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michigancolt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
5.0
jkpettit11's review against another edition
4.0
I wrote a review on my book blog 3 Bluestockings
I really liked this book. Granted it has everything I like in a book: daring deeds, espionage, far away destinations and life hanging in the balance. However, Macintyre’s writing style is particularly pleasing. He did not burned with footnotes (don’t worry they are at the end for the more studious readers.)He also has this brilliant English dry humor running throughout the book which makes the sometimes amusing scenarios very funny.
I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a lighter take on Word War II, or to anyone with an interest in true espionage stories. Honestly, I don’t think this book would disappoint anyone who happened to pick it up.
I really liked this book. Granted it has everything I like in a book: daring deeds, espionage, far away destinations and life hanging in the balance. However, Macintyre’s writing style is particularly pleasing. He did not burned with footnotes (don’t worry they are at the end for the more studious readers.)He also has this brilliant English dry humor running throughout the book which makes the sometimes amusing scenarios very funny.
I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a lighter take on Word War II, or to anyone with an interest in true espionage stories. Honestly, I don’t think this book would disappoint anyone who happened to pick it up.
jstamper2022's review against another edition
3.0
Not nearly as good as Agent Zigzag or Operation Mincemeat.
lgiegerich's review against another edition
5.0
Every story about each of these spies was more bananas than the next. It's amazing that the allies won WWII, & even more amazing the Germans seemed to be on top for so long!!! The British are without peer at creating excessively competent spies out of the strangest raw materials.
shahrun's review against another edition
4.0
This book covered such a complex subject. It provides an eye opening delve into WWII espionage. This side of the war (German spies at work in British soil) is not one I’ve not come across before. It makes sense though, as we got many spy’s into Europe. I can’t believe the believe the niaevity of what the Germans expected their UK team to find out about. I also can’t believe the British really found all the German spys. There were so many players (even though I appreciate that author tried to focus on the top 5) that I found it difficult to follow and keep a track of everybody. I got the best sense out of last 2 chapters, where all the players and their schemes finally connected. It’s almost too incredible to be true. I just loved Pujo!!! What ever happened to Johnny?! Feel a bit cheated we didn’t find out. Also pooor Babs. Her shitty and callous treatment by the British really offended me. The photo collection was rather random. Why we need so many picture of the same thing? Love to read more by this author now I have this foundation to build up from.
marryallthepeople's review against another edition
1.0
Amazing story which captivated me for only 20 pages... Then I grew a bit bored with it. Not really sure why but found it difficult to pick up again so ended up abandoning it.
areader09's review
4.0
I continue to enjoy Macintyre's writing. I read Double Cross shortly after Operation Mincemeat. Reading them close together was worth it, as several people appear as important figures in both. In Double Cross, Macintyre skillfully weaves together a the tale of this very complex and multilayered deception. I particularly enjoyed how the book explains how the plan was slowly built up, extended, and expanded over time. It's a fascinating read about a tremendously important operation with a host of interesting characters.
One thing that stuck out to me was that the male double agents seemed to be much more generously compensated than the women's. The men's lifestyles of gambling, drinking, and debauchery were bankrolled to a wild extent, though not without eye rolling and annoyed comments. It seemed that the women agents existed on a much tighter leash- some funding to allow them to live among the "smart set" but nothing like the men received. And even then it seems rather reasonable requests for support by women were turned down, while the men had much easier access to money. This discrepancy isn't something Macintyre explores in the book, and I wouldn't expect him to as it is not the focus of book. It's simply something I noticed.
All in all, another very enjoyable book by Macintyre!
One thing that stuck out to me was that the male double agents seemed to be much more generously compensated than the women's. The men's lifestyles of gambling, drinking, and debauchery were bankrolled to a wild extent, though not without eye rolling and annoyed comments. It seemed that the women agents existed on a much tighter leash- some funding to allow them to live among the "smart set" but nothing like the men received. And even then it seems rather reasonable requests for support by women were turned down, while the men had much easier access to money. This discrepancy isn't something Macintyre explores in the book, and I wouldn't expect him to as it is not the focus of book. It's simply something I noticed.
All in all, another very enjoyable book by Macintyre!
bibliobethreads's review against another edition
3.0
Okay - so Ben Macintyre knows his stuff. This is an intriguing look into how Britain fooled the Germans during World War II over the D-day Normandy landings. I didn't realise to be a spy in these times meant you also had to be a bit barmy and some of the things they got away with were incredible. Oh, loved the British pigeon versus Enemy Pigeon stories as well.