Book and Film Recommendations

Tony Gilroy | 2009 | Airing on Peacock in February 2026

Ray works for MI6, Claire for the CIA. She burns him in Dubai. Jump ahead five years: he sees her in Grand Central and confronts her. Both now work in industrial security for corporate giants whose CEOs hate each other. Flashbacks fill us in: is it coincidence that he sees her in Grand Central? In about a week, one of the firms is going to announce a revolutionary product. Under the guise of helping that corporation's rival, can Ray and Claire work their own theft and find an independent buyer? To work together, using the corporate rivalry to their advantage, they would have to trust one another - difficult, if not impossible. Or, is one playing the other?

Gordon Corera | Pegasus Press | 06 Jan 25

How do you steal a library? Not just any library but the most secret, heavily guarded archive in the world. The answer is to be a librarian. To be so quiet, that no-one knows what you are up to as you toil undercover and deep amongst the files. The work goes on for decades but remains so low key, that even after your escape, aided by MI6, no one even notices you are gone.

The Spy in the Archive tells the remarkable story of how Vasili Mitrokhin—an introverted archivist who loved nothing more than dusty archives—ended up changing the world. As the in-house archivist for the KGB, the secrets he was exposed to inside its walls turned him first into a dissident and then a spy; a traitor to his country but a man determined to expose the truth about the dark forces that had subverted Russia, forces still at work in the country today.

Historian and journalist Gordon Corera tells of the operation to extract this prized asset from Russia for the first time. It is an edge-of-the-seat thriller, with vivid flashbacks to Mitrokhin’s earlier time as a KGB idealist prepared to do what it took to serve the Soviet Union and his growing realisation that the communist state was imprisoning its own people. It is the story of what it was like to live in the Soviet Union, to raise a family there, and then of one man’s journey from the heart of the Soviet state to disillusion, betrayal, and defection.

At its heart is Mitrokhin’s determination to take on the most powerful institution in the world by revealing its darkest secrets. This is narrative nonfiction at its absolute best.  

Oliver Wright | Amazon Publishing | 02 December 2024

Written by a former Royal Marines and Cabinet Office intelligence analyst, The Intelligence Bible conveys the often over-complicated concepts and techniques that underpin intelligence activity in a concise and easy-to-understand manner.

The book contains a host of case studies to provide real-world context to the wealth of information being imparted, as well as detailed diagrams to help you visualise the wide variety of processes it covers. It is broadly split into four main sections.

An Introduction to Intelligence: Definitions of commonly-used industry terminology, examples of how intelligence is used in everyday life and in industry to provide decision-makers with an advantage, historical examples of intelligence being employed to achieve success, and an overview of The Intelligence Cycle.

Intelligence Fundamentals: Explanations of the theoretical concepts behind intelligence, such as Intelligence Disciplines, Categories of Intelligence, Levels of Intelligence, and The Zoo of Risks, as well as The Principles of Intelligence - a set of guidelines that, if employed, will significantly improve the quality and efficiency of your work.

The Intelligence Cycle: A more detailed look at The Intelligence Cycle, covering all the steps that need to be undertaken at each stage (Direction, Collection, Processing, and Dissemination) to get from a customer asking a question to delivering the intelligence that answers it. Included in this section are details of 14 analytical aids that will help you avoid falling victim to biases and logical fallacies when producing your assessments, as well as a comprehensive guide to intelligence production which will enable you to create professional-looking intelligence products.

Advancing your Intelligence Career: Tips on how to begin or progress your career in the intelligence industry. This includes advice on writing, which subjects to study (for those still in education), looking for work, and networking.

Whether you are an aspiring analyst about to embark on your intelligence career, or a seasoned veteran looking to brush up on your skills and knowledge, The Intelligence Bible is a vital addition to your resource library.

Hank Prunckun | Rowman and Littlefield | 21 January 2019

In this thoroughly updated and revised edition of Counterintelligence Theory and Practice, Hank Prunckun provides all of the elements required for a successful counterintelligence operation from both an academic and a practitioner’s point of view. It offers an advanced understanding of the underlying theory that supports the art and science of the craft, and examines the challenges and practicalities of defensive and offensive counterintelligence. Designed for students in intelligence studies as well as professional training classes, this text explores issues related to national security, military, law enforcement, and corporate as well as private affairs.