A Taste for Treason

A gripping true story of wartime espionage — uncovering the letter that exposed a Nazi spy ring and helped forge the modern intelligence alliance.

Andrew Jeffrey reveals how an ordinary Dundee housewife triggered an international investigation that reshaped the course of intelligence history.

About the Ebook

A Taste for Treason tells the extraordinary true story of how a suspicious hairdresser in 1930s Dundee helped expose a Nazi spy network spanning Britain, Europe and the United States.

When Mary Curran noticed Jessie Jordan’s frequent trips to Germany, she could never have imagined that her concerns would spark major MI5 and FBI investigations. What followed was a decade-long hunt for Nazi agents operating across the Western world — a hunt that culminated in the interception of a single letter posted in New York and opened in Scotland.

That letter smashed spy rings on both sides of the Atlantic and, as Andrew Jeffrey reveals, marked the beginning of an intelligence partnership that would evolve into today’s Five Eyes alliance between the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Meticulously researched and written with the pace of a thriller, this is a remarkable account of espionage, betrayal and the ordinary people who helped change the course of history.

Critical Praise

"Fascinating, gripping and expertly researched... an extraordinary true tale of espionage told with all the drama and panache of a spy thriller."
— Michael Smith, bestselling author of The Secrets of Station X

Why You'll Love This Ebook

• A true espionage thriller rooted in real events and meticulous research.
• Reveals the origins of the modern Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
• Features ordinary people caught up in extraordinary international intrigue.
• Perfect for readers of WWII history, intelligence studies and true crime.
• A standout Birlinn history title with global significance.

About the Author

Dr Andrew Jeffrey is a historian specialising in military and maritime history. He is the author of a trilogy on Scotland’s role in the Second World War — This Dangerous Menace, This Present Emergency and This Time of Crisis. His media work includes contributions to BBC, Channel 4, SMG, Wing TV and ZED documentaries on wartime history and naval mysteries.

Publication Details

Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Imprint: Birlinn

Publication Date: 6 October 2022

Print Length: 288 pages

ISBN (Ebook): 9781788855273

Format: Ebook

Language: English

Categories: History / Military History

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