Agent M: The Lives and Spies of MI5's Maxwell Knight

Spymaster and broadcaster Maxwell Knight (1900–68) was reputedly a model for the James Bond character "M." In his latest work, Hemming (The Ingenious Mr. Pyke) unveils Knight's eccentricities in a clear narrative, detailing how a quirky individual rose through the British intelligence service, MI5, to become one of its top spymasters. Readers are transported to early 20th-century Britain, where the political spectrum faced threats from communists and fascists. Knight infiltrated these movements, successfully defeating British fascism before it took root on the Isles. With regards to communism, Knight was able to stop the Soviet theft of military plans. His reliance on women as undercover agents set a historic precedent. This worthwhile biography demonstrates Knight's remarkable contributions to history, and should be read alongside Ben Macintyre's Double Cross and Paul McMahon's British Spies and Irish Rebels.