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Double Cross

The True Story of The D-Day Spies

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Double Cross

By: Ben Macintyre
Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
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Bloomsbury presents Double Cross written and read by Ben Macintyre.

'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
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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 . . .

At the heart of the deception was the 'Double Cross System', a team of double agents whose bravery, treachery, greed and inspiration succeeded in convincing the Nazis that Calais and Norway, not Normandy, were the targets of the 150,000-strong Allied invasion force. Under the direction of an eccentric but brilliant intelligence officer in tartan trousers, working from a smoky lair in St James's, these spies would weave a web of deception so intricate that it ensnared Hitler's army and helped to carry thousands of troops across the Channel in safety.

These double agents were, variously, brave, treacherous, fickle, greedy and inspired. They were not conventional warriors, but their masterpiece of deceit saved countless lives. Their codenames were Bronx, Brutus, Treasure, Tricycle and Garbo. And this is their story.©2012 Ben Macintyre (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC 20th Century Historical Military Military & War Modern World War II Espionage Imperialism War Air Force
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Critic Reviews

Macintyre pulls together countless strands better than anybody hitherto, with an enthusiasm that prompts the reader to leap from page to page ... I have seldom enjoyed a spy story more than this one, and fiction will make dreary reading hereafter
Ben Macintyre has excelled himself ... an utterly gripping story. One can finish the book with the strangely proud sensation that in the Second World War perfidious Albion played the Great Game remarkably well
If you thought Antony Beevor's D-Day couldn't be bettered: [here is] the amazing story of the madcap spy network that bamboozled the Germans in the build-up to invasion
Enjoyable and engrossing ... For all its splendidly weird ploys and feints, Macintyre's book culminates in a stirring account of old-fashioned courage
Immensely satisfying ... Times columnist Macintyre has done his homework thoroughly and sketches out the characters of the double agents and their spymasters with sympathy and not a little humour ... in its own way it is as true a portrait of the war as Beevor's epic
Enthralling ... Macintyre is a master at leading the reader down some very tortuous paths while ensuring they never lose their bearings ... a book so gripping that I even found myself reading it in lifts
Exquisite entertainment
***** Crammed with anecdotes that will leave you laughing in disbelief ... an astonishing story of Britain's fake Nazi spies
Highly entertaining ... Macintyre is a first-class narrative historian and Double Cross is as pacy as a thriller and better written than most
***** Fascinating
A meticulous, thrilling account of the double bluff that paved the way for D-Day ... unfettered in the pages of history that read like the best adventure fiction, he becomes positively exuberant ... utterly gripping
**** Grippingly enjoyable
**** No one does cloak-and-gun history better; Macintyre mixes a professor's research with a journalist's eye for a good story and a forensic scientist's ability to spot the absurdities of war
Entertaining
All stars
Most relevant
The research that has gone into this book is second to none. Read by the author it was riveting

Amazingly detailed story and a pleasure to listen to.

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This is Ben Macintyre at his best! Really enjoyed learning more about this part of WW2. I have listened to it twice through. Thoroughly entertaining and Ben’s narration makes it even better

Loved this book! Amazing true story, stranger than fiction.

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Ben is a remarkable historian with pause for great but interesting detail. Incisive in delivery this book is well written and is in my view a great success in delivering so many true realism in its characters and plots. It’s such a good read and with Ben narrating an even better listen.

Eloquent realism

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What brave and ingenious creatures these spies and spymasters are!
Well written and a great page turner. I love the way Ben McIntyre writes

Incredible

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This is my favourite from this author so far, loved the stories of each agent and how their efforts made a difference. Ben is such a good narrator as well. I would read this again, as I am sure I missed a few gems!

Superb

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