True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
True Spies takes you inside the world's greatest espionage and detective operations. Our hosts Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Sophia Di Martino, Daisy Ridley and Rhiannon Neads talk to the real spies behind the missions. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would you do in their position? We explore and investigate real life thrillers, mysteries and crimes - stories that prove truth is stranger than fiction! These stories cover lies, murder, theft, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. You’ll meet experts from the top intelligence agencies including FBI, CIA, MI5, MI6 (SIS), KGB, GRU, Mossad and many others. You’ll discover characters who spied because of money, ideology, coercion or just plain old ego. And, if you’d like to dig deeper into the world of secrets, and test your own secret intelligence skills, head over to spyscape.com for articles, games, experiences, puzzles and videos.
For episodes first and ad-free, subscribe to Spyscape+ at: plus.Spyscape.com
A Cup & Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Music: Nick Ryan.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 43 minutes
- Episodes
- 292
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Narcotopia, Part One - Agent Superstar | Investigation
Nestled in the mountains of Myanmar, there's a nation that you won't find on the map. The mysterious, controversial Wa State is what journalist Patrick Winn calls a 'Narcotopia' - a country whose mai…
00:50:37 |
Tue 26 Mar 2024
Agent Sniper | CIA
Bigamist. Fantasist. Betrayer. Betrayed.
Known only as Agent Sniper, Polish double-agent Michal Goleniewski sold secrets to the USA from behind the Iron Curtain. But this complex, ambitious man was n…
00:49:50 |
Tue 19 Mar 2024
The Strike on Saddam | CIA
It's 2003, and the USA is on the brink of war. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been issued a deadline - leave the country, or face a full American invasion. In the event of his refusal, the CIA has…
00:42:10 |
Tue 12 Mar 2024
The King's Secret | Historical
The Chevalièr d'Éon, was an 18th century war-hero, an indispensable spy and a famous diplomat. But today, they're best known for their pioneering approach to gender boundaries.
Historian Gary Kates …
00:44:01 |
Mon 04 Mar 2024
The Last Honest Man | Historical
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist James Risen, details the life and work of Frank Church - the man who forever changed the US intelligence community.
From humble Idaho beginnings, through to…
00:43:24 |
Mon 26 Feb 2024
The Disappeared, Part Two - Mother's Day | Investigation
No one takes on the cartel and comes away unscathed. Miriam Rodriguez understood that from the start.
In the second and final part of this extraordinary True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahm…
00:48:30 |
Mon 19 Feb 2024
The Disappeared, Part One - Parlour Games | Investigation
In this two-part True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahmed tells the unbelievable tale of Miriam Rodriguez, a 56 year-old housekeeper turned rogue agent – and thorn in the side of one of Mexic…
00:40:09 |
Mon 12 Feb 2024
Diamond Hands | IRS-CI
During the cryptocurrency boom of the 2010s, those who held their assets made huge fortunes. Among them was James Zhong - a young man who'd amassed an unbelievable virtual treasure trove. But he'd co…
00:30:16 |
Mon 05 Feb 2024
The Silk Road Bust | FBI
The Silk Road was one of the most notorious black markets on the internet. Run by the notorious, anonymous Dread Pirate Roberts, this online bazaar allowed its users to trade cryptocurrency for illeg…
00:39:23 |
Mon 29 Jan 2024
Sonya’s Red Heart, Part Two: The Secrets of Sonya | GRU
Ursula Kuczynski, AKA Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped to usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during th…
00:33:17 |
Mon 22 Jan 2024
Sonya’s Red Heart, Part One: The Fairytale of Ursula Kuczynski | GRU
Ursula Kuczynski, AKA Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped to usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during th…
00:28:57 |
Mon 15 Jan 2024
Cribs, Codes and Cairo | Historical
Emily Anderson was the best codebreaker you've never heard of. Fiercely devoted to secrecy, she served Britain's interests in two World Wars - mastering five languages along the way.
In this remarkab…
00:42:34 |
Mon 08 Jan 2024
Tradecraft, Part 8
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft.
In our eighth round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino looks b…
00:43:17 |
Mon 01 Jan 2024
Tradecraft, Part 7
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our seventh round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino revisi…
00:36:45 |
Mon 25 Dec 2023
Operation Ajax | CIA & MI6
In the early 1950s, Iran elected a forward-thinking new leader. But where previous regimes had played ball with British and American oil companies in the country, Mohammed Mossadegh refused. In respo…
00:49:47 |
Mon 18 Dec 2023
Escaping ISIS
As ISIS sweeps through the Middle East, the regions' minority groups face brutal oppression. In Northern Iraq, ex-CIA officers Michele Rigby Assad and her husband, Joseph Assad, feel compelled to do …
00:46:25 |
Mon 11 Dec 2023
The Wilderness of Mirrors | US Army CI
In the dying days of the Cold War, the West is on the verge of victory. But the Soviet Union's feared secret service, the KGB, won't give up without a fight.
Sophia Di Martino and former US Army Inte…
00:46:01 |
Mon 04 Dec 2023
The Swinging Spies | KGB
Karel Koecher always knew he was destined for greatness. At the height of the Cold War, he arrived in New York City – a Communist sleeper agent, hell-bent on infiltrating the highest echelons of Amer…
00:45:32 |
Mon 27 Nov 2023
Mister Wristwatch | FBI
Truck driver, entrepreneur, womanizer - spy.
Sophia Di Martino joins journalist Sean O'Driscoll to tell the story of one of the most unusual and effective moles in modern American history.
When David…
00:40:06 |
Mon 20 Nov 2023
The Old Man and the CIA, Part 2: Dulles's Down | Historical
Some men make headlines. Others make history. A subtle few mold the future of nations in their image - and you'd never even know it.
In this 2-part True Spies miniseries, journalist and author of The…
00:38:40 |
Mon 13 Nov 2023
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are the property of SPYSCAPE. This content is not affiliated with or endorsed by eachpod.com.