A guide to Chinese espionage, from the MSS and PLA to cyber theft, agents and influence work - and why Beijing’s system worries the West.

During my twenties, more years ago than I care to remember, my Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) handler set me a number of tasks. In my naivety, I took these assignments seriously, only realising much later they were simple and rather juvenile tests for a probationer. I was being assessed before being offered a contract in the role of undercover head agent abroad. I think the recruiters probably wanted to know if I had the initiative, as well as powers of improvisation a

A sharp guide to the best submarine warfare thriller books - from Cold War classics to modern naval suspense with political depth and realism.

What is Five Eyes? A clear look at the Anglo-Saxon intelligence alliance, how it works, where it came from, and why it still shapes espionage.

The best novels about intelligence failures reveal betrayal, groupthink and bad tradecraft. Here are 10 sharp, credible spy stories worth reading.

How authentic spy novels are written - from tradecraft and politics to betrayal, bureaucracy and risk that real intelligence work demands.

Britain’s strategy of nuclear deterrence has never been aimed at the Soviet Union and its successor state, Russia. Instead, the UK’s political objective from the very beginning was always the United States. Put bluntly, a missile carrying nuclear warheads bursting out of the North Atlantic on a trajectory to strike what was the Soviet Union within a matter of minutes could have been American or British (and later, French). The Russians wouldn’t be able to tell the differen

Political suspense novels thrive on power, betrayal and tradecraft. Here’s what makes the best ones credible, tense and hard to forget.

What is counter intelligence work? A clear look at how states detect spies, block sabotage, run double agents, and protect secrets at home.

How intelligence officers recruit assets: the real tradecraft behind spotting, assessing and running sources, with cases from Russia, China and MI6.

How espionage novels feel authentic comes down to tradecraft, power, and consequence. Here is what makes spy fiction ring true on the page.

Deterrence is as old as fear itself. Fear of sudden attack and annihilation. Fear of invasion, of defeat, of humiliation, of loss and violent death. But not everyone agrees on the military meaning and purpose of deterrence. Why should we care? My latest thriller, Oceans Deep, is centred on a lone British nuclear ballistic missile submarine on what is officially called continuous deterrent patrol, something that has been in place every day since 1968. Buried in the de

Is an intelligence officer a spy? Not always. The distinction matters in real espionage, from MI6 and CIA case officers to China's MSS.

A sharp look at the best modern espionage books - what makes them credible, politically serious and worth your time now.

What does MI6 actually do? A clear look at Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, from agents and espionage to covert influence and modern threats.

Spy fiction for serious readers demands tradecraft, political depth and moral risk. Here is what separates credible espionage novels from noise.

You’ve recruited your would-be spies, and now you must train them. If they’re destined for the arduous role of Russian illegals, then the training will last six years, or so I’m told, and on top of that the newly trained couple — usually a couple, together in a real or simulated marriage — may have to spend a couple of years in an intermediate country, Canada, perhaps, polishing newly acquired language and cultural skills, before moving to their final destination, the targ

Which spy books are most realistic? A grounded look at tradecraft, bureaucracy, betrayals and what real intelligence work gets right in fiction.

What makes the best intelligent political thrillers work? Real power, tradecraft, moral compromise, and stakes grounded in the state.

I'd forgotten all about this, the audio version of Spy Game, first in the spy trilogy. So I'm putting it here, just in case you feel like listening to it.