The Double Agent

A Publishers Weekly Pick of the Week

From a modern master of the classic espionage novel comes William Christie's The Double Agent, featuring Alexsi Smirnoff - a Russian/German double agent loyal only to himself - in a desperate bid to protect himself, again becomes a double agent, this time for the English.

Alexsi Smirnoff - a Russian orphan - was trained as an agent by the Russian Secret Service and inserted into Nazi Germany, where he rose to a position in German intelligence services. As the war grinds on, trapped between two brutal dictatorships, Alexsi betrays both sides in a desperate ploy that succeeds...and fails. His false identities burned, his life at risk, Alexsi attempts to disappear in the hills - but is caught by the British.

Recruited by the SIS, and by "C" himself, Alexsi is once again a double agent. Initially betrayed by a Soviet agent inside the SIS (Kim Philby), Alexsi is sent beyond the reach of the Soviets, into Italy with a new identity as a sergeant in the German army. Settled into the headquarters of Field Marshall Albert Kesselring, Alexsi finds himself at the nexus at a critical point in World War II, balancing between the various forces vying for control in the Vatican, the Italian resistance, and the brutal German Army determined to maintain control of Northern Italy. And Alexsi, finally forced to choose sides over his own survival.

Sequel to the well-regarded A Single Spy, The Double Agent is a fast-paced, compelling novel of espionage in the most momentous and dangerous of times.

"... a riveting thrill ride." --Kirkus Reviews

"Fans of Ken Follett's and Len Deighton's espionage novels will find much to admire." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A great fall thriller." --Red Carpet Crash

"...as Alexsi makes his way across the European theater of the war, he becomes entangled in and surreptitiously shapes real-life events...engaging." --Bookpage


Author: William Christie
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 11/15/2022
Pages: 352
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.30w x 2.00d
ISBN: 9781250080820


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 06/01/2022 pg. 4
Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2022
Booklist 09/15/2022 pg. 20
Publishers Weekly 10/24/2022
Shelf Awareness 12/16/2022

About the Author
Christie, William: - WILLIAM CHRISTIE is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a former Marine Corps infantry officer who commanded a number of units and served around the world. In addition to A Single Spy, he has written several other novels, published either under his own name or that of F.J. Chase.