‘This [is a] superb study of the illegals system … In the West it was erroneously assumed that the illegals programme ended with the Cold War, but as Corera proves it was ramped up and modernised by Putin for the 21st century … Alexander Poteyev was a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan who rose to become deputy head of Directorate S. His story, told here for the first time, is an extraordinary one… Corera tells this astonishing tale with deft authority, placing it in the wider context of Russian intelligence strategy. Few are better versed in the intricacies of the continuing spy war between East and West.’ Ben Macintyre, The Times

‘Extremely readable … A lively and disturbing account of the extraordinary events that led to, and the terrible ones that followed, the Vienna spy swap in 2010, an episode perhaps best remembered in the West for Anna Chapman, the strikingly beautiful socialite who turned out to be a Russian spy.’ Telegraph

‘A lively and engrossing account of the FBI’s decade-long counterintelligence operation … Corera correctly notes that the US and UK were slow to appreciate Russia’s malign intent once Putin became president … Offers a persuasive account of how Moscow had adapted its espionage toolkit … A compelling book that combines good storytelling with subtle understanding of spy methods old and new’
Luke Harding, Observer