M: MI5's First Spymaster

by Andrew Cook

William Melville was one of the most influential counter-espionage figures of the 20th century. He was perfect for the job, a velvet-gloved hardman who had run Special Branch and whose career had already taken in some of London’s great crime dramas, including the Jack the Ripper investigations, Irish Republican terrorism, and assassination attempts on Queen Victoria and Edward VII. Now, with the help of recently declassified records, family material, and records that have still not officially seen the light of day, the story of his Secret Service career—including the breaking of German spy rings prior to the outbreak of the First World War—can finally be told.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Espionage

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Spen Cer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, however detailed and meandering to an unexciting point.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of William Melville and the creation of MI5. It's an interesting topic but some parts of this book were so very very dull. I had to persevere to get to the better parts and to make it to the end

[Robin Hourican · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting account, but quite "fact" heavy which takes away from the narrative. However, if you're interested in the topic, then it is ultimately an interesting read.