A gripping tale of betrayal and counter-betrayal that tells the story of the most enigmatic member of the Cambridge spy ring - Donald Maclean.
Roland Philipps went into publishing on graduating from Cambridge and until recently was Publisher of John Murray. He has edited some leading novelists, politicians, historians, travellers and biographers. A Spy Named Orphan, his first book, arises from lifelong connections to Donald Maclean and his story.
Brilliantly fluent...fascinating...[Philipps] writes so cleanly,
and at such a clip, handling the big scenes with aplomb...This
biography first grips and then lingers long in the mind. It is a
page-turner of the most empathetic kind.
*Guardian*
Superb…full of contemporary relevance… Philipps relates the complex
narrative of Maclean’s treason…with tremendous aplomb, limpidity
and acuity
*New Statesman*
With A Spy Named Orphan, the last piece of this bizarre jigsaw
falls into place. The outline story is familiar, but the amount of
new detail here — on Maclean's personal, professional, and secret
lives – exceeds all expectations. Roland Philipps has managed to
make the new material come alive by relating it intimately to its
historical context, of which he has a deep and sympathetic
understanding.
*Sebastian Faulks, author of BIRDSONG*
The definitive account of the life of a “gifted” traitor…
Impressive… By drawing on a wealth of previously classified
material, Philipps weaves a gripping tale of misplaced loyalty,
intrigue and betrayal that is unlikely to be bettered
*Daily Express*
Fascinating and page-turning. An exceptional story of espionage and
betrayal, thrillingly told. I devoured it.
*Philippe Sands, winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for EAST WEST
STREET*
A lively and beautifully engineered biography
*John Banville*
Philipps… is punchy and hard-nosed in his handling of facts, but
pliant, imaginative and humane in his understanding of motives and
emotions
*Guardian*
Fresh and thought-provoking throughout... rich in archive
material
*The Times*
A cracking story... An impressively researched and smoothly
polished debut... persuasive.. [an] excellent book
*Sunday Times*
A masterpiece. The rich renderings of secret assignations, smuggled
documents, damning intelligence and brilliant code-breaking will
delight lovers of fiction and non-fiction alike. Picture Erik
Larson meets John le Carré and you have only begun to scratch the
surface of this absolutely gripping book.
*Brad Thor, author of international bestseller SPYMASTER*
An adroit, deeply researched and richly embroidered portrait of
Maclean
*Prospect*
Hugely impressive – by an historian who is a master of storytelling
and empathy. A rare combination.
*Dame Carmen Callil*
What great storytelling. Maclean may have been a traitor but his
slow slide to self-destruction has all the elements of tragedy. I
couldn’t put it down.
*Peter Snow*
Donald Maclean was arguably the most valuable, and certainly the
most troubled, of the Cambridge spies. Roland Philipps knows the
world that formed him and has given us the fullest account we've
yet had not only of his treason but of the conflicted man who
committed it.
*Joseph Kanon, author of DEFECTORS*
Gripping from start to finish
*Sara Wheeler, author of O MY AMERICA!*
Magisterial. The biography of Maclean we have all been waiting
for
*Charles Cumming, author of the Thomas Kell series*
Admirable… [a] compassionate, absorbing book
*The Oldie*
[A] persuasive and polished biography
*Sunday Times*
Roland Philipps illuminates, in both broad and subtle strokes
*Financial Times*
Philipps does an admirable job of piecing together the spy’s
tale
*Washington Post Sunday*
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