle-aged man stood on the pavement of a busy avenue in the heart of Moscow, holding a plastic carrier bag. In his grey suit and tie, he looked like any other Soviet citizen. The bag alone was mildly conspicuous, printed with the red logo of Safeway, the British supermarket.

The man was a spy. A senior KGB officer, for more than a decade he had supplied his British spymasters with a stream of priceless secrets from deep within the Soviet intelligence machine. No spy had done more to damage the KGB. The Safeway bag was a signal: to activate his escape plan to be smuggled out of Soviet Russia. So began one of the boldest and most extraordinary episodes in the history of spying. Ben Macintyre reveals a tale of espionage, betrayal and raw courage that changed the course of the Cold War forever....

©2018 Ben MacIntyre (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The best true spy story I have ever read." (John Le Carré)

What listeners say about The Spy and the Traitor

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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant Documentary of the Cold War

If you listen to this in your car as I did, you will find yourself driving the long way round and parking up outside your home for extended periods.

I have found all of Ben Macintyre's work absolutely fascinating but this is perhaps his best work. Gripping for anyone that grew up during the Cold war. Thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and looking forward to further works.

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61 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Simply outstanding

I have been an audible member for many years and this is the best book I have listened to ever

I was transfixed from start to finish with the remarkable story telling and compelling rendition.

If you listen to one audio book, this is the one.

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36 people found this helpful

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

Amazing

I finished this book in less than 48 hours and is simply amazing must listen too!

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26 people found this helpful

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

More gripping than any Agatha Christie novel!

Wow! what a story. An incredible true tale of a very brave Russian spy who provided incalculable intel to MI6 in the most gripping audiobook I've listened to. Superbly read by the author Ben MacIntyre, the audio becomes edge of the seat stuff as we relive Oleg Gordievsky's incredibly dangerous liaison with the British secret service and the necessity to smuggle Oleg and his family out of Russia develops into a gripping cannot put down narrative. Without giving anything away there is a twist in the tail as well!

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • MR
  • 23-11-19

Un-put-down-able

An amazing story on many different levels. Other than the unmistakable; BBC style, extreme lefty, summary of the two main protagonists, I enjoyed the whole audiobook.

Most highly recommended!

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic.

Fantastic account of a supremely brave double agent whose actions have shaped our world.
One of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to.
Superbly written and superbly narrated by Ben Macintyre.
I highly recommend this audiobook - I promise you will not be disappointed!

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • MD
  • 25-09-18

Brilliant story

Macintyre can not only write a great story but he is also an excellent narrator
What makes this such an enthralling listen is that it actually happened. The suspense as Oleg escapes Russia is brilliant.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another stonking read/listen by Ben Macintyre.

this was an amazing story, edge of the seat stuff and very British. I loved it and will be re listening soon.

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6 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting story

The story was very interesting, but I felt the book took an unnecessarily long time to tell it.

This often meant I'd zone out rather then be captivated, the epilogue was the best chapter in that respect, concise and to the point.

A few times I considered returning it as it just went on and on, with an overly detailed back story that didn't really affect the main point of the book.

A 7hr abridged version would be better in my opinion.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome

I was hooked! Completely gripping book, I genuinely couldn’t stop listening. The narration was also great.

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2 people found this helpful