The Spy in Moscow Station

A Counterspy's Hunt for a Deadly Cold War Threat

De: Eric Haseltine

Narrado por: Eric Haseltine

This program is read by the author.

The thrilling true story of the race to find a leak in the US embassy in Moscow - before more American assets are rounded up and killed.

Foreword by Gen. Michael V. Hayden (Retd.), former director of NSA and CIA.

In the late 1970s, the National Security Agency still did not officially exist - those in the know referred to it dryly as the No Such Agency. So why, when NSA engineer Charles Gandy filed for a visa to visit Moscow, did the Russian Foreign Ministry assert with confidence that he was a spy?

Outsmarting honey traps and encroaching deep enough into enemy territory to perform complicated technical investigations, Gandy accomplished his mission in Russia but discovered more than State and CIA wanted him to know.

Eric Haseltine's The Spy in Moscow Station tells of a time when - much like today - Russian spycraft had proven itself far beyond the best technology the United States had to offer. The perils of American arrogance mixed with bureaucratic infighting left the country unspeakably vulnerable to ultra-sophisticated Russian electronic surveillance and espionage.

This is the true story of unorthodox underdog intelligence officers who fought an uphill battle against their own government to prove that the KGB had pulled off the most devastating penetration of US national security in history. If you think The Americans isn't riveting enough, you'll love this toe-curling nonfiction thriller.

©2019; 2019 Text copyright by Eric Haseltine; Foreword copyright by Michael V. Hayden (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Equal parts interesting and frightening.

I recommend this book. The details sometimes warranted a second listen, but it is worth it. Very interesting.

Such a great book

Never underestimate the resourcefulness of an enemy. This book was great! I’ve recommended to a few already.

A Worthwhile Listen

It's virtually impossible for me to regard anything as ''shocking' by 2022. 'Surprising' is still possible, and I was surprised by the story illustrated here. Of equal take-away was an inherent reminder to 'stop, & then think clearly regardless of predispositions' that runs through it almost continually without being openly harped on. When directly covered in the conclusion it still wasn't a forced matter for conflict but a matter for open, mindful & constructive attention.
The narration by the author was a twofold benefit. Besides knowing the topic well, I thought he was simply very good at narrating.

Intriguing

Very intriguing story. Sometimes a bit technical (appropriately), but fascinating in its detail. The story has a few can’t-stop-reading moments and involves some very interesting individuals. One of the amazing (but perhaps not surprising) parts of the story is the petty interagency squabbling that went on throughout the entire incident. Heads should have rolled over that kind of thing. A great read for anyone interested in espionage.

Not like the other great spy novels...this really happened!

The central character is a real unsung hero and American patriot who is convinced that the Soviets are smarter than we are in the high tech world of spying. He has to convince the State Department and other “3-letter” agencies that the Russians have been eating our lunch for years, but can’t come up with a smoking gun for a decade that will convince the jealous bureaucrats. You just can’t write credible fiction this good!

Love this book and the dog

This is a great spy book… Riveting. I also love the narrator’s dog… Listen closely with about two hours and 38 minutes remaining in the book :-) so funny

Doesn’t go anywhere

I’m not one of the simpletons who complains that real life isn’t as exciting as a novel - and I love real history, but by the end of this book, I’m asking, what was the point. The book doesn’t go anywhere, there’s not even any proof the big discovery was even used for anything. Then at the end of the book the author tries to tie Cold War spying to Russia running ads on Facebook in 2016. I’m all for nuking Russia, they deserve it for their past behavior - but the new red scare, where them making a fake account on Twitter with 12 followers is as bad as the Cuban missile crisis is just silly - and promoted by silky people.

Also the reader of the book is like a 3.5 - he’s fine, but he doesn’t know how to say Reagan. Who doesn’t know how to say that? A Russian agent, that’s who. Minus -0.5 stars.

Absolutely superb book!!!

This book, once I started, I could not put down. Excellent narrative. I would strongly suggest reading it!

Great historical account

This isn't Tom Clancy, its one better because it actually happened. The story is great and gives some insight into the real world of spy vs spy. That said, it reads more like a history than a spy thriller. The reader is solid, but the production quality is lacking and if you do audio the rough cuts and splices will grate on you.

What an important book

Eric Haseltine's report on Russia's technological spying gets a little technical, but it was clear enough to me to understand how sophisticated Russia is with manufacturing ways to listen in on American communications. He walks us through two specific incidences, one involving microwave technology in the American Embassy in the 1970s and another using IBM typewriters in the 1970s-1980s by typists unaware that their every keystroke is being read by Russian spies. The telling of how IBM typewriters were altered stunned me, the process was so sophisticated.

What I would like to convey is how canny Russia has been at reading and understanding the US. It listened as different US intelligence agencies argued with each other about whether these technologies were important and whether they should do anything about them. Seldom does Russia pay a real price for using the types of spyware described here, or for internet spying and manipulation. Sowing dissention is enough to satisfy the Russians. The 2016 election demonstrates one example of how their interference sowed dissention in our society through technology.

I recommend this book to everyone who wants to understand spy craft as it is, and not as we read it in fiction. I am not an engineer, I am a social psychologist. I understood the book and I enjoyed it. I feel wiser.