One December night in 1942, a Nazi parachutist landed in a Cambridgeshire field. His mission: to sabotage the British war effort. His name was Eddie Chapman, but he would shortly become MI5's Agent Zigzag. Dashing and louche, courageous and unpredictable, the traitor was a patriot inside, and the villain a hero. The problem for Chapman, his many lovers and his spymasters was knowing who he was. Ben Macintyre weaves together diaries, letters, photographs, memories and top-secret MI5 files to create the exhilarating account of Britain's most sensational double agent.
Agent Zigzag
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'This is the most amazing book, full of fascinating and hair-raising true life adventures ... it would be impossible to recommend it too highly' Mail on Sunday 'Superb. Meticulously researched, splendidly told, immensely entertaining and often very moving' John le Carre 'It is unlikely that a more engaging study of espionage and deception will be published this year' The Times 'Macintyre tells Chapman's tale in a perfect pitch ... Macintyre never misses a delightful, haunting or terrifying detail ... Buy it for dads everywhere but read it too' Observer
Book Description
The true wartime story of Eddie Chapman, lover, betrayer, hero and spy.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is tremendous book; well-researched and well written. The author, Ben Macintyre deals with Eddie Chapman as though he was one of Chapman's Security Service handlers; questioning everything, giving praise where appropriate but never quite trusting him. He describes Chapman as `a shameless liar', sentiments with which I fully agree. There is no doubt that Chapman did a good service for his country since he convincingly bluffed the Germans but he `tried it on' with everybody he encountered and I wonder which way he would have jumped if the allies had lost the war?
A gripping account of England's most famous double agent.
A gripping account of England's most famous double agent.
52 of 55 people found the following review helpful
By Julia Flyte
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
This highly entertaining and utterly gripping audio CD is the true story of Eddie Chapman, a British petty criminal who ended up serving as an spy for both England and Germany during World War 2, and who was hailed as a hero by both sides. "Agent Zigzag" is the name that he was given by the British authorities who were aware of his status as a double agent and used him to feed misinformation to the Germans.
Chapman's story is so full of adventure and ripe with coincidence that would be unbelievable if it were a novel. The story of how he comes to be an agent for the Germans is in itself worthy of a movie, taking us from a bank robbery in Scotland to prison - and eventual freedom - on the island of Jersey and then incarceration in the worst of Parisian prisons.
Chapman emerges as a kind of James Bond character: a handsome and charming rogue with a penchant for adventure, for gambling, fine food and fast women. He is a fascinating mass of contradictions: utterly loyal to his friends even as he betrays them, a hopeless criminal who develops into a resourceful spy.
Ben MacIntyre has amassed a vast amount of detail about not only Chapman, but his associates in both the German and English secret services. There is lots of interesting information about how those secret services functioned and what they achieved during the war. I was particularly riveted by the details about his training in spy techniques by the Nazis.
The audio book is made up of 5 CDs and plays for about 6 hours. It is beautifully read and very clearly enunciated. While it is an abridged version of the book, it has been very skillfully adapted and (having also read the book) I can tell you that they've done an excellent job of maintaining all the key points.... Read more ›
Chapman's story is so full of adventure and ripe with coincidence that would be unbelievable if it were a novel. The story of how he comes to be an agent for the Germans is in itself worthy of a movie, taking us from a bank robbery in Scotland to prison - and eventual freedom - on the island of Jersey and then incarceration in the worst of Parisian prisons.
Chapman emerges as a kind of James Bond character: a handsome and charming rogue with a penchant for adventure, for gambling, fine food and fast women. He is a fascinating mass of contradictions: utterly loyal to his friends even as he betrays them, a hopeless criminal who develops into a resourceful spy.
Ben MacIntyre has amassed a vast amount of detail about not only Chapman, but his associates in both the German and English secret services. There is lots of interesting information about how those secret services functioned and what they achieved during the war. I was particularly riveted by the details about his training in spy techniques by the Nazis.
The audio book is made up of 5 CDs and plays for about 6 hours. It is beautifully read and very clearly enunciated. While it is an abridged version of the book, it has been very skillfully adapted and (having also read the book) I can tell you that they've done an excellent job of maintaining all the key points.... Read more ›
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
There are times when reading this book, when one would be forgiven for thinking that this is a work of fiction. The stories come thick and fast and for this reason alone it is well worth a read. The really interesting piece, I found, was the description of the relationship that developed between the spy and his handlers. Complex, confused, ever changing and fascinating as each fought to keep the upper hand in an dynamic and unpredictable environment. Well worth the read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Extraorinary true story of WW2 agent, double agent
Eddy Chapman was the only Englishman to win an Iron Cross from Hitler for his services to German espionage - but was working for MI5 the whole time.
Thoroughly engrossing, a real-life romp: well-written, exciting and a whole side of war details I never imagined.
Even if you are not a war history nut (I'm not; the recommendation came from a friend who is) this is fascinating and a good read.
Would make an excellent holiday book: its enjoyable, you can pick it up and it doesn't need huge concentration (that is not meant as a criticism)
Eddy Chapman was the only Englishman to win an Iron Cross from Hitler for his services to German espionage - but was working for MI5 the whole time.
Thoroughly engrossing, a real-life romp: well-written, exciting and a whole side of war details I never imagined.
Even if you are not a war history nut (I'm not; the recommendation came from a friend who is) this is fascinating and a good read.
Would make an excellent holiday book: its enjoyable, you can pick it up and it doesn't need huge concentration (that is not meant as a criticism)
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By barry
Format:Hardcover
Having an extensive library on the Double Cross Operation I did not think there was anything new to say about the legendary Eddie 'The Biscuit'(so called for his love of these then new snacks) Chapman. He wrote his own book and had books written about him. And there was a fine film about him. Mr Mcintyre has shown there is always room to tell a great story again. True he adds nothing to what I knew and in many instances has almost copied from earlier works. No matter say I. He tells the story with verve and in a lively style, that reminds me of of the doyen of spy writers, the great Chapman Pincher. So this is the story. Eddie Chapman: rogue, gymnast extraordinaire (able to bend himself backwards to gain access to safes) criminal, confidence trickster, hero to both sides, lover to many beautiful women I(and so it is alleged some men) and betrayer of all. At the start of the Second World War, Chapman was recruited by the German Secret Service. He was a highly prized Nazi agent. He was also a secret spy for Britain, alias Agent Zigzag. "Agent Zigzag" is the untold story of Britain's most extraordinary wartime double agent. Genuinely courageous, able to withstand withering interrogations from both sides by withdarwing into himself, in the style of Gandhi, Chapman was a dashing, charming and fiercely intelligent man whose talents led to a single end: breaking the rules. He wore loud suits, drove fast cars, and had a woman in every port. Yet, at the same time he was, in his own way, loyal to his lover and their child. This was a man who courted contradictions as much as he courted adventure. Inside the traitor was a man of loyalty; inside the villain was a hero; the problem for Chapman, his spymasters, and his lovers, was to know where one ended, and the other began.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Agent Zigzag wartime story
A very interesting book with a continued element of Surprise and the varied areas of the world Chapman had travelled in his role as Double Agent
Published 8 days ago by andy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Only war could invest in this man virtue.
My brother recommended this book to me, and after much badgering I decided to read it on my Kindle. What an amazing story!! Read more
Published 24 days ago by T. Read
5.0 out of 5 stars
exellent
ive,not read anything better of late,,eddie chapman is one of our great and very real heros,book is very well written.
Published 25 days ago by Harold Smart
4.0 out of 5 stars
A tale of derring do?
Generally enjoyed the good read, with had plenty of substance. Sometimes too much minute detail, which tested the concentration at times.
Published 26 days ago by Fruit
5.0 out of 5 stars
when is the film coming out?
this was a very exciting read, i would highly recommend it, i have also read operation mincemeatand would rate it highly also,but zigzag had the edge,ihope
there is going to... Read more
there is going to... Read more
Published 28 days ago by tabathia
4.0 out of 5 stars
EXCELLENT
This book is great. It is the second book by Ben Macintyre that I have read. The book is well written and very easy to read.
Published 1 month ago by James William Hinchliffe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Really interesting and well written although this book probably appeals to men I am a woman and I could not put it down ,I read it after reading Operation Mincemeat another really... Read more
Published 1 month ago by sheila mannall
4.0 out of 5 stars
Agent Zigzag book.
Found this book difficult to buy in high street. Bought this as a gift for somebody. Very pleased , would buy again.
Published 1 month ago by Mrs J E Baldwin
5.0 out of 5 stars
reasons I bought this book
I bought this book as a birthday present for my older brother. He said it was an excellent read, right up his street!
Published 1 month ago by Sandra Davis
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping from A to Zigzag
Very rare for my to be gripped from the first sentence. This book managed it. Simply, a totally gripping read.
Published 1 month ago by AMK
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