Spybrary Spy Podcast

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Bestselling Author Brad Thor on Choke Point, Netflix's Cold Zero, and Spy Fiction Jun 08, 2026

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Brad Thor has sold over 25 million thriller books. Tim Shipman welcomes Brad Thor on Spybrary to discuss Choke Point, the 25th Scot Harvath thriller, and the evolution of Scott Harvath from post-9/11 counterterrorism operator. Thor explains how the new novel uses Thailand, China's ambitions, the Strait of Malacca, sabotage, bomb-making, and geopolitical manipulation as the backdrop for a fast-moving thriller. The conversation also digs into Thor's writing process, his research network of intelligence, military, law enforcement, and diplomatic sources, and how he builds authentic detail even when he has not personally visited a location. Thor reflects on his early career as a travel show host, the honeymoon conversation that pushed him to write his first novel, his friendship with Vince Flynn, the collaborative thriller Cold Zero with Ward Larsen, and the Netflix film adaptation currently in development.

Key Topics and Themes

Brad Thor's 25th Scot Harvath thriller, Choke Point
China's Belt and Road Initiative and global infrastructure influence
Thailand, the Strait of Malacca, and the strategic value of a Thai canal
The evolution of Scot Harvath
Post-9/11 thriller fiction and the rise of the American action-spy hero
Real-world tradecraft, bomb-making research, and responsible thriller detail
Writing geopolitical thrillers that teach readers something without slowing the pace
Bangkok as an underused spy-fiction setting
Collaboration with Ward Larsen on Cold Zero
The Netflix adaptation of Cold Zero
British spy-fiction influences: Fleming, le Carré, Forsyth, MacLean, Deighton

Brad Thor Official Website Follow Tim Shipman Buy Choke Point The Top 125 Spy Authors Ranked and Rated by Tim Shipman Join the Spybrary Community

Espionage Historian Reveals 5 Must-Read British Spy History Books Jun 04, 2026

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Cold War Spy Files - Britain's Secret Fakers: The Cold War's Hidden Propaganda War with Rory Cormac May 26, 2026

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What happens when Britain fights the Cold War with typewriters, fake pamphlets, covert publishers, and even pretend hippies?

On this episode of Spybrary's Cold War Spy Files, Shane Whaley talks with historian Rory Cormac about his book Fakers: A Top Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Line.and the extraordinary true story of the Information Research Department — Britain's secret propaganda and forgery machine.

A fascinating dive into Cold War deception, disinformation, and 'state-sanctioned skullduggery.' The conversation opens the file on Britain's Cold War covert propaganda machine, especially the little-known Information Research Department — the IRD — a blandly named Foreign Office unit involved in unattributable propaganda, forgeries, fake groups, and intelligence laundering.

Professor Cormac explains how the IRD moved far beyond ordinary government messaging, creating forged pamphlets, fake political organisations, covert publishing operations, and disinformation campaigns designed to expose or disrupt Soviet influence worldwide. The episode is packed with strange-but-true stories, from British officials posing as hippies to disrupt a Soviet-backed youth festival in Bulgaria, to the painstaking forensic details of typewriters, staples, paper, and fonts used in Cold War forgery work.

The discussion also highlights the unusual people behind these operations: refugees, journalists, women, fixer-agents, propagandists, and oddball bureaucrats working in the shadows of British foreign policy. Rather than focusing on famous spies or prime ministers, Fakers reveals the human texture of covert influence work: the hustlers, handlers, writers, typists, and paper experts who helped wage Britain's secret propaganda war. Buy Fakers by Rory Cormac Follow Rory Cormac Cold War Spy Files Join the Spybrary Community Support Spybrary Sign up for The Dead Drop newsletter

Jack Carr's Cry Havoc — Did This Le Carré Fan Finish It? May 05, 2026

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I'm Shane Whaley — a self-confessed "guile over guns" spy fiction reader who has always preferred le Carré's slow burn spy novels to military firefights. So what happens when a Le Carré fan picks up Jack Carr's Cry Havoc, a 550-page Vietnam War action thriller written by a former Navy SEAL? Welcome to the Spybrary Rodeo — the brand new Spybrary feature where I pick up a book outside my comfort zone, or by a new-to-me author, give it a fair crack, and tell you exactly how many pages I stayed on for. Sometimes I bail early. Sometimes I go all the way to the final page. Today's book is Cry Havoc by Jack Carr. 550 pages. Lots of guns. Not my usual territory. Did I finish it? Keep listening to find out. In this episode: What the Spybrary Rodeo is and how it works The secret MACV-SOG unit running deniable missions in Vietnam in 1968 Why Cry Havoc is NOT your typical action thriller The speech that stopped me cold The spy fiction ingredients hidden inside this action thriller — GRU, moles, honey traps and the USS Pueblo The brilliant le Carré and Fleming passage that tells you everything about Jack Carr as a writer The literary rabbit hole that sent me straight to Jean Lartéguy's The Centurions My honest verdict Books mentioned: Cry Havoc — Jack Carr https://geni.us/UMYz The Quiet American — Graham Greene The Tears of Autumn — Charles McCarry The Honourable Schoolboy — John le Carré The Centurions — Jean Lartéguy - https://geni.us/pzrFcJ Suggest my next Rodeo read: 👉 Join the Spybrary community: https://www.spybrary.com/community 👉 Find me on X: @Spybrary - https://x.com/spybrary 👉 Full show notes: https://www.spybrary.com/298 If you're a spy fiction fan who has been avoiding Jack Carr because you thought he was too kinetic — start here. This is the episode that might just change your mind. Don't forget to subscribe for more Spybrary Rodeo episodes, Dead Drop Five conversations, and the best spy fiction and espionage history content on the internet.

The Dark Truth About the Cambridge Five | Stalin's Apostles with Antonia Senior Apr 23, 2026

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If you think you already know the Cambridge Five story, think again. In this episode of Spybrary, Shane Whaley is joined by journalist and author Antonia Senior to discuss her powerful new book, Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire— a major re-examination of Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt and John Cairncross. But this is not the familiar story of clubland betrayal, old boys' networks. ping gins and establishment embarrassment. Instead, Antonia asks a darker and more important question: what did Stalin actually want from his greatest spies and what was the human cost? From Poland, the Baltics, Albania and Ukraine to the corridors of Whitehall and Washington, this conversation explores the real human cost of the Cambridge Five's betrayals — and why they were far more than 'Robin Hood' types embarrassing the British establishment. In this episode, we discuss: Why the Cambridge Five knew far more about Stalin's crimes than many like to admit Kim Philby's role in betraying anti-Soviet operations How Donald Maclean helped Stalin see the West's diplomatic hand The fate of partisans and resistance fighters in Eastern Europe Anthony Blunt, Poland, and the brutal realities behind the myth The enduring mystery of Philby in Beirut: did he run, or was he allowed to go? If you enjoy spy books, espionage history, and serious conversations about the moral consequences of intelligence work, this one is for you. Buy Stalin's Apostles: https://geni.us/XcUoM2 Join the Spybrary Community Support Spybrary Sign up for The Dead Drop newsletter

She Judges Crime Fiction's Biggest Prizes — Here Are Her 5 Favourite Spy Books! Apr 15, 2026

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One of crime fiction's most trusted voices reveals her 5 best spy novels. In our latest Spybrary Dead Drop Five series, crime fiction critic Ayo Onatade makes a passionate case for each one — and her picks may surprise you. Welcome back to the Dead Drop 5 series! In this episode, Spybrary host Shane Whaley is joined by Ayo Onatade — one of the most respected voices in crime and thriller fiction. Ayo is a critic, commentator, and moderator who has written extensively on crime and thriller fiction, contributed to major reference works on British and American crime writing, and served as judge and chair for some of the genre's most significant prizes, including the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger.

'He Gave Me Information About Spying That Frightened The Life Out of Me!' (and inspired The New Spy) Mar 31, 2026

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Guest host Matthew Hurst sits down with author Michael Dylan to explore his debut spy thriller The New Spy. Dylan shares his unconventional journey from global advertising creative to full-time novelist, revealing how real-world research, including chilling conversations with a mysterious source known only as "Mr. Pickles" shaped the authenticity of his espionage writing.

The conversation dives deep into modern intelligence warfare, particularly the concept of "chaos warfare," where the goal is not conquest but destabilisation. Dylan explains how this evolving geopolitical reality inspired the novel's themes and characters, including rookie MI5 agent Joe Batten and a brilliant but physically limited analyst working from the shadows.

The episode also explores the realities of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, the creative risks of killing beloved characters, and the importance of writing stories that genuinely excite the author. It's a fascinating blend of craft, industry insight, and the unsettling truths behind modern espionage.

Remembering Len Deighton: The Outsider Who Revolutionised Spy Fiction Mar 25, 2026

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We share the sad news that renowned spy novelist Len Deighton has passed away at 97. We pay tribute to his incredible work, discussing why he was considered the greatest spy novelist and his impact on cold war espionage. His contributions to the spy thriller genre remembered. Len Deighton didn't just write spy novels… he changed the genre. In this episode, we take a step back and reflect on the life, legacy, and impact of one of the true giants of espionage fiction. From The IPCRESS File through to the Bernard Samson/Berlin Game series, Deighton gave us something very different—spies who weren't superheroes, but real people. Flawed. Wry. Often stuck in offices, navigating bureaucracy as much as danger. I'm joined by Rob Mallows of the Deighton Dossier, broadcaster and commentator Eliot Wilson, and Aspect of Crime's Paul Burke as we talk through what made Len Deighton so special, including: Why his "everyman spy" felt like such a shift at the time How he stood apart from Fleming and le Carré His incredible sense of place—especially when it comes to Berlin The influence he's had on modern writers like Mick Herron And why, all these years later, his books still hold up This isn't just a tribute episode. It's a proper Spybrary-style conversation about why Len Deighton matters and why he still should matter to readers today. If you've never read him, this is a great place to start. And if you have… well, you'll know exactly why we're doing this one. 🎧 Tune in and raise a glass to one of the greats. 👇 And let us know in the comments or in our community— What's your favourite Len Deighton book? Join 5,000+ spy thriller fans in our online community and share your thoughts on Len Deighton: https://spybrary.com/join-our-community/

He Wrote Spy Game. Now He's Written an Epic CIA Saga | Michael Frost Beckner Mar 17, 2026

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What happens when a legendary screenwriter turns decades of espionage ideas into an epic literary spy saga? On this episode of the Spybrary podcast, Michael Frost Beckner joins Bruce Dravis to unpack Kaleidoscope, the Spy Game universe, CIA family legacies, his influences, moral ambiguity, and the hidden machinery of intelligence. A must-listen/watch for serious spy fiction fans. Join the Spybrary Community: https://spybrary.com/join-our-community/ If you enjoyed today's episode - please can you give us a rating and review? This helps us spread the word to bring more spy readers in from the cold.

Former Spy Turned Novelist: James Wolff on Spies and Other Gods with Tim Shipman Mar 04, 2026

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Tim Shipman sits down with thriller author James Wolff who worked as a British intelligence officer for over ten years. They unpack his latest spy novel Spies and Other Gods.

Wolff shares how a single line in a UK parliamentary oversight report (the Intelligence and Security Committee) sparked the novel's core idea. An anonymous whistleblower sends British Intelligence into a frenzy, threatening to reveal secrets that could bring the establishment to its knees.

Wolff also reveals why it took government censors 16 months to approve his book—and shares some of the truly absurd references they insisted he remove. He then turns the tables on Shipman, asking whether he uses spy-like tradecraft in his own work as a political journalist who relies on sources, assets and insiders to uncover stories.

If you love le Carré-style moral tension, Slough House office politics, and spy fiction that feels real, Spies and Other Gods is for you.

So what is Spies And Other Gods by James Wolff all about, Shane?

In this cat-and-mouse spy thriller, an anonymous whistleblower sends British Intelligence into a frenzy, threatening to reveal secrets that could bring the establishment to its knees.

The Head of British Intelligence is having a bad day. Only six months off retirement and Sir William Rentoul is wondering if he'll make it that far, what with the sudden descent of a brain fog dense enough to turn every day into a series of small humiliations.

To make matters worse, when parliamentary researcher Aphra McQueen is brought in to investigate an internal complaint, she discovers something horrifying: the murder of nine Iranian dissidents. The elusive assassin, nicknamed CASPIAN, kills across borders, forcing intelligence services throughout Europe into an alliance. Their only lead? An unsuspecting dentist in the UK.

Aphra McQueen seems to know more about the operation than she is letting on. What will she uncover? What is she really up to? And can she survive the unexpected events that will bounce her from London to Birmingham to Paris to Lausanne?

In the exhilarating chase that follows, Spies and Other Gods offers a vibrant, fresh and darkly funny take on the spy thriller that lays bare the human cost of secrecy.

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