Spybrary Spy Podcast

Spy Rewind time - Jeff and Matthew take a look back at the early 2000’s spy show Alias. Starring Jennifer Garner it was one of the first spy shows to air after 9/11 and catapulted numerous people both in front of and behind the camera to further success. The guys talk about the effect of 9/11 on spy shows, the changing look at gender roles for spies, whether it’s a good or bad thing to have a mystery box and how hard it must be to spy in a belly shirt.

From acclaimed spy novelist Paul Vidich comes a taut new thriller following the attempted exfiltration of a KGB officer from the ever-changing—and always dangerous—USSR in the mid-1980s. Shane Whaley finds out more in this interview with author Paul Vidich. In Episode 146 of Spybrary with spy author Paul Vidich we discuss: What was Paul Vidich's inspiration for writing The Mercenary. What kind of reader The Mercenary appeals to? (Actioneers v Realistic) What drew Paul to write an espionage thriller? Moscow features heavily, we find out how Paul Vidich researched Moscow and he reveals how John Beryles the former US Ambassador to the Russian Federation 2008-12 helped him, Paul tells us more about the protagonist 'Garin.' We talk locations, settings and why the books was set in the Soviet Union of the mid-80s. Paul reveals that as part of his research, he read over 30 books including autobiographies of high-ranking KGB officers who successfully defected to the West. No wonder the tradecraft is so good in this! We learn more about some of the other characters in The Mercenary including Nataliya, Zyuganov, Petrov, Mueller, Talinov and Posner. 'But shed war of its glory and a soldier’s job is to kill. It’s that simple. And so, shed espionage of its popular mythology, the spy’s job is to lie, deceive, and betray trust.' Shane asks Is The Mercenary a nod to John le Carre and The Spy Who Came In from the cold? The challenges of espionage writing and what are the fun parts! And much more including the world-famous Spybrary Quickfire round!

It is 1955 and we review the latest Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel, Moonraker With David Craggs, author Simon Conway and Spybrary Host Shane Whaley. Episode is also available on YouTube. Details at www.spybrary.com/145

Today's episode of Spybrary is all about collecting spy books. This episode is also available on YouTube.  We talk James Bond book trivia and see some of Tim’s amazing Fleming novels. There are some beautiful association copies of Adam Hall books, Matthew shares details on how to collect an elusive Clancy first edition and a signed copy of one of Jimmy Sangster’s spy novels with a great back story. All that plus tips and tricks from three folks who can’t stop collecting books.

On today's Spybrary Spy Podcast, we turn our attention to Spy TV and the third and sadly final season of the British spy tv series The Sandbaggers starring Roy Marsden and created by Ian Mackintosh. Our panel are back to run the rule over The Sandbaggers Season 3.We are joined by Spybrary Podcast listeners, Hannah Cooper, Jeffrey Westhoff, and Paul Hodges of The Sandbaggers Facebook Group.

Today we are joined by author Mark Edlitz the author of the Lost Adventures of James Bond: Timothy Dalton’s Third and Fourth Bond Films, James Bond Jr., and Other Unmade or Forgotten 007 Projects. He is expertly interviewed by James Bond Radio contributor Jack Lugo. Since this episode was recorded, Jack has launched his own 007 podcast - Bond and Banter. The James Bond universe is greater than you might think. Even if you have seen all the movies and devoured Ian Fleming's books, there is much more to discover about 007. There is a fascinating galaxy of Bond adventures that have been "lost" or unmade, out-of-print, or forgotten by even the most dedicated Bond fan. Through his probing interviews with their creators in THE LOST ADVENTURES OF JAMES BOND, Mark Edlitz uncovers different scenarios for Timothy Dalton's abandoned third and fourth Bond movies, questions Toby Stephens about playing 007 on the radio, delves into the unproduced Casino Royale play, and exposes the secret history of James Bond Jr, the animated series about 007's nephew. Edlitz also solves a long-standing Bond mystery, investigates the cheeky commercial which inserts Daniel Craig into a Roger Moore-style escapade, and reveals the story behind Sean Connery's lost Bond performance. These and other projects are revealed in this vastly entertaining and enlightening book. Using never-before-seen photographs, Edlitz uncovers a wealth of unexplored lore. THE LOST ADVENTURES OF JAMES BOND is a must for any Bond fan.

New York Times Bestselling Author Mark Greaney joins us today to share more about his latest Gray Man novel 'Relentless.' Mark tells us that Spybrary listeners can read Relentless as the first foray into the Court Gentry series. Mark Greaney also shares more about the upcoming Gray Man movie, his writing process and his future writing plans. This interview is hosted by Spybrary listener and fan of the Gray Man series, Kashif Hussein.

Spy bloggers Matthew Bradford and Jeff Quest launch a new series called Spy Rewind where they look at classic spy tv episodes and series. Today they take a look at Mission Impossible. Websites and Resources mentioned on Spy Rewind. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE: THE MIND OF STEFAN MIKLOS Summary - https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=about&p=346&item=T:12497  Mission: Impossible Blu Rays - https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Impossible-Original-TV-Blu-ray/dp/B08GFSYGNV  Barbara Bain - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Bain The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier - https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Mission-Impossible-Dossier/dp/0380758776  Matthew’s review of season 7 (which links to previous season reviews) - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/2011/11/dvd-review-mission-impossible-7th-tv.html  Pluto TV’s Mission: Impossible - https://pluto.tv/live-tv/mission-impossible  Jeff Quest’s Site - https://spywrite.com  Matthew Bradford’s Site - https://doubleosection.blogspot.com/

Mick Herron returns to the Spybrary Podcast to discusses his latest novel - Slough House. Mick is joined in conversation with our Man in London - David Craggs In his best and most ambitious novel yet, Mick Herron, “the le Carré of the future” (BBC), offers an unsparing look at the corrupt web of media, global finance, spycraft, and politics that power our modern world. “This is a darker, scarier Herron. The gags are still there but the satire's more biting. The privatization of a secret service op and the manipulation of news is relevant and horribly credible.”—Ann Cleeves, author of the Vera Stanhope series

Today we decode a brush pass transmission, a spy book review of Simon Conway's The Agent Runner. Author and Spy Book fan, Stephen England gives us his brush pass spy book review of The Agent Runner by Simon Conway