100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

A Spy Among Friends

Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal
4.19 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 28,360 ratings, 2,418 reviews)
Brief Description
A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre dives into the intricate and gripping world of espionage during the early years of the Cold War. This compelling narrative brings to life the infamous story of Kim Philby, the most notorious British defector and Soviet mole in history.... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2300
Elsewhere:
$4100
Backorder
STOCK ARRIVING MID AUGUST Order now to secure your copy from our next shipment

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre dives into the intricate and gripping world of espionage during the early years of the Cold War. This compelling narrative brings to life the infamous story of Kim Philby, the most notorious British defector and Soviet mole in history. As an agent, double agent, traitor, and enigma, Philby deceived his closest colleagues and allies, risking and betraying every secret of Allied operations to the Russians.

Set against the backdrop of post-World War II, the book explores the careers of Philby, Nicholas Elliott, and James Jesus Angleton, who were all rising stars in the intelligence community. The trio shared everythingβ€”secrets, strategies, and unwavering trustβ€”until the staggering moment when Elliott and Angleton uncovered Philby's true allegiance and realised they never really knew him at all.

This enthralling tale is one of loyalty, friendship, and profound treachery. It meticulously unravels how close male friendships, once thought unbreakable, were methodically dismantled by betrayal. With unprecedented access to newly released MI5 files and previously unseen documents, Ben Macintyre meticulously reconstructs the last great secret of the Cold War.

THE SUNDAY TIMES No. 1 BESTSELLER

Highlighted by critical acclaim:

'Riveting, astounding . . . An unputdownable postwar thriller' Observer

'Irresistibly readable' Sunday Times

'Worthy of John le CarrΓ© at his best' Guardian

'Hugely engrossing . . . Both authoritative and enthralling' William Boyd

What makes this book stand out is not just the dramatic true story it covers but also Macintyre's masterful storytelling. It’s a thorough, vivid exploration of the complex world of espionage and the intricate web of human relationships within it. The added afterword by John le CarrΓ© provides additional insight and authoritative context that enriches the narrative further.

If you are captivated by tales of espionage, historical intrigue, or psychological drama, then A Spy Among Friends is a must-read. It’s not merely a historical account but an engrossing narrative that reveals the depths of human deception and the shadowy intricacies of Cold War espionage.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781526683755

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 August 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Illustration: 2 x 16pp B&W plate sections

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 320g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Ben Macintyre is a columnist and Associate Editor on The Times. He has worked as the newspaper's correspondent in New York, Paris and Washington. He is the author of nine previous books including Agent Zigzag, shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award and the Galaxy British Book Award for Biography of the Year 2008, and the no. 1 bestsellers Operation Mincemeat and Double Cross. He lives in London.

Also by Ben Macintyre

View all
  • The Spy and the Traitor
    The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...
    Paperback
    $2100
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    (2)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • SAS
    In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, conceived a plan that was radically unconventional and entirely against the rules: a small, undercover unit that would wreak havoc behind enemy lines. Thus began the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world - the...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • SAS
    The first ever authorised history of the SAS, now a major BBC series starring Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell and Dominic West. In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, came up with a plan that was radical and entirely against the rulesβ€”a small undercover unit...
    Paperback
    $2500
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Siege
    Britain's best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980. On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens. A tense six-day siege...
    Paperback
    $3399
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Siege
    Britain's best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980. On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens. A tense six-day siege...
    Paperback
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Spy Among Friends
    NOW A MAJOR SIX-PART SERIES ON ITVX, STARRING DAMIAN LEWIS AND GUY PEARCE A SUNDAY TIMES No. 1 BESTSELLER WITH AN AFTERWORD BY JOHN LE CARRÉ A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre delves into the astonishing true story of Kim Philby, a high-ranking British intelligence officer who became one of history's most dangerous Soviet moles. Set against the richly...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Agent Sonya
    Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre is an enthralling and meticulously researched narrative that uncovers the astonishing life of the greatest female spy in history. This gripping biography sheds light on the life of Ursula Kuczynski Burton, a woman whose espionage endeavours were pivotal during the tumultuous times of the twentieth century. Ursula Kuczynski Burton, known by her codename "Agent Sonya",...
    Paperback
    $2300
    Elsewhere:
    $2600
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Operation Mincemeat
    One April morning in 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat was the most successful wartime deception ever attempted, and certainly the strangest. It hoodwinked the Nazi...
    Paperback
    $5499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Colditz
    The Sunday Times no.1 bestseller on the incredible true story of WW2's most infamous Nazi prison, and the colourful characters behind its walls. Colditz Castleβ€”a forbidding Gothic tower on a hill in Nazi Germany. You may have heard about the prisoners and their daring and desperate attempts to escape, but that's only part of the real story. In Colditz: Prisoners...
    Paperback
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Agent Zigzag
    SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD 'Engrossing as any thriller' Daily Telegraph 'Superb. Meticulously researched, splendidly told, immensely entertaining' John le CarrΓ© 'This is the most amazing book, full of fascinating and hair-raising true life adventures . . . It would be impossible to recommend it too highly' Mail on Sunday _______ One December night in 1942, a Nazi parachutist...
    Paperback
    $5499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Double Cross
    D-Day, 6 June 1944, the turning point of the Second World War, was a victory of arms. But it was also a triumph for a different kind of operation: one of deceit, aimed at convincing the Nazis that Calais and Norway, not Normandy, were the targets of the 150,000-strong invasion force. The deception involved every branch of Allied wartime intelligence...
    Paperback
    $5499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Double Cross
    'Addictive and deeply moving' Independent 'Utterly gripping' Anthony Beevor, Daily Telegraph 'Enthralling ... A reminder that heroism can be found in the most unlikely places' Evening Standard 'I have seldom enjoyed a spy story more than this one' Max Hastings, Sunday Times D-Day, 6 June 1944, the turning point of the Second World War, was a victory of arms. But...
    Paperback
    $2699
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgunΒ wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through herΒ journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    Stakes
    Read our interview with author Noelle McCarthy! A darkly funny, sparkling follow-up to the author’s bestselling memoirΒ Grand. You have to invite him in. You have to want the vampire’s badness in the house with you. Growing up in Catholic Ireland, Noelle McCarthy is captivated by Bram Stoker’sΒ Dracula. The vampire is a risk-free fantasy, a suave alternative to the fraught realities...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Built for This
    Raised among strong women, butcher's benches, and hard ideas about what men are meant to be, Brad Poulter grows up knowing he's different long before he has the words for it. But in late '90s small-town New Zealand, 'different' isn't discussed, it's managed. Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy offers escape, certainty, and belonging. The rules are clear, the uniform...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Even the Good Girls Will Cry
    Thanks to a thrown beer bottle and a fan letter to a P.O. box, Melissa Auf der Maur's first band scored an opening slot for the Smashing Pumpkins in her bohemian home town, Montreal. Sensing Melissa's talent, Billy Corgan recommended her to Courtney Love. Whisked from her local scene, Melissa joined Hole just after the deaths of Kurt Cobain and...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    An Ocean and a Day
    An utterly riveting, moving and poignant memoir of grief and loss that will speak to anyone who's ever lost someone they love. An Ocean and a Day is Hannah Richell's personal account of losing her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident on Tamarama beach in 2014. It is the story of the grief journey she travelled over the first two...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Place to Stand
    A Place to Stand by Clare Ward is a profound memoir that delves into the life of a country doctor living and working in the Hokianga Harbour area in the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. This region is sparsely populated and poses numerous health challenges. This thoughtful account details Clare’s thirty-year career, highlighting the people she works with and...
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Rory
    TheΒ New York TimesΒ bestseller The #1Β Irish TimesΒ bestseller The definitive biography of Rory McIlroy, the most important, popular and confounding player of the post-Tiger era. Rory McIlroy contains multitudes. The child of a working-class family from a small town in a war-torn homeland now commutes to work in his own private jet and counts billionaires as confidants. He can overwhelm a golf...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4199
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer
    Novelist, memoirist and playwright Witi Ihimaera – author of Pounamu, Pounamu and The Whale Rider – decided, at the age of eighty, to dive back into the water and spend a year full-time at Te Wānanga Takiura, immersing himself in his own language, in te reo Māori. This book tells the story of this kaikaukau, this swimmer, and his year...
    Paperback
    $3500
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    This Is Me: A Reckoning
    This is a searingly honest and moving memoir from double Golden Globe-nominatedactress Hayden Panettiere. Hayden Panettiere has been in front of the camera since before she could talk. She roseto stardom typecasted as Hollywood's blonde girl next door. As a young celebrity,naysayers were certain she would crash and burn. Not one to disappoint, she did.Hayden Panettiere's irreverent memoir satisfies our...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Beyond Life and Death
    From martial arts icon and global film star Jet Li comes a revelatory, profound and inspiring guide to self-mastery and spiritual wisdom, distilled into 10 essential life lessons. Martial arts legend and international movie star Jet Li distils 10 powerful insights from his iconic career, his personal life and philosophies, and his 30-year Buddhist practice. Jet Li's story defies legend....
    By Jet Li
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.