The Invisible Spy

Churchill's Rockefeller Center Spy Ring and America’s First Secret Agent of World War II

By: Thomas Maier

Narrated by: Stephen Graybill

The untold WWII story of a former NFL player turned White House insider who worked with Churchill’s undercover agents in New York City to conduct the biggest foreign spy operation ever within the US, and inspired Ian Fleming's James Bond, for fans of Ben Macintyre and Erik Larson.

As a tough but smart Italian American kid, Ernest Cuneo played Ivy League football at Columbia University and was in the old Brooklyn Dodgers NFL franchise before becoming a city hall lawyer and “Brain Trust'' aide to President Roosevelt. He was on the payroll of national radio columnist Walter Winchell and mingled with the famous and powerful. But his status as a spy remained a secret, hiding in plain sight.

During this time, Cuneo began a close friendship with British spy Ian Fleming and helped inspire Fleming's James Bond novels. He also began a love affair with one of Churchill's agents at Rockefeller Center—Margaret Watson, a beautiful Canadian woman with a photographic memory ideal for spycraft. In one nighttime attack, Watson was nearly smothered to death by a Nazi assassin inside her women’s dormitory near Rockefeller Center. Cuneo’s transformation from a gridiron athlete into a high-stakes intelligence go-between and political influencer is one of the great untold stories of American espionage. He has remained “invisible” in the public eye—until now, with this unveiled look into his life.

From the bestselling author and producer of two hit TV series, Mafia Spies and Masters of Sex, Thomas Maier delves into the little-known tales behind the Rockefeller Center spy operation and the origins of American intelligence. The Invisible Spy weaves Cuneo’s remarkable personal story with vivid insights about many top twentieth-century figures, including Churchill, FDR and later JFK. Full of action and fascinating characters, this untold history reveals how Cuneo, as America's first WWII spy, helped the British launch a covert campaign against Nazi conspirators hidden in America, an espionage war unbeknownst to many.

©2025 Thomas Maier (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Fascinating and timely history of WWII espionage

Very well researched and written story of Ernest Cuneo and other American and British spies during WWII and the early Cold War Era. This book puts their work in fascinating context as Churchill and Roosevelt developed their partnership to fight the Nazis.. It also shares things about the various political views of that time that I had never learned before.

Timely given today's global factions and struggles. Also very interesting to learn of the real man behind the James Bond series and where some of those stories came from.

The narrator was very good at bringing out the different characters and their stories.

A Ghost Come to Life

Mr Mater did a masterful job bringing into the spotlight an intelligence “hero” who doggedly clung to the shadows whilst advising & guiding America’s leaders through the perils of the nation’s entry into WWII. Impeccably researched (and narrated), it grabs your attention & doesn’t let go.

N excellent isten. sorry to see it end

I enjoyed it thoroughly Thank you to the Wall Street Journal for its review Loved the stories about he and usb Fleming.

Man everyone and no one knew

Many powerful WW2 and cold war leaders interacted with this behind the scenes man, Ernest Cuneo. He was involved in the beginnings of the OSS and CIA. The book is full of WW2 and Cold War spy stories. Cuneo interacted with famous leaders and stories abound in this book about their behind the scenes actions that shortened WW2 and ferreted out enemy spies. Of special interest to me was his friendship with Ian Fleming, the James Bond creator. Overall, I got the sense that Ernest Cuneo was a great man who was an invisible spy and true American patriot.

“Truth is stranger than fiction.”

Exceptional research woven into a fascinating story recognizes a true mutual-faceted hero. Having a solid foundation of the events, causes and characters of the period from 1914 to the 1970’s will help the reader/listener appreciate this riveting account.

Incredible read

Excellent perspective and a history lesson that is never taught in school. Fascinating read.

Learned so much about the spies during World War II.

Educational history lesson about the invisible spies during World War II. So interesting that the spies had offices right in Rockefeller Center.

Plot

Loved the characters, especially Cunoe and Fleming. Also the description of the times leading up to World War II