James Priestley's Reviews > Billion Dollar Spy

An exceedingly well-researched and well-crafted non-fiction story by David E. Hoffman that does, indeed, read somewhat like a John Le Carré or Graham Greene spy novel! It is said that fact is stranger than fiction, and often this does appear so. The clandestine operations of American, Russian and other security services detailed in Hoffman's book paint a remarkable picture of the lengths that countries will go to secure their military secrets while stealing the secrets of others.

Has it not always been a cat and mouse game with high stakes, where a slip-up can result in the ultimate sacrifice - the death of a spy? Central to the "game" of espionage is the risk of discovery and betrayal, both skillfully portrayed in this book. A brilliant piece of writing.