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The Useful Idiot
Moscow, 1932. Gareth Jones, a young Welsh reporter, arrives in the Soviet Union excited to see for himself how Josef Stalin is forging a new civilisation . He meets American and British journalists who acclaim Stalin’s great experiment – but when Jones witnesses people starving to death in Ukraine , his belief in the Soviet revolution is shattered. He must decide whether to report the truth or become just another useful idiot, saying only what the Communist secret police allow and smothering the evidence of his own eyes. In this special kind of hell, anyone could be an informer, and Jones knows his life will be at risk if he is even thought to be defying Stalin . And when the woman he loves falls under the suspicion of the secret police, everything Jones values is in danger. Can he reveal the terrible truth about the Ukrainian famine to the world, or will he be silenced forever? THE USEFUL IDIOT is the secret history of the first great Soviet lie – wrapped up in an electrifying novel perfect for readers of Robert Harris, Ken Follett, Frederick Forsyth, John le Carré and Kate Atkinson. As Vladimir Putin rewrites the Nazi-Soviet pact and with the horrors of Chernobyl and the Cold War so recent, this thriller of fake news in 1932 is real storytelling of enormous significance . *** 'Dramatic...enthralling' The Observer *** John Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and a former long-serving BBC reporter. He is the author of twelve books, including four THE USEFUL IDIOT, the 200,000-copy bestseller ELEPHANT MOON, another historical thriller based on true event, two modern-day political thrillers, COLD and ROAD. Non-fiction works include an investigation into the Church of Scientology, THE CHURCH OF FEAR and an account of his time spent undercover in North Korea, NORTH KOREA UNDERCOVER. He tweets from @johnsweeneyroar.
256 pages, Paperback
Published January 30, 2020
About the author
John Sweeney
18 books145 followersJohn Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, currently working as an investigative journalist for the BBC's Panorama series. Before joining the BBC in 2001, Sweeney worked for twelve years at The Observer, where he covered wars and revolutions in more than sixty countries including Romania, Algeria, Iraq, Chechnya, Burundi and Bosnia.
In 1996, He was sued for criminal defamation in France by the Barclay brothers, owners of the Daily Telegraph, but the claimants lost their case. At the time, Sweeney worked for the rival newspaper The Observer, and had given an interview on BBC Radio Guernsey alleging that they had been involved in corruption. Since the broadcast could also be heard in northern France, the claimants were able to bring their claim in the French courts. Sweeney was ordered to pay €3000 by the appeal court in Rennes, France
Sweeney spent four years investigating the cases of Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, three women who had been falsely imprisoned for killing their children. Sweeney's investigation helped to clear their names, and led to Sir Roy Meadow, the expert witness whose testimony had proved decisive in their convictions, being temporarily struck off the General Medical Council's medical register. Sweeney received the Paul Foot Award in 2005 in recognition of his work.
He has won several awards throughout his career, including:
1998: What the Papers Say Journalist of the Year prize for reports on human rights abuses in Algeria.
2000: an Emmy Award and a Royal Television Society prize for programs about the Massacre at Krusha e Madhe, Kosovo.
2001: the Amnesty International prize for "Victims of the Torture Train," about human rights abuses in Chechnya.
2003: a Sony Gold award (2003) for Best Radio News program.
2004: a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC One documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies.
2005: The Paul Foot Award.
"Scientology and Me", a Panorama investigation into Scientology written and presented by Sweeney, was aired on BBC One on Monday, 14 May 2007. Prior to its airing,video footage filmed by the Church of Scientology was released that showed Sweeney shouting at Scientology representative Tommy Davis during a visit to CCHR's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death". The clips were sections of a documentary the Church of Scientology's Freedom Magazine TV produced about the BBC Panorama programme. Sweeney remarked that he lost his temper due to days of harassment by Davis and the Church, and a strong personal reaction to the psychiatry exhibit. He had been visited at his hotel by Davis, despite not having shared the address with the Church, and had been followed on several different occasions. Sweeney labelled the clips "attack videos" and others say they were produced to discredit himself and the documentary. The BBC in response aired its own full recording of the incident. Panorama's Editor Sandy Smith explained what happened and how the BBC dealt with the incident in a post on the BBC's Editor's Blog. An internal BBC investigation found that Sweeney's conduct at one point in the filming was clearly inappropriate, but also noted that Sweeney had apologised for his outburst and concluded that as a whole, filming of the documentary had been performed in a proper and fair manner. Later on that same year in the BBC Panorama year in review Sweeney said “..a new generation is making up its own mind, and for that I make no apology”. Only a month and a half later Project Chanology began. This time as a part of a rehearsed joke, Sweeney goes into a similar outburst in January 2009 when being interviewed on Radio 4 about the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie—clearly referring to the episode two years previously. A follow-up Panorama programme also hosted by Sweeney, which at an hour is twice the length of the original one was aired on the 28 September 2010. This documentary contained int
In 1996, He was sued for criminal defamation in France by the Barclay brothers, owners of the Daily Telegraph, but the claimants lost their case. At the time, Sweeney worked for the rival newspaper The Observer, and had given an interview on BBC Radio Guernsey alleging that they had been involved in corruption. Since the broadcast could also be heard in northern France, the claimants were able to bring their claim in the French courts. Sweeney was ordered to pay €3000 by the appeal court in Rennes, France
Sweeney spent four years investigating the cases of Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, three women who had been falsely imprisoned for killing their children. Sweeney's investigation helped to clear their names, and led to Sir Roy Meadow, the expert witness whose testimony had proved decisive in their convictions, being temporarily struck off the General Medical Council's medical register. Sweeney received the Paul Foot Award in 2005 in recognition of his work.
He has won several awards throughout his career, including:
1998: What the Papers Say Journalist of the Year prize for reports on human rights abuses in Algeria.
2000: an Emmy Award and a Royal Television Society prize for programs about the Massacre at Krusha e Madhe, Kosovo.
2001: the Amnesty International prize for "Victims of the Torture Train," about human rights abuses in Chechnya.
2003: a Sony Gold award (2003) for Best Radio News program.
2004: a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC One documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies.
2005: The Paul Foot Award.
"Scientology and Me", a Panorama investigation into Scientology written and presented by Sweeney, was aired on BBC One on Monday, 14 May 2007. Prior to its airing,video footage filmed by the Church of Scientology was released that showed Sweeney shouting at Scientology representative Tommy Davis during a visit to CCHR's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death". The clips were sections of a documentary the Church of Scientology's Freedom Magazine TV produced about the BBC Panorama programme. Sweeney remarked that he lost his temper due to days of harassment by Davis and the Church, and a strong personal reaction to the psychiatry exhibit. He had been visited at his hotel by Davis, despite not having shared the address with the Church, and had been followed on several different occasions. Sweeney labelled the clips "attack videos" and others say they were produced to discredit himself and the documentary. The BBC in response aired its own full recording of the incident. Panorama's Editor Sandy Smith explained what happened and how the BBC dealt with the incident in a post on the BBC's Editor's Blog. An internal BBC investigation found that Sweeney's conduct at one point in the filming was clearly inappropriate, but also noted that Sweeney had apologised for his outburst and concluded that as a whole, filming of the documentary had been performed in a proper and fair manner. Later on that same year in the BBC Panorama year in review Sweeney said “..a new generation is making up its own mind, and for that I make no apology”. Only a month and a half later Project Chanology began. This time as a part of a rehearsed joke, Sweeney goes into a similar outburst in January 2009 when being interviewed on Radio 4 about the Tom Cruise film Valkyrie—clearly referring to the episode two years previously. A follow-up Panorama programme also hosted by Sweeney, which at an hour is twice the length of the original one was aired on the 28 September 2010. This documentary contained int
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 23, 2020
AMATEUR-THRILLER VON EINEM PROFI-JOURNALISTEN
Im Vergleich zu früheren Gehversuchen im Thriller Genre (Cold) ist das Buch wohl schon ein Muster an Schlüssigkeit, so lange man den Umgang mit den historischen Fakten außer acht lässt.
Der als sowjetisches Gegenstück zu Robert Harris Vaterland angepriesene Roman spielt 1932/1933, allerdings ist der Autor der Versuchung erlegen, alles, was man so über den Stalinismus weiß oder zu wissen glaubt in den Verlauf eines halben Jahres zu packen. Dadurch kommt es zu allerlei Anachronismen, so liefert sich der Held eine prickelnde Verfolgungsjagd mit seiner zwielichtigen Angebeteten, die durch xmaliges Umsteigen in der Metro gekennzeichnet ist.
Besagte Errungenschaft des Sozialismus wurde 1935 eröffnet und durch zahlreichen Blutopfer erkauft, die Stoff für einen eigenen Roman geboten hätten.
Es gibt auch noch ein paar andere Fakten oder Pointen, die um Jahre früher oder später statt gefunden haben. Vielleicht war John Sweeney ja als Journalist gründlicher bei der Recherche, aber zwecks Vermeidung derartiger Fehler hätten ein paar Minuten Wikipedia gereicht.
Bei mir hatte der Autor nach dem Metro-Anachronismus ziemlich viel Kredit verspielt, aber in Sachen Nazi-Zeit gehen auch Profis gern mal in die Falle ihrer Vorurteile, Jeffery Deavers Garden of Beasts wurde auch nie auf Deutsch übersetzt, weil das Buch mehr historische Schnitzer enthielt, als ein noch so bemühtes Korrektorat je ausbügeln konnte, aber der Roman war wenigstens gut geschrieben und spannend erzählt. Durch die zweite Hälfte des nützlichen Idioten habe ich mich nur noch gequält, ein unsägliches Jump and run von zwei Idealisten, die mit sieben Minuten Film die Hungersnot in der Ukraine dokumentieren wollen. Die Lektüre der Wikipedia-Artikel über den echten Gareth Jones, seinen mephistophelischen Gegenspieler Walter Duranty oder Stalins Völkermord durch das Aushungern der widerspenstigen Ukraine waren spannender als der Roman.
Nach den vielen überaus ermutigenden 1-Sterne-Rezis von Cold verbrenne ich meine nächste monatliche kindle-Leihe vielleicht trotzdem auf diese rein fiktive Lachnummer. Über die Mormonen weiß ich zu wenig, um mich über die von anderen GR-Lesern angemerkten Patzer zu ärgern.
Im Vergleich zu früheren Gehversuchen im Thriller Genre (Cold) ist das Buch wohl schon ein Muster an Schlüssigkeit, so lange man den Umgang mit den historischen Fakten außer acht lässt.
Der als sowjetisches Gegenstück zu Robert Harris Vaterland angepriesene Roman spielt 1932/1933, allerdings ist der Autor der Versuchung erlegen, alles, was man so über den Stalinismus weiß oder zu wissen glaubt in den Verlauf eines halben Jahres zu packen. Dadurch kommt es zu allerlei Anachronismen, so liefert sich der Held eine prickelnde Verfolgungsjagd mit seiner zwielichtigen Angebeteten, die durch xmaliges Umsteigen in der Metro gekennzeichnet ist.
Besagte Errungenschaft des Sozialismus wurde 1935 eröffnet und durch zahlreichen Blutopfer erkauft, die Stoff für einen eigenen Roman geboten hätten.
Es gibt auch noch ein paar andere Fakten oder Pointen, die um Jahre früher oder später statt gefunden haben. Vielleicht war John Sweeney ja als Journalist gründlicher bei der Recherche, aber zwecks Vermeidung derartiger Fehler hätten ein paar Minuten Wikipedia gereicht.
Bei mir hatte der Autor nach dem Metro-Anachronismus ziemlich viel Kredit verspielt, aber in Sachen Nazi-Zeit gehen auch Profis gern mal in die Falle ihrer Vorurteile, Jeffery Deavers Garden of Beasts wurde auch nie auf Deutsch übersetzt, weil das Buch mehr historische Schnitzer enthielt, als ein noch so bemühtes Korrektorat je ausbügeln konnte, aber der Roman war wenigstens gut geschrieben und spannend erzählt. Durch die zweite Hälfte des nützlichen Idioten habe ich mich nur noch gequält, ein unsägliches Jump and run von zwei Idealisten, die mit sieben Minuten Film die Hungersnot in der Ukraine dokumentieren wollen. Die Lektüre der Wikipedia-Artikel über den echten Gareth Jones, seinen mephistophelischen Gegenspieler Walter Duranty oder Stalins Völkermord durch das Aushungern der widerspenstigen Ukraine waren spannender als der Roman.
Nach den vielen überaus ermutigenden 1-Sterne-Rezis von Cold verbrenne ich meine nächste monatliche kindle-Leihe vielleicht trotzdem auf diese rein fiktive Lachnummer. Über die Mormonen weiß ich zu wenig, um mich über die von anderen GR-Lesern angemerkten Patzer zu ärgern.
April 20, 2020
John Sweeney has written a beautifully atmospheric political thriller based around the true story of a dogged Welsh journalist, Gareth Jones, who witnessed and exposed the Soviet famine in the early 1930s. Great writing shines through in the portrayal of the small Moscow press corp and their minders, the grey areas of moral choice and trust and vivid scenes of flight across river ice. Read in one sitting, and not a word wasted.
April 16, 2021
very good, very sad, and very contemporary.
March 4, 2020
I'm ashamed to say I knew nothing previously of the background to this book and the details of the Russian famine, not being a history buff in the slightest. Not without controversy even now, I believe, but the story is compelling. I'm instantly compelled to go and find out more about these events. But what surprised me the most is Sweeney's talent for storytelling. I knew his prowess as a journalist, and know his recent non-fiction work as a co-author on Murder on the Maltese Express and the story of Daphne Caruana Galizia, but that's nevertheless a very different skill from writing novels. I literally could not put this book down (much to the detriment of my sleep) and finished it within 2 days. Gripping story, but so well-written, with wonderful characterisation and just enough grit without being overwhelming. Old school writing at its best - more novels please!
February 3, 2026
I will give the book 7/10. It is much better than a 3/5, but not quite a 4/5, for me.
The general tone suggested a well researched understanding of the environment described whilst avoiding generalised stereotypes (apart from vodka, obviously!). The characters are interesting and well considered in the main. A Welsh journalist joins a news junket to Moscow and becomes complicit in a Stalin inspired fake news conspiracy designed to hide the extreme famines outside the major cities and conceal this from the West. Cue daring expose and thrilling escape. The last third of the book skips along. I liked the Authors Note at the end. A very short text that adds an interesting context to the story you've just read.
The general tone suggested a well researched understanding of the environment described whilst avoiding generalised stereotypes (apart from vodka, obviously!). The characters are interesting and well considered in the main. A Welsh journalist joins a news junket to Moscow and becomes complicit in a Stalin inspired fake news conspiracy designed to hide the extreme famines outside the major cities and conceal this from the West. Cue daring expose and thrilling escape. The last third of the book skips along. I liked the Authors Note at the end. A very short text that adds an interesting context to the story you've just read.
July 19, 2020
Fascinating topic and theme, sadly undermined by poor writing style, stilted dialogue and clunky storyline. Only made slightly more irritating by the author’s need to inject random bits of Slavic cultural knowledge in at random moments to emphasis he has read a book or two (e.g. random and irrelevant inclusion of old believers without explanation to the uninformed reader).
However- I’m sure it would be to some people’s taste, so I hope you enjoy more than me!
However- I’m sure it would be to some people’s taste, so I hope you enjoy more than me!
April 15, 2020
Great read combining true life events and characters with fiction
August 25, 2026
A book that whilst broadly a work of fiction honours the bravery of Gareth Jones and also that of Max Borodin journalists separated by decades but with much in common in that in seeking to speak truth about Russian cruelty and lies they were murdered in retribution.
I admire the work of John Sweeney, a brave journalist himself and this is a work true in it's general approach about the famine in Ukraine and Soviet Russia that claimed millions of lives whilst the Soviet leadership promulgated a lie of abundance and Communist success - aided and abetted by the Useful Idiots of the west , including the real life character Walter Duranty , an American journalist who cynically promoted the great lie and even received a Pulitzer Prize for it in 1932 - shamefully never revoked or rescinded since.
John Sweeney builds a fictional story around these key facts and successfully illustrates the performative cruelty of the Stalinist regime , all to relevant now when performative cruelty and murder continues to emanate from the same direction.
I admire the work of John Sweeney, a brave journalist himself and this is a work true in it's general approach about the famine in Ukraine and Soviet Russia that claimed millions of lives whilst the Soviet leadership promulgated a lie of abundance and Communist success - aided and abetted by the Useful Idiots of the west , including the real life character Walter Duranty , an American journalist who cynically promoted the great lie and even received a Pulitzer Prize for it in 1932 - shamefully never revoked or rescinded since.
John Sweeney builds a fictional story around these key facts and successfully illustrates the performative cruelty of the Stalinist regime , all to relevant now when performative cruelty and murder continues to emanate from the same direction.
April 1, 2026
When reporter Gareth Jones arrives in Moscow in 1932, he is eager to learn of Stalin’s new Soviet Man. Initially he is shown a land of plenty, with everything Stalin touches a success. However, the brutal lives of ordinary people soon become apparent, and he learns people are starving because of government decisions. Perhaps the communist revolution is not the success it is claimed to be. Jones decides the world should know what is going on, but many are willing to follow the party line. In a world of informants and torture, who can he trust?
A terrific read, Mr. Sweeney brings to life the brutality of the Soviet system, life in the 1930s and much more. The author’s note at the end is sobering. Highly recommended.
A terrific read, Mr. Sweeney brings to life the brutality of the Soviet system, life in the 1930s and much more. The author’s note at the end is sobering. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2026
Having experienced the oppression of working class coal minders in Wales, reporter Gareth Jones heads to Moscow in 1932 to explore Joseph Stalin's utopian state. Early on Jones sees a level of cynicism from fellow reporters from around the globe, but the longer he stays there, the more serious things become.
Jones (and the reader) finds himself in a situation where reporting in the reality of starvation and oppression in communist Russia could threaten, not only his life, but the life of his new love, and many others around him.
This book was tense and gripping. It's hard not to find oneself drawing comparisons to our modern world where information, interpretation and misinformation are rife!
If you like Cold War era, tension filled stories, this is for you!
Jones (and the reader) finds himself in a situation where reporting in the reality of starvation and oppression in communist Russia could threaten, not only his life, but the life of his new love, and many others around him.
This book was tense and gripping. It's hard not to find oneself drawing comparisons to our modern world where information, interpretation and misinformation are rife!
If you like Cold War era, tension filled stories, this is for you!
October 10, 2025
I feel bad not giving this book a great review as it is such an important topic but it was a difficult read. The story jumped around a lot without any explanation and could have been twice as long to allow good character development to take place.
If you have an interest in the topic like I do I think it is still worth a read but could have been better executed. As with his non-fiction books John's derision and venom towards the absurdities of the Soviet Union and Communism in general are satisfying and enlightening and he does a good job of painting the hellish insanity of living under that system but the narrative and fictional aspects of the story could have been better delivered.
If you have an interest in the topic like I do I think it is still worth a read but could have been better executed. As with his non-fiction books John's derision and venom towards the absurdities of the Soviet Union and Communism in general are satisfying and enlightening and he does a good job of painting the hellish insanity of living under that system but the narrative and fictional aspects of the story could have been better delivered.
September 29, 2023
3.75 A bit verbose at times, quite melodramatic at others but a great nail biting tour through one of the darkest periods in Russian and world history. Based on the work and to a certain extent, the life of the real Gareth Jones, the man that was almost singlehandedly trying to report the news about Stalin's Holodomor while useful idiots were denying it with glee.
A bit of a downer ending as any book set in the time period and the place would be. But an important work nonetheless, especially in times like these.
A bit of a downer ending as any book set in the time period and the place would be. But an important work nonetheless, especially in times like these.
June 1, 2021
An excellent book - although fiction, based on a real person, who happens to have been my grans cousin. It is probably through this family line that I get my espionage skills and interests. A great tale that has been around since 1935, but only in the last few years has there been any higher exposure..... films, novels, critical acclaims and an A level exam paper question. Wonder what my gran would have thought about it all??
October 10, 2025
This was an absolutely amazing read, particularly as it is a genre I normally avoid. It was largely believable and thoroughly gripping from start to end. I recognized that although it is fiction it has a strong historical basis confirmed by the epilogue. It was so good I wish I was about to read it for the first time, very strong recommendation from me…
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March 14, 2021This is a riveting read
This a wonderfully constructed story. Sad, funny, quirky, set in the most brutal time in Soviet Russia. It’s about fake news, appeasement, and the heroic few who were prepared to risk all for the truth. A great read. Thank you
This a wonderfully constructed story. Sad, funny, quirky, set in the most brutal time in Soviet Russia. It’s about fake news, appeasement, and the heroic few who were prepared to risk all for the truth. A great read. Thank you
July 18, 2023
A very good piece of fiction, based on true events. A Welsh journalist, eventually, refuses to be the ‘useful idiot’ whilst reporting on Stalin’s Soviet Union. No surprises that comes with grave danger, but the passages detailing the reality of famine and the GPU/Cheka are brutal.
November 16, 2020
This was an exciting way to learn about Gareth Jones's life, though I have to say I was confused by the writing betimes. Evgenia eats a piece of paper two separate times in the narrative.
February 15, 2021
Long Read
Not my favorite John Sweeney read. Suspenseful but not a page turner. Characters were interesting but not like some who l don't want to leave behind
Not my favorite John Sweeney read. Suspenseful but not a page turner. Characters were interesting but not like some who l don't want to leave behind
March 11, 2025
A strikingly tense political thriller centered around the mass famine in the early years of the Soviet Union, and the journalistic dichotomy in how it was presented in the Western world.
July 1, 2020
Good story based on true events. What I did not like was the last few chapters, the main character being chased by the Cheka. Seemed a bit unrealistic...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews