The Secret Agent

In Search of America's Greatest World War II Spy

By: Stephan Talty

Narrated by: Steve Carlson

Eric Erickson was the most important American spy of World War II. He also had a secret to keep.

In 1942, the Brooklyn-born Erickson was a millionaire oil mogul who volunteered for a dangerous mission inside the Third Reich: Locating the top-secret synthetic oil plants that kept the German war machine running. To fool the Nazis, Erickson played the role of a collaborator. He hung a portrait of Hitler in his apartment and "disowned" his Jewish best friend, then flew to Berlin, where he charmed Himmler and signed lucrative oil deals with the architects of the Final Solution. All the while, he was visiting the oil refineries and passing their coordinates to Allied Bomber Command, who destroyed the plants in a series of B-17 raids, helping to end the war early.

After the war, Erickson's was revealed as a secret agent and received the Medal of Freedom for his bravery. William Holden even played him in a hit Hollywood movie. For a brief moment in the early '60s, Erickson was the most famous spy in the world. His secret? He hadn't played a Nazi collaborator. He'd actually been one - a war profiteer who'd made millions of trading with Hitler before having a change of heart. Black-listed by the Allies and disowned by his family, Erickson had volunteered for the spy mission in order to redeem himself, and ended up saving thousands of Allied lives.

Based on newly-discovered archives in Sweden, The Secret Agent is a riveting piece of narrative nonfiction that tells the true story of Erickson's remarkable life for the first time.

©2013 Stephan Talty (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Well written story of a forgotten hero

A good story of a hero and time that is too fast being forgotten. Highly recommended.

A beautiful tribute to an amazing man

A wonderful story about a man who had it all. And gave it all up to make a difference and prove to himself that he was a great man. Making great sacrifices to save lives.

Neutral Swede Spies for the Allies~

PLOT: lesser known Swedish neutral who ends up spying for the Allies in WW2.

This is based in a real live man who was born in the USA and moved to SWEDEN to an oil company mogul. He marries a swede and then World War 2 starts. He is recruited to spy for the allies. Erik Erickson is known as RED......his code name and comes up with the idea of a "oil refinery" in neutral Sweden to gain access to the oil refineries in Germany. This aids in helping the allies fine locations for bombings. This is a good audio. Moves alone well and keeps the interest. I give it 3 out of 5.....

Very interesting

The more I listen to spy books the more I understand both World Wars. A must listen

I wish it would have been longer

Any additional comments?

It was a quick story and was interesting to listen to. I wish it could only have been longer.