The Widow Spy

My CIA Journey from the Jungles of Laos to Prison in Moscow

By: Martha D. Peterson

Narrated by: Laural Merlington

The Widow Spy is the firsthand account of a true Cold War spy operation in Moscow told exclusively by the CIA case officer who lived this experience. Martha D. Peterson was one of the first women to be assigned to Moscow, a very difficult operational environment.

Her story begins in Laos during the Vietnam War where she accompanied her husband, a CIA officer. She describes their life in a small city in Laos, ending with the tragic death of her husband. Then her own 30-year career begins in Moscow, where she walks the dark streets alone, placing dead-drops and escaping the relentless eye of the KGB.

Experience her arrest and detention in Lyubianka Prison, as only she can relate it. What she reveals in The Widow Spy has never been told.

©2012 Martha D Peterson (P)2018 Tantor

interesting, but dry

Widow Spy is a very interesting story about a very important person and event in America's secret history. But .... it's a bit dry. This is not Mission Impossible, it's real life. And real life moves slow. And real spys don't jump motorcycles off cliffs. They hide in the shadows and try not to get noticed.

Rich in detail, satisfying and touching

I've read many such CIA agent autobiographies. This one may be my favorite among them all, with Dick Holm's being a close second. It is touching and full of unique details about Peterson's life in Moscow. My only regret : it left me wanting a bit more. Very good narration by Laural Merlington.

Incredible story...

But with some weird narration. Pronounces S/E Division as “Southeast Division” and at times it sounds like Siri is reading to you. Not ideal.

COA

This a fair story and I realize the author and the CIA may have limited what she could publish. What does the S stood for.?

Puts you in the shoes of an American spy in Moscow

Martha Peterson’s story is essential reading in the history of the Cold War, shedding light on a topic that has long been taboo for security reasons, making it more compelling than spy fiction. It is particularly important because it chronicles the rise of one of the earliest women at CIA, who was more than a secretary. Peterson was closely connected to one of the most significant Soviet assets, the Russian diplomat Aleksandr Ogorodnik, who paid for his clandestine betrayal of the USSR with his life. Ironically, Ogorodnik was originally recruited in Bogotá by the most notorious American CIA traitor Aldrich Aimes, through which he received his cryptonym TRIGON. Peterson’s recollections of KGB interactions in Moscow are rich in some details, but lacking others, leaving one wanting to know more. That is the nature of spy biographies and I cannot deduct for it. I appreciated the author’s humanization of the work of intelligence collection, as well as her bravery. Contrary to what some reviewers have stated, I thought the narration was quite good, though the pronunciation of some Moscow street names, etc were Americanized (judge for yourself by sampling it). I would recommend this book especially for young women considering how to serve the cause of democracy as the Free World faces a new era of growing authoritarianism.