The Cambridge Spy Ring: The Treachery of the Five Who Got Away

by Shawnna Morris

In a history once thought too big for one book, the individual lives and careers of the Cambridge Five are now woven together in a single action-packed saga. The Cambridge Spy Ring: The Treachery of the Five Who Got Away tells the incredible true story of the five most damaging spies in British history, from their recruitment at Cambridge University to their infiltration of the highest levels of government, all while successfully eluding prosecution.

When legendary KGB spymaster Arnold Deutsch began cultivating his network of agents, he didn’t try to entice established bureaucrats. He instead sought out young rising stars with elite educations and promising futures, enlisted them as spies, and sent them into government careers where they would gain access to the most coveted state secrets in an increasingly polarised world. Beginning with the recruitment of the audacious Kim Philby, who would become the de facto ringleader, we follow the exploits of Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross as they funnel a deluge of confidential documents and privileged information to the Soviet KGB.

Their espionage adventures spanned nearly two decades, from the Spanish Civil War and Stalin’s Great Purge, through the Second World War, to the early Cold War. Their antics would not be complete without binge drinking, fist fights, car wrecks, romantic liaisons, and the heartless betrayal of friends and country alike. The Cambridge Spy Ring finally pieces together the full account of all five Cambridge Spies in one compelling history.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

By way of disclosure I was given a copy of this book as Morris was a guest on my hit show, Reels of Justice. That said, it is a wonderfully crafted narrative that does a brilliant job of keeping track of the principal players; I never once felt lost in the actions, timeline, or who was who. I only had a passing familiarity with the subject of these spies where as I would say I have above average knowledge of the Cold War, so a lot of events made sense and it was very neat to get this perspective. That said, Morris writes in a highly accessible way that even a Cold War neophyte can appreciate and take away a lot.

Apart from the book Shawnna was a delight to talk to and was bursting with knowledge and good humor. I greatly look foward to reading anything else she puts out and I look forward to talking to her again.

[Gwilym Hughes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Has the makings of a good book but in the first 36 pages I've seen references to the "Sykes-Pekoe Agreement" (it's Sykes-Picot), a "Navy Colonel" (no such thing) and a "Minister of Parliament" (no such thing). Sloppy and lazy.