I’ve always been a sucker for spy stories -- from the campy Mission Impossible and James Bond to well-worn copies of cold war classics, to the depiction of the distrust between the Soviets and United State in television's The Americans. In The Anatomy of a Spy, the author goes beyond cloak and dagger to what motivates those who choose to spy for – or against – their country and those who feel they have no choice. It’s a fascinating, well-researched book for fans of the spy genre, whether fiction or true life. I received this Advanced Reader Copy of The Anatomy of a Spy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm late because I started back to work as a high school English teacher. Here is the text of my Amazon and Facebook reviews: Egads, I love this book!

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My friends and I swap recommendations in true crime. Well, I have a new non-fiction recommendation that edges into that genre. (Taken from my social media post about the book.)

I've had this sitting on my NetGalley account for a while and cracked it open today. And was sucked right in.

If you read thrillers, write them, or want to add a touch of spy world into your works, ya gotta read -

Anatomy of a Spy: A History of Espionage and Betrayal, by Michael Smith

How the Russians say that Americans really aren't good at this game because of their "ethics." How Israel got a hold of the MIG fighter that helped them win the 6-Day's War and then turned it over to the USA. That was in exchange for Mossad trying to recruit agents and murdering them when they said no, inconveniently in Texas.

He starts with the oldest trick in the book - the honey traps and spying for sex. How the Russians are the masters of it and how they pulled the first CIA agent in Russia into their web.

But this guy was so brazen that even when they set up a hooker sting made to look like a crime scene, he didn't even flinch. The Russians finally narced him out to his bosses back in DC.

A junior officer in the British Foreign Service turns spy because he's mad about how he's been snubbed by the elites and not invited to embassy parties.

And how the one key element to recruiting a spy and keeping a spy isn't money or sex - it's listening to them and making them feel important.

And some of the greatest betrayals have been by women who got pulled into "Romeo Traps" by men who knew how to exploit their need for love, affection, and affirmation. Who knows more about an operation than the boss' secretary? Even something as simple as "So, when is your boss out of town so we can sneak off to my cabin?"

There is a ton of detail and, like many of these books, it can get windy in spots but I am fascinated by spies so it pulled me right along.

And the key things you learn apply to all types of writing. Why do cops, lawyers, doctors, etc go wrong and betray their oaths and principles?

MICE (Money, Ideology, Compromise, Ego)

Readers will love the insights into why otherwise good people go bad and writers will gain new strengths and material to make their characters more complex. Check. It. Out.

Fascinating collection of spy stories. I appreciated the way they were organized loosely by the reasons why people spied (although some had complicated motives it still flowed well). It's one of those collections that you can pick up and read in short bursts or binge on if you have time.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me earlier access to The Anatomy of a Spy, I ended up purchasing the book. Very excited to read it!

The Anatomy of a Spy is an excellent reference guide in creating characters and organizations. Fascinating read! Using historical icons, events, and attributes to create a spy. Frankly, I thought I knew how to create a spy until I read this. Now I know I need to tweak somethings, and I am excited to see what I can come up with using the points I learned from this book.