The Flight of the Falcon

by Robert Lindsey

After his escape from a maximum-security prison--rumored to have been masterminded by the KGB or the CIA--convicted Soviet spy Christopher John Boyce, "The Falcon," becomes the most wanted man in America

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Crime, Adventure, Espionage

Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Robert Lindsey (born 1935) is a journalist and author of several true crime books, including The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage (1980), the story of Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee, who were both convicted of selling information to the Soviets. The Flight of the Falcon: The True Story of the Escape and Manhunt for America's Most Wanted Spy (1983) followed, a chronology of Christopher Boyce's escape from Federal prison and subsequent bank robbing spree.

In 1980 he received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best non-fiction crime book for "The Falcon and the Snowman." He won the 1989 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction for A Gathering of Saints: a true story of money, murder and deceit.

Lindsey worked as a reporter and editor at the San Jose Mercury-News and The New York Times, and also served as the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times.

Marlon Brando and Ronald Reagan used Lindsey's assistance when writing their autobiographies, respectively, Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me, and "Ronald Reagan: An American Life." Lindsey's memoir, Ghost Scribbler," was published in 2013.

Reviews

[Jamie Barnes]

I came to this book with high expectations --upper middle class kid from Palos Verdes, CA, Chris Boyce, sells secrets to Soviets, is jailed, escapes, and is pursued by U.S. Marshals, who finally capture him. The book cis riveting when the author sticks to Boyce's survival tactics, which include robbing banks. The problem: In between the book follows various marshals on a series of false leads. After 60 pages or so of this, you start skipping, hoping to return to the main character's adventures. Another problem is the writing. The author, Robert Lindsey, is a trained journalist, taught to describe while ostensibly not taking sides. Thus we get descriptions of men as 'burly with a big smile,' etc. (Not an actual quote but enough to give you the idea) and that's all. The reader longs for contrast, maybe a conclusion that someone's disgusting, a liar, etc. Doesn't happen. Finally, the last 40 pages of the book, when the Marshals close in, we get back to Boyce and once again the book comes alive.After finishing, I Googled Chris Boyce and learned that he served 24 years behind bars, was released in 2002, satisfactorily served his probation period, married and is now living out the rest of his life somewhere.

[Irene Hollimon]

this is a man who more than urge to play robin hood with classified material had a need to live on the edge
when he dealt with classified material, he did the worst thing you can do- he sold it
when he went to jail, he took the greatest risk he could, he escaped- it turns out if he had sat tight, he could have gotten out on a technicality- but that wasn't his way.
so he escaped and he was gone- they were looking in South Africa for him- they didn't know where he was and if he had sat tight- lived a quiet law abiding life- he'd have never gotten caught
but... no...
he started robbing banks-
this is a man who needed to take a risk

[Arnold]

A great follow-up to The Falcon and the Snowman, which examined two young Americans who spied for the Soviets; this book looks at the escape of one of those men from prison, and the subsequent manhunt. Most of the book involves the investigators following false leads and running into dead ends, before basically lucking into finding him—but that feels like a pretty accurate portrayal of how these things can go, and the story is told very well.

[Robbie]

Like I said for "The Falcon and the Snowman", I don't do reviews on every book I read, but this one was even BETTER than "Falcon and the Snowman" to me! And this one was never made a movie. I highly recommend this one along w/ the first in the 2-book series.

[Michael]

Very enjoyable read.

[Marshall Eisenberg]

Excellent follow up to The Falcon and The Snowman, picking up with Boyce’s unbelievable escape from prison. You won’t believe what happens and I eon’t spoil it for you by saying anything else except that you might not like what you read.

[Nancy Green]

Interesting, but not a compelling or thrilling narrative.

[Joann]

I don't know how to rate this book. I read it at my husband's urging. It's not 'my kind of book', nevertheless I found it interesting and it's well written. The pace keeps you turning pages. However, it seems that any page you turn these days has events or series of events that tops this one. If spy and intrigue stories are your thing, buy all means this is a good one I guess. I didn't finish it.

[Meredith]

My brother just sent me this.. sequel to Falcon and the Snowman

[Brett]

Loved this book. I thought is was much faster paced than the first book. True story, must read Falcon and the snowman first.

[Maria Morrison]

An excellent read....took me longer then I wanted it to, but still a refreshingly interesting take on this famous tale of espionage and escape.