Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

In Stalin's Secret Service: Memoirs of the First Soviet Master Spy to Defect

Rate this book

Walter Krivitsky was the first Soviet spymaster to defect to the West in 1937. He sought safety in the United States and found time to write his account of his defection and knowledge of Stalin’s many crimes. A classic text of espionage history last published in 1939.

344 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

3 people are currently reading
186 people want to read

About the author

W.G. Krivitsky

3 books2 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
16 (28%)
4 stars
20 (35%)
3 stars
18 (31%)
2 stars
2 (3%)
1 star
1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Drew.
60 reviews1 follower
July 5, 2025
Pretty captivating read. Well written. Through most of it you feel as if you are right in the middle of the Purge yourself. Complete insanity as witnessed firsthand. This was also published right on the eve of WWII, giving his insight added significance for those of us who know what came next...
Profile Image for Charles Goodwell.
5 reviews
Read
December 17, 2008
A military intelligence officer of Soviet Union defected in 1939 and revealed the inside Stalin grinding machine. A very important witness of the Moscow process and concentration camps.
Profile Image for Brent L..
33 reviews
December 13, 2017
A defector's account of his time working for the Russian KGB.
9 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2009
18 months after publishing this book, Krivitsky was murdered in the USA.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.