Andrew Cook

Andrew Cook, author and historian of Sidney Reilly, gives a concise portrait of the man called the real James Bond. He explores Reilly’s fluid identities, global spycraft, and murky mix of daring operations and self-serving deception. The conversation traces Reilly’s rise, risky Russian mission, capture and execution, and his lasting influence on spy mythmaking.

Andrew Cook, a British investigative historian specializing in espionage and intelligence history, explores Houdini’s intriguing ties to Britain’s early secret services. The discussion follows his friendship with William Melville, altered passports, mysterious reports, and access to European power brokers. Could Houdini have been an informant? His flair for misdirection makes the boundary between magic and espionage wonderfully uncertain.