SpyMasters

Feb 26 2025 29 ep. 46 mins 20
SpyMasters Podcast artwork

Writer and journalist Antonia Senior interviews all the best writers on espionage. Each episode will bring you fascinating stories on spies, covert action and more - delving in to fact and fiction, past and present.

  History  Arts  True Crime
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Trump and our Intelligence Alliance, with Michael Smith

Feb 26 2025 47 mins  
Antonia Senior talks to Michael Smith, author of the Real Special Relationship, about the new world order and its impact on the US-UK intelligence alliance. Michael is a journalist and author of a number of books on spies and intelligence. He is a former member of the board of Bletchley Park. Antonia and Michael explore the dynamics of intelligence sharing between the UK and the U

The Oligarch's Daughter, with Joseph Finder

Feb 12 2025 37 mins  
In this episode of the Spymasters podcast, Antonia Senior interviews bestselling novelist Joseph Finder about his latest thriller, 'The Oligarch's Daughter.' The conversation delves into the book's premise, character dynamics, and the intricate themes of wealth, trust, and the blurred lines between capitalism and intelligence in Russia. Finder shares insights into his writing proce

The Seventh Floor, with David McCloskey

Jan 30 2025 43 mins  
Writer and journalist Antonia Senior interviews bestselling author David McCloskey about his latest novel, 'The Seventh Floor.' The conversation delves into the intricacies of espionage, the brutal realities of interrogation, and the complex relationships between characters in the world of intelligence. McCloskey shares insights from his experience as a former CIA analyst, explor

Notes on a Drowning, with Anna Sharpe

Jan 16 2025 36 mins  
In this episode of the Spymasters podcast, Antonia Senior interviews Anna Sharpe. about her new book, 'Notes on a Drowning.' Sharpe is a pseudonym for the award winning novelist Anna Mazzola. The conversation explores the book's themes of political intrigue, legal drama, and the murky world of espionage. Mazzola discusses her transition from historical fiction to contemporary writi

William Boyd on writing Gabriel's Moon

Dec 18 2024 49 mins  
Join Oliver Webb-Carter as he talks to William Boyd, the best-selling novelist, about his new book Gabriel's Moon. Gabriel Dax is a young man in sixties London who becomes drawn into the murky world of espionage. William and Oliver talk about why literary writers are drawn to writing spy novels. They talk about James Bond, and Graham Greene and the art of writing. Buy the book her

Spymasters Books of the Year 2024

Dec 04 2024 66 mins  
The inaugural Books of the Year from the Spymasters Podcast. Join your host Antonia Senior as she talks to three special guests about their books of the year. Oliver Webb-Carter is the Editor of Aspects of History, and the host of our sister podcast, the Aspects of History podcast. https://aspectsofhistory.com/ Paul Burke is the host of the brilliant Crimetimefm podcast, and is wr

Trump, Foreign Policy and Intelligence, with Michael Smith

Nov 20 2024 46 mins  
Michael Smith, intelligence expert, talks to Oliver Webb-Carter, editor of Aspects of History, about Trump, Foreign Policy and Intelligence. Michael talks about how the re-election of Trump will effect the special relationship between British and American intelligence services. Oliver and Michael discuss the prospects for the Middle East, Ukraine and more, under the new Trump adm

Putin's Spooks. Inside the FSB, with Dr Kevin Riehle

Nov 06 2024 63 mins  
Kevin Riehle is the author of The Russian FSB, A Concise History of the Federal Security Service. Dr Riehle spent 30 years working for the US Government in various intelligence roles before switching to academia. The Russian FSB is the first English history book to trace the rise of Putin's Security Service. We talk about Putin, corruption and succession. What place does the FSB

From Spy to Writer, with IS Berry

Oct 23 2024 45 mins  
Antonia Senior talks to IS Berry about her debut novel The Peacock and the Sparrow. It has garnered rave reviews, and has won the Edgar Award for best first novel. It's set in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and follows the misadventures of disillusioned CIA officer Shane Collins. IS Berry was in the CIA for six years, and she writes with thrilling authenticity about life as a spy.

Spies, Istanbul and the 1930s, with Alec Marsh

Oct 10 2024 40 mins  
In this episode of the Spymasters podcast, Antonia Senior talks to Alec Marsh, author of the Drabble and Harris series of historical thrillers. The talk ranges from Istanbul, to the peculiar atmosphere of the 1930s, espionage and beyond. Buy the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/eoCm7PZ Follow Alec Marsh: https://www.alecmarsh.co.uk/ on X: @alecmarsh Learn more about your ad choices.