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Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy From the Bestselling Author of The Spy and the Traitor
From the multi-million copy bestselling historian, the remarkable, unknown Cold War story of how one spy saved the world from nuclear war
The year is 1981. Tehran is in violent turmoil in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. The Soviets are planning to overthrow the Ayatollah’s fledgling Islamist regime. If they do so, one response from America – unknown to the public – would be to use nuclear weapons. This is the story of how at the height of the Cold War, one mysterious double agent, known to MI6 as ‘Redwood’, revealed the Kremlin’s secret plot and prevented Armageddon.
This unsung, hitherto unknown hero of the Cold War, a six-foot-four Russian intelligence officer, had a problem, a sexual secret, one that if revealed, would turn his life upside-down. So he reached out to MI6, believing it to have the only solution – in return for the KGB’s deepest secrets. And then, facing exposure, he demanded that the British try to smuggle him out of Iran in a high-stakes escape plan.
This is the gripping tale of one man’s courage; about friendship, marriage, betrayal and sexual dysfunction; and about how decisions made in secret can have huge, long-term ramifications.
Drawing on never-before-seen material from archives in multiple countries, and interviews with officers from MI6 and MI5, the KGB and CIA, Redwood lifts the lid on how espionage really works, and on an unknown and highly significant Cold War victory. For without Redwood, our world would be very different – and might not exist at all.
'Makes real events read like a thriller' The Times
'Everything you could want in a Cold War thriller' New York Times
'Redwood might be his best yet' John Grisham
'Ben Macintyre has a knack for finding the most fascinating storylines in history' David Grann, author of The Wager
Ben Macintyre 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
The year is 1981. Tehran is in violent turmoil in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. The Soviets are planning to overthrow the Ayatollah’s fledgling Islamist regime. If they do so, one response from America – unknown to the public – would be to use nuclear weapons. This is the story of how at the height of the Cold War, one mysterious double agent, known to MI6 as ‘Redwood’, revealed the Kremlin’s secret plot and prevented Armageddon.
This unsung, hitherto unknown hero of the Cold War, a six-foot-four Russian intelligence officer, had a problem, a sexual secret, one that if revealed, would turn his life upside-down. So he reached out to MI6, believing it to have the only solution – in return for the KGB’s deepest secrets. And then, facing exposure, he demanded that the British try to smuggle him out of Iran in a high-stakes escape plan.
This is the gripping tale of one man’s courage; about friendship, marriage, betrayal and sexual dysfunction; and about how decisions made in secret can have huge, long-term ramifications.
Drawing on never-before-seen material from archives in multiple countries, and interviews with officers from MI6 and MI5, the KGB and CIA, Redwood lifts the lid on how espionage really works, and on an unknown and highly significant Cold War victory. For without Redwood, our world would be very different – and might not exist at all.
'Makes real events read like a thriller' The Times
'Everything you could want in a Cold War thriller' New York Times
'Redwood might be his best yet' John Grisham
'Ben Macintyre has a knack for finding the most fascinating storylines in history' David Grann, author of The Wager
Ben Macintyre 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Audible Audio
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Ben Macintyre
44 books4,629 followersBen Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times (U.K.) and the bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor, A Spy Among Friends, Double Cross, Operation Mincemeat, Agent Zigzag, and Rogue Heroes, among other books. Macintyre has also written and presented BBC documentaries of his work.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Quite simply, if Ben Macintyre's name is on the book, I am going to love it. Redwood is no different. In telling the story of a KGB agent who decides to switch sides, Macintyre has once again found a tale that is not well-known, but has such far-reaching effects that I am thoroughly confused how I didn't hear about this before. Redwood is no ordinary spy. He was well placed in the KGB to have mountains of intelligence which could change the tide in post-revolution Iran.
What I love about Macintyre's books is that he knows full well that the human story is always the most important part of the narrative. However, you still need to build out the world around him. You can't understand the pressure Redwood is under unless you know what his defection would mean. I have read plenty of books that promise little-known stories where the main character "changed the world." When it comes to Redwood, this is not hyperbole.
Macintyre has to thread the needle of making you care about Redwood while also understanding the complexity of post-Revolution Iran. I can't even begin to explain how bewildering this time and place in history was. You have the supporters of the exiled shah, the ayatollah (who at this point was trying to pretend he wasn't a total despot), the communists, and then everyone else. The U.S. is no longer in country, but the U.K. is and it becomes important how they are able to be there. I haven't even scratched the surface, but luckily I didn't write this book.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that Macintyre is hilarious. There are small asides now and again with winking commentary to relieve the pressure of everything else going on. It adds another touch of humanity to recognize the humor in even the darkest times of humanity. This story could not have been told better.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by Crown Publishing.)
What I love about Macintyre's books is that he knows full well that the human story is always the most important part of the narrative. However, you still need to build out the world around him. You can't understand the pressure Redwood is under unless you know what his defection would mean. I have read plenty of books that promise little-known stories where the main character "changed the world." When it comes to Redwood, this is not hyperbole.
Macintyre has to thread the needle of making you care about Redwood while also understanding the complexity of post-Revolution Iran. I can't even begin to explain how bewildering this time and place in history was. You have the supporters of the exiled shah, the ayatollah (who at this point was trying to pretend he wasn't a total despot), the communists, and then everyone else. The U.S. is no longer in country, but the U.K. is and it becomes important how they are able to be there. I haven't even scratched the surface, but luckily I didn't write this book.
Special attention should be paid to the fact that Macintyre is hilarious. There are small asides now and again with winking commentary to relieve the pressure of everything else going on. It adds another touch of humanity to recognize the humor in even the darkest times of humanity. This story could not have been told better.
(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by Crown Publishing.)
June 11, 2026
Another excellent, thoroughly interesting and well researched book from Ben Mac!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ben MacIntyre did a talk on Tuesday at the Emmanuel Centre about Redwood, after which I purchased the book. As ever, MacIntyre has written a well researched and pacy book, which I could not put down. I think he does an excellent job of including details about the day to day lives of his “characters”, which can be an enjoyable respite from detailed political machinations. I learnt a lot and enjoyed this book- which is all one can really ask for.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Two spies whose lives eventually intertwine, in a high-stakes, cold-war caper with right touch of British awkwardness and derring-do. Washed down with vodka.
How Macintyre finds (and is allowed to tells) these stories, should be a book itself!
How Macintyre finds (and is allowed to tells) these stories, should be a book itself!
September 16, 2026
fascinating story about a KGB agent defecting to the UK in a torrid period in Tehran.
September 17, 2026
A gripping tale of Cold War spies and how decisions made in secret can affect the whole power dynamics.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews