Agent Sonya

The Sunday Times top ten bestseller: Agent Sonya presents the extraordinary true story of Ursula Kuczynski Burton, a WW2 spy whose missions ranged from planning an assassination in Switzerland to spying on the Japanese in Manchuria and reportedly siphoning atomic knowledge to Moscow. Written by Ben Macintyre, a historian renowned for rigorous research delivered with the pace and drama of a novel, this book offers a gripping portrait of a woman who became a spymaster, saboteur, bomb-maker and secret agent. Based on extensive research, the narrative unfolds with clarity and human detail, making history feel immediate. The work is 378 pages, published in paperback by Penguin Books, with publication in 2021.

Macintyre’s vivid storytelling brings to life the rise of fascism in Germany, Ursula’s turn to communism, and her complex legacy as a figure who helped shape the course of the century. The book situates her inside a web of espionage operations, offering insights into how individual choices intersected with global political upheaval. Critics have praised the book for its classic, compelling style and its balance of human drama with meticulous historical reconstruction.

Kenmerken

• True-life WWII espionage saga of Ursula Kuczynski Burton
• From plan to assassinate Hitler to stealing atomic science
• Written by Ben Macintyre, acclaimed historian
• Read as a gripping, meticulously researched narrative
• Praised by The New York Times, Spectator, Evening Standard