Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter

by Robert Hutton

This is the incredible tale of Operation Fifth Column, a Second World War MI5 operation so secret that its existence was only revealed by the National Archives for the first time in 2014.

It's the true story behind Kate Atkinson's Transcription and Anthony Quinn's Our Friends In Berlin.

Throughout the war, "Jack King" - in reality, a bank clerk named Eric Roberts - pretended to be a Gestapo agent to whom hundreds of British-based Nazi sympathisers and informers passed their secrets, thinking that he was sending them back to Germany. Many were put on a salary by what they thought was the Third Reich and some were even 'awarded' Iron Crosses for their services to the Fatherland; they never found out the truth.

Among the secrets they tried to pass were: a tip-off about Bletchley Park; details of the deadly Mosquito bomber; complete plans of a highly effective anti-radar technology codenamed WINDOW. The larger-than-life characters who populate the book include Roberts himself, the deceptively ordinary-seeming bank clerk; Maxwell Knight, who recruited Roberts; Victor Third Baron Rothschild, Roberts' spymaster, who did a sideline in bomb disposal using his Cartier screwdrivers; Theresa Clay, the distinguished biologist who co-ran the operation with Rothschild, but because she was a woman was only ever classified as an 'assistant'; Marita Perigoe, possibly the most dangerous of the fascists, who despite having her suspicions about Roberts, continued to recruit spies for him and pass him secrets to the end of the war.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World War II, Espionage, Audiobook, Biography, Military Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2018

About the author

All of Robert Hutton’s career moves have been accidental. He started as a computer scientist but fell into journalism, and then stumbled across a true WW2 spy story that so excited him he wrote a book about it, Agent Jack.

His new book, The Illusionist, is about Dudley Clarke, the eccentric genius who realised how the Allies could use stage magic to deceive the Nazis.

Robert’s day job is as political satirist for The Critic magazine, and he hosts the podcast War Movie Theatre.

He lives in south east London with his wife and sons.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agent Jack is the true story of Eric Roberts, who at first look, seemed to be your typical run of the mill bank clerk. What nobody really knew is that Mr. Roberts was in fact a highly talented MI5 agent known as Jack King, who excelled in infiltrating underground Fascist groups and fleshing out Nazi sympathizers in England during World War 2. He used his abilities to lure people in and make them think they were spying for the Gestapo, when in reality, they were actually spying for MI5, who saved these secrets from being made known to the Germans.

I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. It is highly detailed, well researched and reads more like an espionage novel than a work of non-fiction. Most, if not all of the details in this book have been kept secret until 2014.

I was surprised at how many German sympathizers there were in England and at the job Mr. Roberts, who at first used his own name while infiltrating these groups did while not blowing his cover while monitoring as many as 500 people, albeit many were inactive. Thats still quite a feat for one person. If you enjoy history and espionage (fiction or non-fiction), you should definitely give this one a read!

My gratitude to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and author Robert Hutton for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

AGENT JACK

True story, or as true as can be expected, of Eric Roberts aka Jack King, British M15 undercover spy during WWII.

He worked as a supposed undercover Gestapo intermediary gathering information on the Fifth Column, Nazi sympathizers living within Britain. He was in reality employed by the British Security Service. His fascist “agents” gave him information, expecting it to be forwarded to the leaders of the Third Reich in Germany. Roberts instead reported their anti-Allies schemes and sabotage plans straight to M15. Because of his work, sensitive war plans were kept guarded. It also features the espionage work of Victor Rothschild, including his expertise at bomb disposal.

This book was well researched, with an extensive bibliography, notes, and index. Photographs, illustrations, and lists of characters help to make it easier to follow as it does contain many people to keep track of. It’s a bit dry, but that’s fine with me. I felt like I learned a lot about the inner workings of the spy industry in the UK during WWII.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Robert Hutton, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Stephen Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another book that continues the process of uncovering the long hidden stories of the work of MI5 during the war on counter-espionage. Robert Hutton has dug out and tracked down wealth of material on the activities of Eric Roberts, a bank clerk, who was co-opted to infiltrate groups of Nazi sympathisers in Britain and pose as a Gestapo spy passing on any spying information they could gather to Germany. It uncovers a very murky aspect of the home front a long way from the stiff upper lips and stoic heroics of the general public - namely, the large number of fascists hoping for a Nazi victory and even preparing for the occupation, some of them in high places.
The story has added relevance when it comes to Agent Jack going along with plans for sabotage - namely, how far can infiltrators go in encouraging terrorist activities for the purposes of entrapment.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

his book is about the search for German sympathizers within England during World War II. It revolves around former banker Eric Roberts known as "Jack Kelly" to the British Union which was full of German sympathizers. The book is well written which makes for an interesting read. None of the exposed Nazi "friendlies" that Roberts interacted with were ever sent to prison as that would have exposed his alias.

I recommend this book for those looking for what went on within Great Britian itself during World War II with MI5 looking for agents or potential agents of Nazi Germany.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love getting new angles on a period in history that I've read a lot about. I have read A LOT about WW2 (there's a lot to read!), but I never thought about the threat that British fascist supporters posed during the war or the internment that Britain enforced on its German, Italian, etc. citizens/resident aliens or the work of security that had to happen in Britain and the ethical/moral issues it posed. So my mind was opened in many ways in reading this book. Plus it's just a compelling story. It was hard to keep track of all the names (last names mostly), so I just kept the main names in my mind and divided the rest between 'For Britain' and 'Against Britain'. It worked well.

[Thelastwordreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delighted to share my thoughts on the story of the MI5 agent at the very heart of Operation Fifth Column, which was the covert WWII operation that was to flush out Nazi sympathisers on British Soil.

Just a few words on what the book is about: June 1940 and Britain stands alone as Hitler eyes his next prize across the channel. Codenamed ‘Jack King’ Eric Roberts who was a former Bank Clerk from Epsom in Surrey. He was recruited into MI5 and then went on to become Hitler’s man in London. This whole operation has only recently come to light. In Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5’s Secret Wartime Nazi Hunter Robert Hutton goes on to tell the story through newly declassified documents and private family archives.

The enemy within during the war was a fear at the heart of the government getting to know who they were and then infiltrate them was key to identifying the key players and also the spies who would pass on information to their spy masters in Berlin.
Author Robert Hutton must be congratulated for his well-researched book that is an incredible read that delves deep into this story of Eric Roberts.

It is hard to imagine that even when that dreadful Oswald Mosely was taken out circulation that there ordinary Britons willing to work for the Nazis and put this country at real risk of invasion.
Eric Roberts hailed from Cornwall and was spotted by spymaster Maxwell Knight. Roberts was nothing short of brave as he set about infiltrating British Union of Fascists at any time he could have caught out and then what? It was later that he rose through the ranks. This an ordinary bank clerk. Nothing short of remarkable.

As the war went on, it was decided the best way to play them was to set up their own ‘Fifth Column’ and so it was the under the name of ‘Jack King’ Eric Roberts played his best part.
‘Jack King’ was to play the Nazi’s man in London pretending to be the link and the key to the very heart of Nazi Germany. Hard to imagine that here in Briton as men and women risking their lives to destroy the Nazis that there were those who believed in the Nazi cause and wanted see their own country defeated. These were the vile anti-Semitic Nazi sympathisers that Eric was infiltrating. This was dangerous work at any time he could have been found out and almost certain death awaited. It was indeed that ‘Jack’ already being eyed as an MI5 spy and her name was Marita Perigoe who was in her own right an extremely dangerous woman who was very suspicious of ‘Jack King’ These were the people plotting against their own country passing vital information to the Gestapo but plotting Churchill’s downfall. These were the enemy within and needed to be brought to justice but at the end of the war were they indeed brought to justice. There are some surprising findings and facts that even opened my eyes while reading this riveting account.

At the end of the story the country owed Eric Roberts a great deal but did he get the rewards he deserved. I won’t reveal that here as I think this is one book that finally opens the story of a man with a smile that opened doors and revealed many secrets. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is absolutely fascinating! Most of the events and history of this whole story were redacted or classified for decades (until 2014), and the amount of research that must have gone into writing this story from beginning to end is incredible! For that alone I recommend reading this book.

Agent Jack is the story of Eric Roberts, a bank clerk with the ability to make people like and trust him, who becomes an MI5 agent. Before WW2 he infiltrates groups of Communists and then Fascists, but after WW2 breaks out he becomes Jack King, the agent who manages to bring down a huge network of Nazi sympathizers and spies in Britain (sometimes named the 5th Column during the Nazi invasion of Europe). He poses as a secret Gestapo agent, and builds his “network” of people who are pushing for Hitler to win the war. This is the way MI5 were able to bring the 5th Column down from the inside without the general public having any knowledge of it.

Despite the fact that this book is very well written and researched, and that the whole story really is fascinating (and true), I found myself often getting bogged down in the details, and after putting the book down I often had to prod myself to go back to it and finish it. Every time a new person enters the scene we are given their entire background which tends to bring the flow of the narrative to a halt. Sometimes it wasn’t too much of an issue, at other times I felt like I had forgotten where we were in the timeline and had to go back and check. I do appreciate a good explanation and detail when it matters (Rothschild’s background is very important for example), but sometimes it was a bit overkill, especially with people who weren’t really that involved.

All in all though this is a very interesting piece of history that I think should be read - that there were so many Nazi sympathizers in Britain during WW2 is something that is generally overlooked, and Agent Jack provides some great information on how something could have gone differently along the way and changed the entire outcome of the war.

3.5 stars overall.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[David Lowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agent Jack is a very interesting story about the weeding out and rendering ineffective of UK citizens who held ultra right wing views and were willing to help the Nazis. Robert Hutton has undergone a good deal of research and come up with a gripping tale about one man spending several years working dangerously undercover with a determined, and ever growing, group of fascists sympathisers.

One of those also involved in this work is Victor Rothschild and it was most disturbing to hear how he, as a Jew, was treated by the establishment. He was a real hero, frequently involved in bomb disposal. Ugh!

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Hutton’s “Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter” is a gripping plunge into one of the most bizarre and enthralling corners of World War II espionage. If you think the story of Britain’s struggle against the Nazis is already well told, Hutton proves otherwise with this real-life tale of eccentricity, deception, and extraordinary undercover work. At the heart of the book stands Eric Roberts, an unassuming suburban bank clerk who, by night, transformed into “Jack King,” an MI5 agent charged with luring and entrapping Nazi sympathizers across Britain. While James Bond dazzles with tuxedos and gadgets, Roberts instead wielded patience, guile, and the talent to convince fascist dreamers that he was the Reich’s man in London. The result is a narrative both chilling and absurd—homegrown traitors divulging their secrets in drab English parlors, oblivious to the fact they were feeding information to MI5. Hutton recounts Roberts’ dangerous masquerade with a novelist’s flair, capturing the shadows-and-cigarette-smoke atmosphere of wartime Britain. The banal English settings—boarding houses, garden suburbs, office desks—are beautifully contrasted with the perilous stakes of Nazi infiltration and mass treachery. Astonishingly, Hutton reveals how close these sympathizers came to betraying operational details, and how Roberts’ steady deception prevented disaster. Yet he is no cartoonish hero; Hutton paints him as a lonely, conflicted man, wading through moral ambiguities that would fray the nerves of anyone trapped in such a duplicity. What makes “Agent Jack” so compelling is how it humanizes both sides of espionage. The fascist network, far from glamorous, is portrayed as a sad cadre of misfits—dangerous, yes, but also faintly ridiculous in their pipe-smoke conspiracies. This oscillation between menace and absurdity keeps the tension simmering, as readers wonder whether Roberts’ cover will hold. Ultimately, Hutton delivers more than a spy story. He exposes the fragility of loyalty, the banality of betrayal, and the courage of unsung individuals whose improvisation secured Britain from within. “Agent Jack” reads like le Carré crossed with a dark comedy of manners—riveting, unsettling, and immensely entertaining.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting look at a part of WW2 espionage that is rarely discussed: the identification of fascist sympathizers inside Britain who were willing to betray their country. The number of fascist supporters in the UK between the wars is often brushed under the rug, and while their leaders were interned there were plenty of regular folks who were rooting for a German victory. This book chronicles MI5s efforts to identify and subvert such people, tricking them into thinking they were aiding the enemy.

[Sharon Diedrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome third to the triad of the Double Cross And Triple Cross Operations, this collection of spies and their handlers creates a framework for understanding the complexity and feasibility of other spy operations. Excellent research and good presentation.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely interesting book mainly about Eric Roberts, a man working for MI5 who infiltrated the British Union of Fascists. He convinced them that he was a Gestapo agent and could deliver information they gathered to aide Germany. He was very successful both before and during the war. Lots of complicated plots to keep his identity secret. Well written, easy to follow.

[Robin Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book about a piece of hidden history - the Nazi sympathisers among British citizens in WW2, and the spy who helped control them. I loved it! (14+)

*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*

[Julian Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting facts about support for Fascism in the UK during WWII. A slow burn. A bit anticlimactic. But hey, I guess that’s just reality.

[Kareme · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for anyone who wants to hear a completely different story regarding WW2.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know if I would instantly have grabbed this title to read had it not been based on a man, and a story, that helped to inspire Kate Atkinson’s book, Transcription. While I read that and found the story gripping, I had issues with the main character’s choices and repeated ‘missteps’, and while I know that much of the information was based in fact, I had only a passing interest in the “story behind the inspiration” until I was told of this book.

Essentially what Hutton has done is pull information and followed trails, taking documents that are researched and footnoted extensively, and presented a story of Britain during the War that isn’t the “widespread” one – tales of the growth of Fascism through the oft-mentioned yet never fully explored British Union of Fascists (shortened to British Union), and the unease with which a segment of the British population found the second war, and the privations and hardships encountered and to come were too reminiscent of the feeling that returning soldiers from the first World War weren’t particularly well-cared for, as promised. And, if we are honest, the worldwide depression in the 30’s and the appearance of Germany’s economic recovery, far earlier than most countries, under this new regime provided a sort of ‘guidepost’ to the people that were so tired of privations and shortages.

Enter Eric Roberts, a bank clerk with no discernable skills or outstanding talents (especially not seen by his bosses of fifteen years) and his mission to infiltrate the ‘suspicious at home’, making connections, sharing information of plots to undermine the British determination to withstand Hitler’s forward progress, and then see that plots and plans are foiled, either through his own direct actions or by passing on said information. He posed as a Gestapo spy, drawing in those encouraged or outright supportive of the plans Hitler made, providing a gripping read and asking the question – just how far would (or could) this man, codename Agent Jack, go with plans to sabotage – and would (or could) he participate. Several “German Friendly” citizens were named and discovered – from the already “known” Duke of Windsor (Prince Edward, later Edward VIII before the abdication) to others who were never brought forward with charges as the work Agent Jack was doing was far too important and his cover and story would have been exposed.

What emerges is the sort of expected in a situation of war – some are for, some are against, most are simply just trying to survive in whatever means possible. Although we do meet several “Pro British” agents and see the work they did in and out of country – the best example is Victor Rothschild who, as a Jew was invested in many bomb disposal operations and clearly determined to stop Hitler, and the horrible way in which he was treated by the establishment, despite his work and the dangers he faced. The story is equally disheartening and hopeful because of the truths uncovered, and Hutton’s style allows the reader to absorb these details as they build on one another, leaving just as much impact as one might expect the ‘players’ had as events unfolded. While this was very clearly not a read in one sitting sort of book for me, the information revealed from papers buried deep showed the war effort by MI-5 as far more intricate or involved than any ever thought, and leave a series of names and people who, for their own reasons, made choices that were, at best, selfish and short-sighted, or at worst treasonous. An intriguing read for those interested in the ‘undercover’ work of agencies and agents during the World War II era, and the research and footnotes lead readers in many directions for further information, even though the groundwork here in this book is thorough and easily accessible.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[Glady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Layers upon layers. Deceit hidden within deceit. Years of lies and half-truths that must be remembered. Spies hiding in plain sight. Nazis unwittingly working for British intelligence. These are the elements of the British efforts to curtail German spying on British soil in the 1930s and 1940s.

Eric Roberts was just an ordinary guy. He wasn't particularly well educated and he certainly did not come from an upper crust background. His employment as a bank teller was quite boring and required him to be at his betters' mercy. But, prior to World War II, Roberts became an undercover agent for MI5 tasked with investigating and infiltrating groups such as the British Union of Fascists, a pro German association that appealed to many ordinary Brits. Furthermore, It was believed by many that there was a "Fifth Column," German sympathizers hidden within ordinary British society who would assist German forces if Germany invaded. Many of the more overt fascists were interred on the Isle of Man but there were many more who were unknown to British authorities. Roberts' job was to find these supporters.

By the time war actually started, Roberts' role became that of spy runner who actually contained his recruits. They believed they were working for the Nazis but in reality they reported via Roberts to MI5. Any potential information they accumulated did not go to Germany but stayed within Britain. Some authorities were concerned that a mission like Roberts' crossed an ethical line and encouraged anti-British, pro-Nazi behaviors. Consequently Roberts had to appear to support his recruits without encouraging treason or allowing any real acts of sabotage. Initially working under his own name, Roberts constantly walked a fine line between restraining willing German spies and saboteurs while discovering everything they wanted to share with Germany. This balancing act required fast thinking, smooth talking and building of long-term relationships with people with pro-Nazi views. For many, a deep antisemitism served as the core of their pro-Nazi beliefs.

The conclusion of the war resulted in Roberts unwilling to return to his rather humdrum life. His family had sacrificed much in terms of reputation because of his open and unexplained alliance with fascism. Roberts' service to his country remained largely unknown for decades.

The success of Roberts and his fellow MI5 agents with controlling and containing Nazi spies in Britain during war is a remarkable tale. Agent Jack is a thrilling read.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5’s Secret Nazi Hunter by Robert Hutton is the true story of Eric Roberts, a bank clerk who worked with MI5 to try and find Nazi sympathizers and informers in wartime Britain. Mr. Hutton is a political correspondent for Bloomberg.

This book is about another unknown here for World War II, a man pretending to be a Gestapo agent in England. Eric Roberts, a bored clerk, starts to work for the intelligence services by infiltrating fascists movements, analyzing whether or not they can do damage to national security.

Mr. Roberts worked under his real name, but when it came to take on the personality of a Gestapo agent, he went under “Jack King”. Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5’s Secret Nazi Hunter by Robert Hutton tells his story in a compelling and fascinating manner. MI5 has been worried about the “fifth column”, a group of people trying to undermine the English government from within, welcoming the Nazis once they invade.

While I’m sure that working undercover, especially with extremists, is dangerous. However many of Mr. Roberts’ contacts were just bumbling Nazis trying to gain favor when the invasion happen. Every now and then Mr. Roberts would encounter an actual competent traitor, such as Marita Perigoe, who could have done serious damage to England if she wasn’t stopped. While the rest were fumbling around, some of the information they gave to the fake Gestapo agent would have been very meaningful and damaging if it fell into the wrong hands.

What was interesting to me, and the author did touch on it, was how Mr. Roberts could explain his lack of uniform to the people surrounding him. As it were, he said he was a consciousness objector, which made the life of his family, especially that of his school age son, very difficult as many of the other fathers were serving on the front-lines.

The book is expertly researched with extensive notes and bibliographical information. There are many photos and illustrations throughout as well as a list of characters to make it easier to follow. While I thought the narrative was a bit dry here and there, I realized that no one ever said that the inner workings of real spy agencies are glamorous to being with.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: If you are a fan of spy stories, here is a book that is sure to hold your interest and it is all true. It is the story of a rather ordinary unassuming bank clerk who is enlisted into the game originally to keep tabs of members of the Union of British Fascists. This ordinary man had extraordinary skills and intelligence so that he was able to work his way through the ranks while convincing those on whom he was spying that he was one of them.
Graced with an amazing memory and ability to keep things organized, his initiation proved valuable during the years leading to WWII but absolutely critical after war commenced. Under the alias of Jack King, he was able to convince some of the most rabid Nazi sympathizers that he was an undercover Gestapo agent recruiting fifth columnists to send secrets back to the Reich and undermine the war effort in Britain. At one time he had 500 sub-agents who would report back to him. They thought he was passing along the information to Germany when he was, in fact, passing it to MI5. These were truly dangerous people who might have done serious damage without him.
Until recently his story was never told. He never received credit for his achievements nor did he reap rewards. But he was far more effective and important than a host of the Upper Class/Right School twits who ran many of the organizations. It was only when the files were declassified and the story came out that his heroism and patriotism was known. But then he had died, at his home on Vancouver Island in Canada.
It is a fascinating tale the author has cobbled together from documents and interviews with the children of those involved. .It is time he got his due. Four purrs and two paws up.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the major battles of WWII that started before the declaration of war and continued to the end of hostilities and beyond was fought by those in Intelligence. Robert Hutton presents the story of Eric Roberts, an operative of MI5 who infiltrated the British Union of Fascists and later posed as a Gestapo agent operating on British soil. He was responsible for recruiting British citizens who supported Germany and offered their assistance in paving the way for Germany’s invasion of England. Using the alias of Jack King, he built a network and offered his services as a conduit to pass on information, diverting it to MI5 instead.

Roberts was a bank clerk prior to the war who had an ability to relate to people. Before the rise of the British Union he had done similar work, infiltrating communist groups and relished the opportunity to once again work with MI5. Despite his experience and abilities, he was looked down on by many of his colleagues, gentlemen who came from wealthy backgrounds and had attended the top schools. Nonetheless he was considered the ideal agent for this undertaking.

Hutton explains a number of the operations, both successes and failures, run by MI5. At times it reads like a thriller, but is a tribute to the unsung heroes who worked in the shadows to protect their country. While historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, Agent Jack: the True Story of MI5’s Secret Nazi Hunter provides all of the suspense of a novel while exposing the reader to the actual history of England at war. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the major battles of WWII that started before the declaration of war and continued to the end of hostilities and beyond was fought by those in Intelligence. Robert Hutton presents the story of Eric Roberts, an operative of MI5 who infiltrated the British Union of Fascists and later posed as a Gestapo agent operating on British soil. He was responsible for recruiting British citizens who supported Germany and offered their assistance in paving the way for Germany’s invasion of England. Using the alias of Jack King, he built a network and offered his services as a conduit to pass on information, diverting it to MI5 instead.

Roberts was a bank clerk prior to the war who had an ability to relate to people. Before the rise of the British Union he had done similar work, infiltrating communist groups and relished the opportunity to once again work with MI5. Despite his experience and abilities, he was looked down on by many of his colleagues, gentlemen who came from wealthy backgrounds and had attended the top schools. Nonetheless he was considered the ideal agent for this undertaking.

Hutton explains a number of the operations, both successes and failures, run by MI5. At times it reads like a thriller, but is a tribute to the unsung heroes who worked in the shadows to protect their country. While historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, Agent Jack: the True Story of MI5’s Secret Nazi Hunter provides all of the suspense of a novel while exposing the reader to the actual history of England at war. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This book appears to be well-researched and provides detailed information on the secret work done on Operation Fifth Column by Britain's MI5 during WWII. "Jack King," who actually was bank clerk Eric Roberts, posed as a Gestapo agent, encouraging British Nazi sympathizers to use him as a trusted conduit for passing significant war secrets to German officials. A number of significant Allied plans were waylaid and therefore were never available to help Germany in its quest to win the war. Others who served in MI5 such as Victor Third Baron Rothschild are also discussed in this book.

I am highly interested in these WWII events where clandestine operations were so very effective in the ultimate Allied victory. They literally changed history and made our present world possible. However, I found it difficult to follow the events as described in this book, missing key points, and failing to clearly understand important strategies. I came away with a general impression of the work done by British agents, the risks they and their families faced, and the secrecy that continued long after the war had ended. However, I also wanted more clarity and less confusion in the detail. Some of this is probably because much of the documentation failed to survive the war itself, leaving Robert Hutton to piece together what remained of it.

What I would like to find is a fictionalized version of these events, using actual names, based on what is known, but presented in novel form--a spy novel but true. Although this nonfiction book has an important message, I found it difficult to place myself into either the people or the world they lived in.

[Robert Slack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the factual account of the WWII spy story behind the fictionalised account told in Transcription by Kate Atkinson. As such, I was unsure if I needed to double-back on this story, but I'm glad I did. There is more to the tale than the eavesdropping of Transcription, and I found the background fascinating. A two-fold problem, the fascist uprising in Britain and a body of Nazi sympathizers was the concern. The intelligence agency approach to this, have a man, agent Jack King (an alias) on the ground. What surprised the intelligence agencies (MI5 & MI6) at the time was the degree of support for Hitler from within our country. This operation thwarted many leaks of highly confidential security information to the enemy. The twist in the tale, that comes late in this book, is that, unbeknown to us at the time, Russia was operating within our intelligence outfits at the highest level, and was privy to much of our highly confidential information. As is said here, Russia leads the world when it comes to espionage. And, from recent news reports, it would seem that it still does. Our undoing was our belief in the establishment, the old boys network, which was naively thought to be solidly patriotic. It's the same mistake we, as a country, make today. This is an important book for anyone with an interest in our country's internal struggle to counteract insurgency from within our country during WWII. Agent Eric Roberts served our country well, an unsung, till now, hero of our war effort.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Robert Hutton https://www.roberthutton.co.uk published the book “Agent Jack: The True Story of MI5’s Secret Nazi Hunter” in 2019. This is his third book and first novel.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘G. The book is the story of Eric Roberts and his career with MI-5 during WWII.

Roberts was a bank clerk when he was recruited by MI-5 to identify fascists and communists in Britain. At first, he was only working in the evenings for MI-5. Eventually, he became a full-time agent. He had the ability to make people trust him. Later he pretended to be a Gestapo agent hiding in England trying to build a network of Nazi supporters.

The British government feared that they would have to deal wit a German fifth column. This threat was the stimulus for most of Roberts' later undercover work. He was able to find some in Britain with clear Nazi sentiments. He never found the organized covert support for Germany that the British government feared.

I enjoyed the 10.5+ hours I spent reading this 323-page WWII history. This was a part of WWII history I had not come across before. The real adventures of Roberts read more like fiction than history. The way the author wrote this book made it very readable. It was like reading a novel instead of a history book. I do like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Hidden Story of WWII Espionage

During WWII a number of individuals in Great Britain sympathized with the Nazis and were eager to supply secret information to them. This is the story of Eric Roberts, a bank clerk, who as Jack King formed these traitors into a network that supplied him with information that he passed to MI5.

Roberts was known a something of a daredevil, but was very personable and able to attract people to him. He had done some spy work for MI5 before the war and wanted to get back into the game. He got his chance and was able to infiltrate Fascist and Nazi groups. He became a leader, Hitler’s man in Britain, and was able pass on information that the traitors were trying to send to Germany. Information on Bletchley Park, a secret radar named Windows, and other to secret plans that would have severely hampered Britain’s war effort were among those Jack intercepted.

The book is exceptionally well researched. The author did an excellent job of digging deep into the past and bringing to life episodes that were classified until 2014. Sometimes the book reads like a thriller. At other times it gets bogged down in a tremendous amount of detail. Even minor characters are introduced with their full histories. If you love history, you enjoy these excursions. However, it does interfere with the flow of the narrative.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agent Jack by Robert Hutton is billed as the True Story of MI5's Secret Nazi Hunter and it certainly lives up to that billing. I am not normally a reader of non-fiction but this title enthralled me and I found it deceptively easy to read. The style was narrative and very engaging-what a great story and true. It is so easy to get lost in the Holocaust that many of us forget the greater picture of World War II and England is a huge part of that as the next target on Hitler's list. England suffered so much during World War I and then to turn around and face it all again...Also so sad is how many from the homeland were prepared to welcome Hitler with open arms, particularly as exemplified in this story of Agent Jack.

So many people are looking for a better life and often they choose the wrong path to just that. These were good people that were poorly informed, as pictured in this book. It's hard to trust your own government sometimes and many people in England did not. Churchill was not a popular choice at first. Many people wanted something different and worked hard to get it, not really understanding what Nazism was. This was a terrific read. I recommend it to any one who is a reader of history or has a particular interest in World War II or loves undercover work.

I received a free ARC of Agent Jack from Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein
are solely my own. #netgalley #agentjack

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review.

It took some time to get into this story, mostly because of an ever-increasing cast of characters that got a little dizzying at times. Once I got into the narrative, however, this story of WWII espionage tactics which were only unearthed piece by piece in the last five years ago was really interesting and compelling.

I would recommend reading the note at the end first, because what you then read is much more fascinating when you realize how it came about and what Hutton did to piece the tale together. "Agent Jack" was one MI5 man, a bank teller plucked from obscurity because of his experience infiltrating fascist groups in the past, who at one time had as many as 500 people on his list of British citizens/residents who were willing to do anything from pass along classified information to Germany to take up arms in support of an invasion.

Hutton uncovers the ugly part of history that gets glossed over when it is written by the victors. The Allies retroactively painted their citizens as defenders of freedom living by the "Keep Calm, Carry On" credo but many were passively or actively rooting for Germany and even the antisemitism that was pervasive in British society is brushed under the rug in hindsight.

Agent Jack is a spy thriller and a reminder that war and politics and humans are complicated.

[James Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is June 1940, and Britain is Hitler's next target. After devastating victories over Poland, France, and other countries, Britain, after the miracle at Dunkirk, stands alone. But, there are people who would welcome a Nazi invasion of Britain.

Throughout the war, our front line defence against the enemy within was a former bank clerk; Eric Roberts. His extraordinary ability to make people trust him enabled him to be recruited by Maxwell Knight into the world of espionage. Roberts not only infiltrated the Communists and the British Union of Fascists but then managed, as an MI5 agent, as Hitler's main agent in London. Codenamed Jack King, he was able to build a network of hundreds of Nazi sympathisers with many passing secrets to him, convinced he was a Nazi agent. The operation, known as Fifth Column, was run by a woman scientist and a Jewish aristocrat, and it was kept so secret that even Winston Churchill was unaware of it.

Robert Hutton tells this fascinating story, whose existence has only recently come to light. Drawing on new declassified documents, Agent Jack destroys the comfortable notion that Britain could never have succumbed to fascism.

It's not bad for someone who first studied Artificial Intelligence at Edinburgh, then became a correspondent for the Daily Mirror, Financial Times, and Bloomberg News.

[Hana Correa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agent Jack is a fascinating look into the true life exploits of a covert spy operation, known as the Fifth Column. Concocted at the start of the Second World War, the ultra secretive operation monitored and manipulated members of a fascist movement in Britain, who’s goal was to assist the German army in the war. At the heart of it all is the humble Eric Roberts, a like able chap, who’s unlikely and humble background make him a perfect spy. He joined the ranks of MI5, a secret spy network dedicated to monitoring domestic insurgents. His easygoing, like able nature led him to lead an illustrious career with MI5, where he was in charge of over 500 “agents” who were throughly convinced Eric Roberts was a German agent known as Jack King. This is an intriguing story since it isn’t one that is terribly well known. Since the case files are incomplete and this story has missing pieces we aren’t able to string the story together seamlessly, but Robert Hutton gives us a fairly comprehensive story of the heroic and important efforts of a secret spy agency manipulating people and intelligence in secret. Definitely a worthy read for fans of WW11 genres. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Ian Racey · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s not much nowadays to explore about the Second World War, probably the most studied event in human history, that hasn’t already been explored, but thanks to the recent (and ongoing) declassification of MI-5’s wartime files, the Fifth Column operation is one of those things that we’re only just finding out about now.

When MI-5 set out, early in the war, to uncover the Germans’ secret network in Britain, they discovered they didn’t have one—but they also discovered an appalling number of Britons who wanted to join such a network. So they made the decision to organise it themselves: to set up one of their own men as the Gestapo’s man in London, so that he could organise and monitor Britain’s secret Nazis and allow them to believe they were working for Germany.

Hutton has great material to work with, and he does it justice. He explores the great internal debate at MI-5 over the legality and morality of what they were doing, as well as the individual Fifth Columnists’ wartime stories. And he shines a light on the underbelly of anti-semitism and fascism that was thriving in what we’d like to think of as a great bastion of democracy at that time—a timely reminder for those of us living in the world today. An excellent book.