SpyMasters

Former British intelligence officer (writing under a pseudonym), James Wolff, joins Antonia Senior for a smart, funny, unflinching conversation about his daring new novel Spies and Other Gods — a spy story told in a totally unexpected voice.

We talk secrecy and censorship, the strange culture of intelligence, oversight (and why it rarely works), the moral “grubbiness” baked into espionage, and why the most interesting spy drama is often just two people in a room talking.

Buy the book: Waterstones, Amazon, or your favourite indie (links below). Find Antonia on History Book Buffs: YouTube + podcast. 

Spies and Other Gods (Waterstones): https://www.waterstones.com/book/spies-and-other-gods/james-wolff/9781399826310

Spies and Other Gods (Amazon UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spies-Other-Gods-electrifying-mysterious/dp/139982631X

Spies and Other Gods (Daunt Books): https://dauntbooks.co.uk/shop/books/spies-and-other-gods/

History Book Buffs (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@TheHistoryBookBuffs

History Book Buffs (Spotify show): https://open.spotify.com/show/1374VWNaaXrnveueY4iclQ
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In this episode of Spymasters, Antonia Senior sits down with acclaimed author Alex Preston to discuss his gripping new novel A Stranger in Corfu — a dark, atmospheric story that blends the glamour of the Mediterranean with the psychological wreckage of espionage.

At the centre of the novel is Nina, a young MI6 agent dispatched into the collapsing chaos of 1990s Yugoslavia, where the moral certainties of her training collide with the brutal reality of intelligence work. What follows is a haunting journey — one that eventually leads her to a mysterious island off Corfu, a place that feels less like paradise and more like a retirement home for damaged spies.

Alex reveals the real-world inspirations behind the story, including Corfu’s extraordinary intelligence history, and the chilling legacy of Operation Valuable — the failed Anglo-American Cold War effort to destabilise communist Albania.

This is an episode about idealism, betrayal, compromised souls, and the seductive power of “beautiful lies.” If you love John le Carré, moral complexity, or spy stories that feel uncomfortably real… you’re going to love this conversation.

🔗 Buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=A+Stranger+in+Corfu+Alex+Preston

🔗 Buy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Stalin%27s+Apostles+Antonia+Senior

If you love deep-dive history, espionage stories, and book-led discussions…

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryBookBuffs🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4eI5pI5YFZy9Oa4XwQ7m9c🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/search?term=History%20Book%20Buffs

A Stranger in Corfu, Alex Preston, Spymasters podcast, MI6 spy novel, espionage fiction, Corfu spy history, Operation Valuable, Cold War operations, John le Carré influence, moral ambiguity, literary spy thriller, Yugoslavia intelligence, British intelligence fiction, CIA and MI6 operations, spy retirement island, psychological espionage fiction


Spy fiction is at its best when it’s morally uncomfortable.


Nina’s story captures the psychological cost of being trained to lie for a living.


Corfu isn’t just beautiful — it’s a landscape soaked in Cold War intrigue.


Operation Valuable remains one of the most fascinating and disastrous intelligence missions of the era.


The novel’s dual timeline structure deepens both suspense and emotional impact.


Espionage isn’t about heroes and villains — it’s about people trying to survive the compromises they’ve made.

“What drives us all?”

“Is it ever worth it?”

“A dark wave that is constantly about to break.”

00:00 – Introduction to Alex and A Stranger in Corfu02:37 – Why Corfu is the perfect spy setting06:51 – Kim Philby, betrayal, and the ghost of intelligence history11:25 – Nina’s story and the power of a dual timeline16:48 – The moral ambiguities of espionage20:59 – Generational links and inherited damage26:50 – Idealism vs. reality in the spy world30:06 – The seduction of “beautiful lies”35:23 – Nina, trauma, and the dark wave38:47 – Future projects and closing thoughts

Please consider following Spymasters, leaving a rating, and sharing the episode with a fellow spy-fiction addict.

Because the truth is rarely clean… and espionage never ends.

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Former CIA analyst and bestselling spy novelist David McCloskey returns to Spymasters to talk to Antonia Senior about his new thriller The Persian — a razor-sharp spy story set inside the Israel–Iran shadow war.

We discuss how real-world covert operations (from sabotage to targeted assassinations) have shaped modern espionage, and how spy fiction can capture the human cost of clandestine conflict: fear, tradecraft, loyalty, identity, and moral compromise. McCloskey breaks down how he researches intelligence operations using open-source reporting and conversations with former practitioners — and why he chose to write a spy novel with no Americans at the center of the story.

We also explore the culture and risk tolerance differences between intelligence services, the evolution of surveillance and remote warfare, and the perennial question: should writers “stay in their lane,” or is imagining other lives the whole point of fiction?


What the Israel–Iran covert conflict looks like — and why it’s perfect terrain for a spy novel


The premise of The Persian: a Persian Jewish dentist recruited as a Mossad asset


Researching espionage through open-source intelligence (OSINT), reporting, and real tradecraft insight


Mossad vs CIA: risk tolerance, bureaucracy, operational style, and culture


Remote and tech-enabled killing — drones, distance, and the changing nature of modern war


Writing morally complex characters (and why the book isn’t a “morality play”)


Representation in fiction: writing characters outside your own experience


A teaser for McCloskey’s next novel: CIA and MI6 under strain — and spying on each other again

David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and the author of multiple acclaimed spy novels including Damascus Station, Moscow X, and The Seventh Floor. His work is known for its operational authenticity and insider-level realism — without losing sight of the human story.

The Persian is out now (publication-day episode). Available wherever you buy books, or here: https://amzn.eu/d/5DzqbwC

If you enjoy deep-dive conversations on espionage, intelligence history, covert action, tradecraft, and spy fiction, hit Follow on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and leave a rating — it helps more listeners find the show.

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What happens when a secret police force writes its own novels?

In this episode of Spymasters, Antonia Senior is joined by academic and KGB expert Filip Kovacevic to explore the hidden world of Soviet spy fiction—and the extraordinary role it played inside the KGB itself. Drawing on his book KGB Literati, Kovacevic reveals how intelligence officers, counter-spies, and veterans of state security became novelists, producing stories designed to shape public opinion, recruit future officers, and redefine the image of the KGB within Soviet society.

From the early post-war novels of Roman Kim to the officially sanctioned Chekist Stories series produced by the KGB Press Bureau, the conversation uncovers how fiction became a tool of counterintelligence, psychological influence, and regime legitimacy. We also examine why Western intelligence analysts paid close attention to these books, how they influenced a young Vladimir Putin, and why the tradition continues today under the FSB and SVR.

A deep dive into propaganda, imagination, and power—and a reminder that in espionage, stories can be as important as secrets.

Find the book: https://amzn.eu/d/fRVZgoI

Find Filip on X: @chekistmonitor

on the web: thechekistmonitor.blogspot.com

on substack: https://kgbstack.substack.com/
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This special crossover episode brings together espionage and crime fans for a fast-paced round-table on our Books of the Year 2025.

Antonia Senior (Spymasters) is joined by:


Paul Burke – host of Aspects of Crime


Mark Ellis – bestselling author of the Frank Merlin series


Thomas Waugh – author of Endgame

Together we unpack the best in spy fiction, crime writing, historical thrillers and intelligence non-fiction—from World War II espionage and Cold War intrigue to the new era of China-focused spy thrillers.

Books discussed include:


The Darkest Winter by Carlo Lucarelli


Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne


The Second Traitor by Alex Gerlis


The Peak by Sam Guthrie


Shadow of a Queen by Peter Tonkin


The Predicament by William Boyd


Smoke and Embers by John Lawton


The Poet’s Game by Paul Vidich


Clown Town by Mick Herron


The Revolutionists by Jason Burke


Man of Bones by Ben Creed


The Spy in the Archives by Gordon Corera

Expect passionate debate, insider recommendations, Cold War gossip, a very loud puppy, and a surprising amount of Noel Coward.

Perfect listening for fans of John le Carré, Mick Herron, Len Deighton, Helen Fry, and anyone hunting for genuinely brilliant new espionage reads.

🎙️ Spymasters x Aspects of Crime – Books of the Year 2025
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