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Ben Macintyre
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Agent Zigzag: The True Wartime Story of Eddie Chapman: The Most Notorious Double Agent of World War II Paperback – 2 Aug. 2010

by Ben Macintyre (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,767 ratings
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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.
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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
  4. Publication date
    2 Aug. 2010
  5. Dimensions
    20.3 x 25.4 x 4.7 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1408811499
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1408811498
  8. See all details
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  1. Blessed are they with cheery smile Who stop to chat for a little while. Blessed are they who never say: ‘You’ve told me that story twice today.’
    Highlighted by 105 Kindle readers
  2. Chapman now had two different women, under the protection of two different secret services, on opposing sides of the war.
    Highlighted by 86 Kindle readers
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Product description

Review

'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

About the Author

Ben Macintyre is a columnist and Associate Editor on The Times. He has worked as the newspaper's correspondent in New York, Paris and Washington. He now lives in London with his wife and three children. Agent Zigzag is his fifth book.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (2 Aug. 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1408811499
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1408811498
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 20.3 x 25.4 x 4.7 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,767 ratings

About the author

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Ben Macintyre

Ben Macintyre

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Ben Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times of London and the bestselling author of A Spy Among Friends, Double Cross, Operation Mincemeat, Agent Zigzag, and Rogue Heroes, among other books. Macintyre has also written and presented BBC documentaries of his work.

(Photo Credit: Justine Stoddart)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
6,767 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They describe the story as gripping and incredible. The writing quality is praised as brilliant and easy to understand, with no typographical errors. Readers appreciate the well-researched and factual content. They find the characters fascinating and remarkable. The style is described as excellent and almost fiction-esque.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityStory qualityWriting qualityResearch qualityCharacter developmentStyleBraveryPacing
330 customers mention ‘Readability’325 positive5 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They describe it as a gripping story about World War II. The author has a knack for uncovering interesting stories.

"...I remember seeing him on chat show in the 1960s or1970s it is a very good read Caterham Guards depot was sold off by the MOD it is now a housing..." Read more

"Nice easy read. I love the detail to which the writer has gone and the descriptions of the people involved." Read more

"...Delightfully, the side of Eddie Chapman's character which shines through is his intelligence, further enhanced for narrative purposes when compared..." Read more

"Ben Macintyre, a quite superb writer, has a knack of unearthing gems of stories...." Read more

218 customers mention ‘Story quality’198 positive20 negative

Customers find the story gripping and well-written. They appreciate the intelligence of the writing and the war knowledge they learn. The book is described as an approachable war book with remarkable stunts and descriptions of the people involved.

"it is well written an true story about a very brave man who was a rouge I remember seeing him on chat show in the 1960s or1970s it is a very good..." Read more

"...I love the detail to which the writer has gone and the descriptions of the people involved." Read more

"...which shines through is his intelligence, further enhanced for narrative purposes when compared to the almost stupidity of the people around him...." Read more

"...This book is that story in detail...." Read more

139 customers mention ‘Writing quality’127 positive12 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book brilliant and well-written. They appreciate the easy reading style and no typographical errors. The text is gripping and packed with facts. Readers mention it's a satisfying read, full of delicious ironies.

"it is well written an true story about a very brave man who was a rouge I remember seeing him on chat show in the 1960s or1970s it is a very good..." Read more

"Ben Macintyre, a quite superb writer, has a knack of unearthing gems of stories...." Read more

"...Well written. It is well written and kept me interested but it felt like it began to drag towards the end slightly as the author was..." Read more

"...The story is very well-written and frequently has you doubting which 'side' Chapman was really on...." Read more

126 customers mention ‘Research quality’126 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's research quality. They find the book well-researched and interestingly written. The historical facts are fascinating and the story is incredible.

"...Ben McIntyre is well known for his detailed research and, with this book, he continues his reputation by using the recently made available..." Read more

"...In the course of Agent Zigzag, there are many charming and touching vignettes, none more so than the case of Praetorius, one of Chapman's Abwehr..." Read more

"...Macintyre brings to life Eddie Chapman, warts and all, in this detailed study of one of the key spies of the war...." Read more

"...This is an amazing story and unbelievable for so many reasons but aren't most published spy tales however the detail of some interactions etc......" Read more

57 customers mention ‘Character development’54 positive3 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and well-developed. They describe the spy as a talented con man with a big personality. The intelligence of the character shines through, making him an unexpected hero.

"...Delightfully, the side of Eddie Chapman's character which shines through is his intelligence, further enhanced for narrative purposes when compared..." Read more

"...In the course of Agent Zigzag, there are many charming and touching vignettes, none more so than the case of Praetorius, one of Chapman's Abwehr..." Read more

"...This book is full of interesting characters on both the German and the British sides and the author presents them all as real people with human..." Read more

"...Incredible ‘you can’t believe it’s true’ story. Remarkable man who relished the danger and gave invaluable service to this country and the war effort." Read more

28 customers mention ‘Style’22 positive6 negative

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the author's attention to detail and the intricate plot. The story is described as intriguing, with an interesting look into the life of a criminal.

"Nice easy read. I love the detail to which the writer has gone and the descriptions of the people involved." Read more

"...It's a breathtaking, fast moving tale which the author manages to tell in a factual, controlled manner whilst never losing any of the..." Read more

"...A really interesting look into a confusing but exciting life of a charmer, criminal, and double agent." Read more

"...of things revealed with declassification, it seemed haphazard, ill thought out and more to do with the old boy network getting one up on each other...." Read more

26 customers mention ‘Bravery’26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's bravery engaging. They describe the character as cunning, brave, and daring. Readers also mention that the book is an interesting account of a daring man.

"it is well written an true story about a very brave man who was a rouge I remember seeing him on chat show in the 1960s or1970s it is a very good..." Read more

"...doubt is that Chapman was a remarkably brave rogue, a criminal with a strong patriotic streak who found espionage the ideal outlet for his restless..." Read more

"...This brave individual (you often wonder if he really understood the danger he was putting himself in) was an important part of the disinformation..." Read more

"...An absolutely fascinating story of an extremely brave, true British hero who probably did more than anyone (in the spy game) to advance the Allies..." Read more

22 customers mention ‘Pacing’13 positive9 negative

Customers have differing views on the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, saying it's an immediate page-turner that they can't put down. Others feel the story is not as fast-moving as expected, dragging a bit towards the end.

"...It's a breathtaking, fast moving tale which the author manages to tell in a factual, controlled manner whilst never losing any of the..." Read more

"...It began to drag a little towards the end...." Read more

"...It is a great story well told. The pacey narrative matches the racey lifestyle of Eddie Chapman...." Read more

"...The story isn't fast paced but ticks along nicely" Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Richard
    5.0 out of 5 stars it is interesting read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 September 2024
    Verified Purchase
    it is well written an true story about a very brave man who was a rouge I remember seeing him on chat show in the 1960s or1970s it is a very good read Caterham Guards depot was sold off by the MOD it is now a housing estate at the other end of Caterham is RAF Kenley which the MOD tried to sell off but could not because the local council had paper work that said that part of Kenley was common land and the council was only loaning to the MOD as long as they needed it
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  • B. M. Adamson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 October 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Nice easy read. I love the detail to which the writer has gone and the descriptions of the people involved.
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  • Janie U
    5.0 out of 5 stars "The worst of men, in whom war brought out the best"
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 December 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This book had been sitting on a shelf for some time. I originally bought it for my husband - it's the type of book he enjoys and, true to form, he loved it. The "boys own" adventure story didn't really appeal to me but the history aspect did so eventually I picked it up.
    Ben McIntyre is well known for his detailed research and, with this book, he continues his reputation by using the recently made available information to good use. The facts of the story are all there and they are presented in a way which is engaging from start to finish.
    The book begins with a map and details about his research which is always guaranteed to pique the interest. When the story starts, I found myself being pulled in immediately and never let go.
    It's a breathtaking, fast moving tale which the author manages to tell in a factual, controlled manner whilst never losing any of the excitement.
    Eddie Chapman is portrayed as an unpredictable character, equally fascinating to both Britains and Germans during the war. Talking about the personnel that he deals with on both sides also gives a taster of the intelligence operations during the war.
    Whilst all the adventure stuff is interesting (far more so than I expected), I found the most gripping aspect of the book to be the description of all the personal relationships he forges, particularly with his handlers, on both sides.
    Delightfully, the side of Eddie Chapman's character which shines through is his intelligence, further enhanced for narrative purposes when compared to the almost stupidity of the people around him. Whilst everyone (well most!) seem to love him, there is never anyone who actually trusted him completely.
    Great book for anyone with an interest in the period.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Matthew H
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 October 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Ben Macintyre, a quite superb writer, has a knack of unearthing gems of stories. A previous book, A Foreign Field, told the remarkable tale of four British soldiers given sanctuary in a French village during the First World War after being marooned behind enemy lines. Now he has told the equally remarkable story of Second World War double agent Eddie Chapman.

    Chapman, a criminal, sybarite and serial philanderer, found himself on Jersey when the Germans invaded and was transferred to a hellhole of a prison in Paris. The only way out of this benighted existence was to volunteer his services to the Abwehr as a secret agent. Eventually accepted, he was then parachuted into England, where he promptly landed flat on his face and then swiftly handed himself over to the police and volunteered to become a secret agent.

    Get the picture? This was a man who first and foremost was driven by self-interest. Yet, as Macintyre makes clear, Chapman was not that simple a character. He developed a genuine affection for his Abwehr controllers. As for his many female conquests, he always professed undying affection, an emotion that was uniformly reciprocated.

    Even his British secret service superiors, who, correctly, treated him initially with hostility and suspicion, succumbed to his undoubted charm and ability. Only when he volunteered to assassinate Hitler and go out in a blaze of glory did they curb his patent enthusiasm for espionage. That he was eventually sacked as an agent owed far more to another man's jealousy than to Chapman's failings.

    Ben Macintyre tells Chapman's story with panache, affection and tremendous wit. In the course of Agent Zigzag, there are many charming and touching vignettes, none more so than the case of Praetorius, one of Chapman's Abwehr minders. A fan of all things English, but especially folk dancing, Praetorius eventually left the secret service and was appointed dance instructor to the Wehrmacht in the middle of the war. It makes you wonder why it took so long for the Germans to lose.
    33 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • cinéphile avide
    5.0 out of 5 stars Instructif
    Reviewed in France on 31 December 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Commande reçue dans les temps; en excellent état. Livre très intéressant pour ceux que la vie de Eddy Chapmann intéresse.: personnage important dans l'histoire de la deuxième guerre mondiale.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Most exhilarating spy!
    Reviewed in India on 2 August 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Amazing... proving that life is stranger than fiction...but it had to be narrated and it is narrated very well.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic work of historical fiction, eminently readable, more history than fiction.
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 November 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is the second book I have read by Ben McIntyre (the first was “A Spy Among Friends”, about Kim Philby) and I continue to be impressed. There exists a genre called ‘historical fiction’ in which an author writes a story that takes place sometime in the past, maybe in the same time frame as an important event, or maybe about some important historical figure. There are various levels of accuracy – sometimes there is nothing historical whatsoever other than the story takes place in the past. Or sometimes a story is a reenactment of actual events, grounded in reality and with evidence of significant research. Then there are the books written by masters of the genre who create highly readable, thoroughly engaging accounts of actual historical events that transport the reader into the era and read like the best modern day thriller (Steven Pressfield, Robert Harris, and David L. Robbins come to mind).

    Ben McIntyre is one such author whose works are at the very top level of the genre. He has the rare ability to turn the results of his exhaustive, stunningly complete research into a book that reads like a top shelf novel but drips with authenticity at every turn. In “Agent Zigzag”, we learn of the exploits of Eddie Chapman, an Englishman with an extensive criminal record who becomes a spy for the Germans but ultimately becomes a double agent run by the British. Despite his past, he becomes quite successful, supplying information to the British, supplying disinformation to the Germans, and earning the respect of both sides while doing it. He is one of the few spies who actually provided information which helped turn the war in favor of the Allies. In fact, one of his British handlers stated that his exploits were so incredible that they were beyond conception for the writer of fiction.

    The book starts with Eddie the criminal deserting his lunch date by jumping out of a window as the police close in on him, and ends with Eddie the spy encountering that same woman (whom he marries) in a different restaurant after the war is over. In between the lunch dates, he gets picked up by police, gets sentenced to jail, gets collected by the Germans, and learns tradecraft, bomb making, and wireless communications. He is parachuted into England, where he immediately goes to work for the Allies and commences to supply his German handlers with disinformation, perform various espionage tasks, and help in measurable ways to win the war. He even returns to the Germans, survives numerous interrogations, and proceeds to supply his English handlers with information straight from the heart of enemy territory.

    The text is clear and readable, with proper grammar and structure. It is alive, however, and delivers the story at the pace of the best novel, but is peppered throughout with references to material obtained from MI5 archives, interviews, and other history sources. In fact, the last fifty plus pages are footnotes on the sources from which the material was obtained. If high school history texts were this well written, there would be a lot more historians around.

    This book is quite entertaining and satisfying, and at the end you will have learned things about the covert side of WWII that you would never have known otherwise. And all along the way you will marvel at how one man can do so many things and live to tell about it. I recommend “Agent Zigzag”.
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  • W. Ford
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting true story
    Reviewed in Germany on 17 September 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The author stays as close to the truth as possible; and it is a fantastic story of a very brave man.
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  • BB
    3.0 out of 5 stars Agent Zigzag: the wartime spy
    Reviewed in Italy on 19 July 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting; describes the human quirks behind many events in this particular war, and probably all wars. More engaging than A Spy Among Friends, about the British spy Kim Philby, which was too factual and ended up boring me.
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