The Spy's Son

The Spy's Son

"A haunting book as fast paced and as exciting as the best spy novel . . . and it's all true." —Robert Lindsey, author of The Falcon and the Snowman

Investigative reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist Bryan Denson tells the riveting story of the Nicholsons—father and son co-conspirators who deceived their country by selling national secrets to Russia.

Jim Nicholson was one of the CIA's top veteran case officers. By day, he taught spycraft at the CIA's clandestine training center, The Farm. By night, he was a minivan-driving single father racing home to have dinner with his kids. But Nicholson led a double life. For more than two years, he had met covertly with agents of Russia's foreign intelligence service and turned over troves of classified documents. In 1997, Nicholson became the highest ranking CIA officer ever convicted of espionage. But his duplicity didn't stop there. While behind the bars of a federal prison, the former mole systematically groomed the one person he trusted most to serve as his stand-in: his youngest son, Nathan. When asked to smuggle messages out of prison to Russian contacts, Nathan saw an opportunity to be heroic and to make his father proud.

Review

"Engaging . . . a noirish thriller that happens to be true." —Wall Street Journal

"[Denson] tackles the story with zest. . . . While The Spy's Son packs plenty of spy-vs.-spy drama, the more interesting chapters are about the bond between a father and his son." —Washington Post

"Startling . . . Denson has a knack for sly wordplay and descriptions." —Christian Science Monitor

"Swaggering true-crime . . . This hardboiled, film noir page-turner is a compelling read, sure to fascinate fanatics of intrigue." —Winnipeg Free Press

"An extraordinary espionage case. . . . The book's strength is its wonderful detail." —BookPage

"Filled with fascinating details of the cloak-and-dagger techniques of KGB and CIA operatives, double agents, and spy catchers . . . a poignant and painful tale of family love, loyalty, manipulation and betrayal." —The Oregonian

"The uncommon family business of selling information to Russia proves exciting, lucrative and remarkably misguided . . . The intricate portrait of Nicholson family life makes the father-son crime feel inevitable without ever coming off as dull. Denson puts his reporting chops to good use, packing the book with information but never overwhelming readers and maintaining tension, interest and momentum. . . . Captivating." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"In a stunning piece of reporting Bryan Denson has unraveled one of the strangest spy stories in American history and written a haunting book as fast paced and as exciting as the best spy novel. It will keep readers awake as he takes them deep into a world of international espionage populated by KGB and CIA agents, American spy catchers and a family they'll never forget—and it's all true." —Robert Lindsey, author of The Falcon and the Snowman

"The Spy's Son is an intelligence service's worst nightmare—a double agent inside its walls. Human foibles of hubris and greed drive Jim Nicholson to betray his nation's deepest secrets and his own family. Denson's telling of the tale is riveting, agonizing, and for a former spook like me, sometimes heart-stopping." —Valerie Plame, author of Fair Game

"Gripping insight into the quiet war of spies, deception and treachery. As a former special agent, The Spy's Son should be required reading for agents and anyone else interested in the cloak and dagger world of espionage." —Fred Burton, Stratfor, VP Intelligence, author of Under Fire: The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi

"The Spy's Son is the amazing account of the dysfunctional Nicholson family's foray into the treacherous world of selling out one's country to the Russians. Denson's suspenseful story of the Nicholsons' reprehensible activities is an adventurous read, revealing tradecraft used by both spies and spy catchers. A true-life spy story spanning two decades in countries around the world, it is packed with danger, suspense and intrigue." —Alan B. Trabue, CIA (Ret.), author of A Life of Lies and Spies

"We always think of the damage a spy does to his country, and to his colleagues and friends, but seldom to his family. This is the solemn and excruciating tale of a real spy who intentionally and selfishly used his son as a go-between himself and his Russian masters after he had been caught and imprisoned, and nearly ruined his son's life into the bargain. It is a splendid read." —Frederick P. Hitz, former CIA Inspector general, Senior Lecturer at University of Virginia, and author of The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage

"The Spy's Son expertly chronicles Jim Nicholson's cold-blooded betrayal of both country and son. A gripping nonfiction read on par with a John Le Carre thriller." —Pete Earley, author of Confessions of a Spy: The Real Story of Aldrich Ames

About the Author

Bryan Denson, an investigative reporter and veteran staff writer for "The Oregonian," is a Pulitzer Prize finalist in journalism for national reporting and for the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award, and the winner of the George Polk Award, among many other honors. He was a staff writer at five daily newspapers, including "The Houston Post," and he has written for national magazines, including "Maxim," "Reader's Digest," and "Running Times." Denson covered the Nicholson case as it wound through Portland courtrooms, and "The Spy's Son" is the culmination of a five-year investigation.

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press; First Edition edition (May 5, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802123589
• ISBN-13: 978-0802123589
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds