Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Double Cross

Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies
By Ben MacIntyre
Crown, 2012. 399 pgs. Nonfiction

During World War II, German leaders believed they had an entire network of reliable spies working in England, sending regular reports concerning what the British were up to. In reality, half that network was comprised of completely fictitious informants and the rest were indeed spies -- but they were double-crossing the Germans, actually working for the Allies. This network of double agents played a key role in the success of the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day. They spent months spinning an intricate web of half-truths and daring lies misleading the Nazis concerning when and where the imminent attack would be made. "Double Cross" is the story of these brave spies and the British agents who ran them.

Ben Macintyre is a completely entertaining author whose focus on World War II British spies has now yielded three captivating books including "Double Cross," "Agent Zigzag" and "Operation Mincemeat." Each of these books will please any World War II enthusiast and, really, anyone who loves a good spy novel. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction, and the unlikely success of this network of double agents is a perfect example.

CZ

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