Spybrary Spy Podcast

Welcome to Episode 173 of the Spybrary Spy Book podcast. Today, we bring you a spy author interview. Spybrary hosts Shane Whaley and David Craggs find out more about Damascus Station with spy writer, author, and former CIA analyst David McCloskey

In this episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff take a look at the episode "I Spy Apocalypse" of the early 2000's tv show called Spooks in the UK and MI5 in the US. They discuss how the show helped revive the tv spy, why VX gas is so nasty and you should avoid being trapped in with your officemates at the end of the world. Plus Jeff reveals what he thinks is a hidden connection between the show and HBO's Succession! All that and more in this episode of the Spybrary Spy Podcast. Mentioned on the show - Spooks/MI5 wiki page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spooks_(TV_series) Streaming on Britbox in the US or BBC iPlayer in the UK. An oral history on Spooks - https://www.empireonline.com/spooks/part1.html The two Mr. Darcy's spy movie - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat_(film) Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

If like me, you are a big fan of audiobooks then it is highly likely that you have listened to today's guest Scott Brick narrating one of your favorite thriller audiobooks. In this conversation, Shane finds out more about life behind the mic with Scott Brick. We learn how he got started in the business plus some of his tips and tricks for delivering engaging audio and top drawer storytelling. Scott Brick also answers Spybrary listener questions such as: You recorded an excellent new version of THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER to go with you previous Clancy recordings. I was hoping you'd finish off the initial run of Clancy originals with new versions of THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN and CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. Why didn't they have you do those ones? Any chance you still will? You did an excellent job on so many original Robert Ludlum titles. Are there any more in your future? It would be great to hear you read the MATARESE novels, and they're overdue for new versions! You took over the Jack Reacher series from Dick Hill, who had a very distinctive delivery style. How conscious were you of following in someone else's footsteps? Did you do anything differently because of that? Are there any spy series or characters you HAVEN'T recorded that you'd really like a crack at?

Jason King returns to the Spybrary Podcast for his annual appearance to share his best espionage novels of 2021. This is the most requested feature of Spybrary, requested by spouses, friends, and relatives who purchase Birthday and Holiday presents for loved ones based on the Jason King picks. (I kid you not!)

In this New Year's Eve episode of Spy Rewind Matthew and Jeff welcome a special guest. Oscar winner and Man From U.N.C.L.E. superfan Robert Short join them to take a look at "The Adriatic Express Affair" a New Year's Eve-themed episode of the classic 60's spy show. They discuss how Bob would explore the sets of U.N.C.L.E. as a kid, his family connection to the show, and some of the ways U.N.C.L.E. broke new spy tv ground. Plus we talk about terrible double entendres, questionable spy gadgets and why you should probably avoid starting a cognac-based fire in your jail cell! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Mentioned on the show - The episode via DailyMotion - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x810alr The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_from_U.N.C.L.E. Morgan Richter's U.N.C.L.E recaps - https://preppiesoftheapocalypse.blogspot.com/p/uncle.html Bob's U.N.C.L.E. Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/369560823208688/ Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

In this episode of Spybrary Jeff dives into some of the most serious and silly questions faced by spy fans. He is joined by an all-star panel of guests - Jeremy Duns, Hannah Cooper and Shane Whaley. They tackle a wide range of espionage enigmas. Some of the questions covered are - From now on either every spy novel must be set in Berlin or no spy novels can ever be set in Berlin again. Which do you choose? Would you use your kid as camouflage while doing spy activity? Volcano lair vs underwater lair vs moonbase lair? All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. So settle in by the fire, pour yourself a drink of your favorite beverage and prepare to come to your own conclusions and share them with us as you listen! Tweet @spybrary with your opinion as we tackle these questions or hop on the discussion thread on the Spybrary Discussion group. Mentioned on the show - What is Water Polo? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_polo Blood in the Water match - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_in_the_Water_match Hannah's Twitter - https://twitter.com/MrsSimonTemplar Hannah's Website - https://backintimefortv.co.uk/ Jeremy's Twitter - https://twitter.com/JeremyDuns Jeremy's Website - https://www.jeremy-duns.com/ Shane's Twitter - https://twitter.com/spybrary Shane's Website - https://spybrary.com/ Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

Welcome to Episode 167 of the Spybrary Spy Book podcast. Today, we bring you a spy author interview. Spybrary host Shane Whaley finds out more about How to Betray Your Country with spy writer, author James Wolff Something I want to address with you all before we get into the conversation, the elephant in the room, James Wolff is not the author's real name. James Wolff reveals he has worked for the British government but does not reveal which branch nor where he was based. As a Spybrarian, naturally, I'm wondering, am I speaking with a George Smiley, a Bernard Samson, maybe it's a Dickie Cruyer or 007 or maybe he was the janitor at GCHQ? He's not going to talk about his past today, but I tell you something I can share with you. The boy can write! More about How to Betray Your Country by James Wolff Things are looking bad for disgraced spy August Drummond. In emotional free fall after the death of his wife, fired for a series of unprecedented security breaches that saw him labeled a traitor...and now his neighbour on the flight to Istanbul won't stop talking. The only thing keeping him sane is the hunch that there's something not quite right about the nervous young man several rows ahead - a hunch that is confirmed when August watches him throw away directions to an old European cemetery seconds before being detained by Turkish police. And when a reckless August decides to go in his place, little does he know that he is setting in motion a series of events that will test his ingenuity and resourcefulness to the limit, and bring him face to face with a terrifying figure from the dark heart of the Islamic State. The second novel in a trilogy about loyalty and betrayal in the modern age, How to Betray Your Country is an authentic thriller about walking the line between following your conscience and following orders.

London Station has fizzed into action, Sunday Times journalist and Spybrary contributor Tim Shipman chats with spy author Matthew Richardson. They discuss Matthew's spy novels, his writing style, his literary influences plus they pay tribute to the new generation of spy writers. And much more!!

Spy Rewind is back with Matthew and Jeff taking a look at the currently airing spy comedy starring David Schwimmer and Nick Mohammed - Intelligence. They discuss whether GCHQ is held in less esteem than MI5 or MI6, why spying is the perfect setting for a workplace comedy, and how Intelligence has more laughs than Ted Lasso. Plus, why Nick Mohammed was more interested in the GCHQ cafeteria than the eavesdropping and when the computer asks you to delete those files, think twice! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary. Mentioned on the show - Intelligence on Peacock - https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/intelligence/6315047360232653112/seasons/1 Intelligence on Sky - https://www.skygroup.sky/title-intelligence David Schwimmer's #ThatsHarassment video - https://youtu.be/bieGkf2n8LQ More on the anti-harassment campaign - https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/thatsharassment Matthew's review of Intelligence (2014) - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/2014/01/tv-review-intelligence-2014.html CBC's InSecurity - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InSecurity Matthew's Website - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/ Matthew's Twitter - https://twitter.com/DoubleOSection Jeff's Website - https://spywrite.com/ Jeff on Twitter - https://twitter.com/spywrite

In this episode of the Spybrary Spy Podcast Jeff Quest speaks to the former director of CIA's Technical Service Robert Wallace about his time in the CIA and the various non-fiction books he has co-authored since leaving the agency. They discuss how the CIA is similar to all other bureaucracies, why spy tech is so important for successful spy operations and how hard it can sometimes be to get past the CIA Publications Review Board. Plus, we talk about the spy that pulled the "Reverse Beatles" maneuver and some Chicago spies! All that and more in this episode of Spybrary.