

True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
SPYSCAPE
True Spies takes you inside the world's greatest espionage and detective operations. Our hosts Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Sophia Di Martino, Daisy Ridley and Rhiannon Neads talk to the real spies behind the missions. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would you do in their position? We explore and investigate real life thrillers, mysteries and crimes - stories that prove truth is stranger than fiction! These stories cover lies, murder, theft, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. You’ll meet experts from the top intelligence agencies including FBI, CIA, MI5, MI6 (SIS), KGB, GRU, Mossad and many others. You’ll discover characters who spied because of money, ideology, coercion or just plain old ego. And, if you’d like to dig deeper into the world of secrets, and test your own secret intelligence skills, head over to spyscape.com for articles, games, experiences, puzzles and videos.For episodes first and ad-free, subscribe to Spyscape+ at: plus.Spyscape.comA Cup & Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Music: Nick Ryan.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 28, 2024 • 51min
Operation Kronstadt | Historical
Former MI6 Officer Harry Ferguson tells the nail-biting story of an unlikely British spy in Bolshevik Russia - and the daring naval mission to bring him home.From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Louise Sinnerton. Music by Nick Ryan.Harry Ferguson is the author of Operation Kronstadt, and makes content on TikTok as The English Spy (https://www.tiktok.com/@theenglishspy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 21, 2024 • 46min
The Woman Who Rescued Orwell | Historical
It's 1937. The Spanish Civil War is raging, and author George Orwell is fighting on the Socialist front. But as Orwell lives out his anti-Fascist adventure, his wife, Eileen O'Shaughnessy, is embroiled in a subtler conflict. At the headquarters of the Workers' Party of Marxist Unification in Barcelona, she's dealing with a brutal police force, Stalinist spies, and an atmosphere of political terror. And on top of all that, it's up to her to stop her husband falling into enemy hands...From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Louise Sinnerton. Music by Nick Ryan.Anna Funder is the author of Stasiland and Wifedom: https://www.annafunder.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 14, 2024 • 44min
The War on Terror, Part Two - From Khost to Compounds | CIA
Former CIA Operations Officer Aaron Brown discusses his role in the CIA's War on Terror, focusing on the tragic attack at the Khost base by a double agent. He delves into ongoing counterterrorism efforts, the pursuit of Bin Laden's courier, the hunt for a mysterious compound, and the high-stakes raid preparation. The podcast captures the tension, uncertainty, and danger in government raids and reflects on the emotional toll of such missions.

May 7, 2024 • 38min
The War on Terror, Part One - From Cairo to Khost | CIA
Former CIA Operations Officer Aaron Brown discusses his role in the CIA's War on Terror, including intense moments during the hunt for Osama bin Laden. He shares his journey from military training to CIA recruitment, highlighting pivotal decisions and challenges faced in counterterrorism efforts.

Apr 30, 2024 • 57min
Disinformation Warfare, Part Two - America | Investigation
Former Executive Director of the US Disinformation Governance Board, Nina Jankowicz, discusses the impact of Russian disinformation on American politics, the mastery of disinformation tactics by a Russian troll farm, and the influence of misinformation on the 2016 US election, including controversies surrounding fake news and Russian interference.

Apr 23, 2024 • 48min
Disinformation Warfare, Part One - The Troll Farm | Investigation
Peter Pomerantsev discusses the evolution of Russian disinformation tactics, highlighting the Internet Research Agency's propaganda strategies. The podcast delves into the challenges of democracy, social media manipulation, and Kremlin's narrative shaping in Ukraine.

Apr 16, 2024 • 52min
Kim Philby, Super Spy: Part Two, The Third Man
Rhiannon Neads explores Kim Philby's downfall due to booze, bad luck, and betrayal in the fascinating world of espionage. The podcast delves into Philby's double-agent role, his turbulent marriage, strategic moves in British intelligence, and the unravelling of his betrayals amidst escalating tensions and dramatic interrogations.

Apr 9, 2024 • 52min
Kim Philby, Super Spy: Part One, Codename Sonny
In this podcast, guest Harold 'Kim' Philby, a British superspy for the Russians, discusses his rise within MI6 and the fateful decisions leading to his undoing. The podcast explores his involvement in the Spanish Civil War, early influences, espionage during WWII, and the challenges of being a double agent.

Apr 2, 2024 • 47min
Narcotopia, Part Two - Thy Will Be Done | Investigation
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade.In Part 2, we learn more about Saw Lu's dangerous entanglement with the US Government. Listener discretion is advised.From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 26, 2024 • 51min
Narcotopia, Part One - Agent Superstar | Investigation
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose main source of income is the international drugs trade.In Part 1, Patrick tells the story of his journey to Wa State, and his chance meeting with one of the most powerful figures in its history, Saw Lu - a man whose vision for the isolated nation led him to the door of the US Government.From SPYSCAPE, the HQ of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Joe Foley. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices