Cover Stories: Spies, Books & Entertainment

Veteran journalist Douglas Waller is out with a new book “The Determined Spy: The Turbulent Life and Times of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner. We will talk with Waller about his fascinating examination of the life of a brilliant man who was a standout member of the World War II OSS, one of the founders of the CIA, and a combatant in the nascent Cold War. But Wisner also battled – and eventually lost a fight against bipolar disorder.

Ken Dekleva is no ordinary spy novelist. Not by a long shot. He is a doctor who served as a Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist with the State Department for 14 years. He is a Senior Fellow at the George HW Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, and a Salzburg Global Fellow. He brings his special insights to the fore in his third novel “The Russian Diplomat’s Wife.” We’ll talk with him about the advantages and challenges of bringing a psychiatrist's eye to creative writing, how his real-world career inspired his fiction and what can be learned about human motivation by observing the characters in “The Russian Diplomat’s Wife.”

Admiral Jim Stavridis isn’t just a prolific writer – having written a number of both fiction and non-fiction books since retiring from the military where he served as former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe at NATO – he’s also an avid reader.  His latest book, The Admiral’s Bookshelf brings those two worlds together as she shares the 25 books that he says have had the most impact on him over the years.  Some of the books on his list may surprise you, as they surprised our host, Cipher Brief CEO & Publisher Suzanne Kelly.

James Lawler was a highly-decorated CIA officer who conducted some legendary textbook level operations for the Agency.  He now excels as a novelist  and is out with his third work of fiction “The Traitor’s Tale: A Novel of Treachery Within the CIA.” We will talk with Lawler not only about the book – but about his career and how his art sometimes imitates his life.

In "Story of a CIA Wife," Rosie Mowatt-Larssen shares her journey from Germany to the United States, where her life took an unexpected turn when her husband joined the CIA. Suddenly immersed in a world of secrecy, Rosie grappled with anxiety and doubt as she adjusted to her husband's covert career. We will talk with her about  the unique challenges CIA spouses face—supporting high-stakes missions while raising a family, often with limited insight into their partner's work.

Dr. Claire Hubbard-Hall has broken the code on how to discover and report on the remarkable history of women who have silently served British intelligence over the years. In her book “Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence” (published in the U.S. on February 25, 2025, tells heretofore untold tales of the real women who have largely worked in the shadows. We’ll ask her about how she managed to obtain the stories that remain hidden in British intelligence archives – including that of Kathleen Pettigrew - who was the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s “Miss Moneypenny” in the James Bond novels. 

Delve into the strategic importance of Eurasia and how its geography shapes global rivalries today. Discover the lessons from past wars, including nuances of World War I’s legacy and American involvement. Explore the dynamic relationship between autocratic powers amid rising tensions in Ukraine, and understand the evolving misconceptions of peace and democracy. The conversation also highlights the significance of strong political leadership and defense investments in navigating contemporary geopolitical challenges.

To say that retired Army Major General Jack Leide had a remarkable  military career would be an understatement.. He has been inducted into four different halls of fame - the US Military Attaché Hall of Fame, the US Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s “Torch Bearers Hall of Fame” and the Army Foreign Area Officer Hall of Fame.He had four combat tours - three as an airborne company commander and the fourth as Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Central Command during Desert Storm. We will talk with him about his book “Professional Courage: My Journey in Military Intelligence Through Peace, Crisis and War.” We will ask him about all that and the challenges of telling a demanding boss what they need to know – rather than what they want to hear.

Scott Moyers is a veteran executive of the publishing industry. Today he is Vice President and Publisher of Penguin Press. He has acquired and edited countless bestsellers – including many authored by Cipher Brief experts. He was also director of the New York office of the Wylie Agency – one of the most prominent and influential literary agencies in the U.S.  We talk with him about his insights about publishing books touching on the national security, foreign policy and intelligence arenas – both fiction and non-fiction.  We also ask about do’s and don’t for aspiring authors, changes in the publishing industry – and what does someone who reads for a living – read for pleasure?

Thriller writer Jack Carr didn’t just serve 20 years in the elite Navy SEALS teams – retire and write a book about his experiences.  He retired from a career of service (as a sniper) and then followed his ‘other’ passion – writing. His first book, The Terminal List is now an Amazon Prime television series starring Chris Pratt. Since then, he’s written six more novels and has co-authored a non-fiction book called Targeted Beirut, about the 1983 Marine Barracks Bombing and the Untold Story of the War on Terror.  Cover Stories talked to Jack about his journey from SEAL teams to author and he has some advice for others making similar transitions from military to civilian life.