The Fourth Man: The Hunt for a KGB Spy at the Top of the CIA and the Rise of Putin's Russia

The Fourth Man: The Hunt for a KGB Spy at the Top of the CIA and the Rise of Putin's Russia

  • Downloads:7163
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2022-06-13 06:52:01
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Robert B. Baer
  • ISBN:0306925613
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

The never-before-told story of the thrilling hunt for a KGB spy in the top ranks of the CIA and the fight to bring him down, from New York Times bestselling author and former CIA officer Robert Baer

In the aftermath of the Cold War, American intelligence caught three high-profiles Russian spies: Aldrich Ames, Edward Lee Howard, and Robert Hanssen。 However, rumors have long swirled of another mole, one perhaps more damaging than all the others combined。 Perhaps the greatest traitor in American history, perhaps a Russian ruse to tear the CIA apart, or perhaps nothing more than a bogeyman, he is often referred to as the Fourth Man。

For the first time ever, New York Times bestselling author and former CIA operative Robert Baer tells the full story。 After the Ames arrest, the CIA launched another investigation to make sure there wasn't another mole in their ranks。 Led by three women, pioneering counterintelligence veterans, its existence was known only to a few。 As they hunted through their own, turning up loose threads, smoking guns, and a mercurial KGB source, they came to a startling conclusion that would shake American intelligence to its core。 In a cat-and-mouse game worthy of a le Carré novel, the mole hunters squared off against a man who could have been the most damaging spy in US history, a thrilling chase with the profound implications for the future of America, Russia, and the rise of Vladimir Putin。

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Reviews

Helene

I was disappointed in this book。 Hard to follow the hunt for spies who were in CIA but giving info to Russia。 The book's title refers to the idea that there was a fourth spy that they couln't find。 I was disappointed in this book。 Hard to follow the hunt for spies who were in CIA but giving info to Russia。 The book's title refers to the idea that there was a fourth spy that they couln't find。 。。。more

Gary Anderson

ExcellentThe Fourth Man is a detailed examination of how the CIA uncovered Russian agents (moles) working for the CIA and FBI。 Well written and documented。

Mqcarpenter

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 Very slow to start but necessary if you do not know about the first three。 Frankly, there is not much here to constitute a book on the fourth man。 I think nine chapters are dedicated to resources already known。 I was frankly annoyed by the lure of using Putin in the title。 He is referenced maybe three times in the book and there is nothing that ties this story to him in any concrete way。 The fourth man mystery is ongoing and there is still no solid evidence to identify them。 I feel like the book Very slow to start but necessary if you do not know about the first three。 Frankly, there is not much here to constitute a book on the fourth man。 I think nine chapters are dedicated to resources already known。 I was frankly annoyed by the lure of using Putin in the title。 He is referenced maybe three times in the book and there is nothing that ties this story to him in any concrete way。 The fourth man mystery is ongoing and there is still no solid evidence to identify them。 I feel like the book should have been on hold until there was something definitive。 If not, sadly, it feels like a money grab due to current events in Russia。 。。。more

Joseph Hamilton

If you have always suspected that the KGB has always run rings around its American counterparts, this book will confirm you in that opinion。 The first, second and third men were respectively Aldrich Ames, Edward Lee Howard, and Robert Hanssen who collectively betrayed, as far as we know, virtually every Russian spy we had working for us。 Some of the losses could not be explained by these three and it was therefore conjectured that there had to be a Fourth Man as there had proven to be with the C If you have always suspected that the KGB has always run rings around its American counterparts, this book will confirm you in that opinion。 The first, second and third men were respectively Aldrich Ames, Edward Lee Howard, and Robert Hanssen who collectively betrayed, as far as we know, virtually every Russian spy we had working for us。 Some of the losses could not be explained by these three and it was therefore conjectured that there had to be a Fourth Man as there had proven to be with the Cambridge Spy Ring, namely Anthony Blunt。 In the present case, however, after an investigation in 1994 (the meat of this book) senior CIA leadership did nothing and by now the Fourth Man, if he ever existed, has retired or even died。 The investigation’s primary suspect is enjoying a comfortable retirement and has or had a consultancy contract with the Russia government。The chief consequence of all this is that, other than no Russian being crazy enough to risk spying for us, we missed the rise of Vladimir Putin and don’t know the causes or forces behind his rise。 The author quotes a former U。S。 ambassador to Russia as saying, “Moscow cab drivers know more about the KGB than the CIA does。” 。。。more

Dpmcdermott

The first few chapters retread the stories of Ames, Howard, and Hanson。 At times I thought, why is the author telling me this? Then chapter 9 "the matrix" starts tying it all together and the story really takes off。 The context of the other cases is necessary to make the argument that there was a 4th mole in the IC。 The epilogue backs away (probably for legal reasons) from the case the author makes。 Nonetheless, whether this is entirely or just partially true, it's a good story that ties togethe The first few chapters retread the stories of Ames, Howard, and Hanson。 At times I thought, why is the author telling me this? Then chapter 9 "the matrix" starts tying it all together and the story really takes off。 The context of the other cases is necessary to make the argument that there was a 4th mole in the IC。 The epilogue backs away (probably for legal reasons) from the case the author makes。 Nonetheless, whether this is entirely or just partially true, it's a good story that ties together other public counter espionage cases。 。。。more

Patty Walker

Chaotic IntelligenceA peek into the history, personalities, methods and intra/inter intelligence agency conflicts is interesting to say the least。 Given all that the book covers the author did an admirable job at telling the story。 Still, it was a little hard to follow。 I'm a fan of Robert Baer based on the integrity of his reporting over the years which is why I chose to read the book。 I can recommend it to readers of all generations: those who remember the cold war and those who may well have Chaotic IntelligenceA peek into the history, personalities, methods and intra/inter intelligence agency conflicts is interesting to say the least。 Given all that the book covers the author did an admirable job at telling the story。 Still, it was a little hard to follow。 I'm a fan of Robert Baer based on the integrity of his reporting over the years which is why I chose to read the book。 I can recommend it to readers of all generations: those who remember the cold war and those who may well have to face future challenges from the coiled autocratic snake that Russia's leader has turned it into。 。。。more

AH Baudrillard

“The Fourth Man hunt is a spy story for the ages, perhaps one of the best the Cold War has to offer。 But when we stand back, it’s so much more。 It’s a story of how the CIA failed its principal mission, how self-serving bureaucrats chose survival over the truth, and how the United States forfeited any hope of understanding Russia…”

Maureen

A phenomenal tale of espionage, double agents, and spy hunters。 Three high profile KGB spies have been caught in American intelligence agencies。 There's rumoured to be a fourth but he hasn't been brought to justice yet。 Baer presents the history of the KGB double-agents in the US and the evidence for the existence of the fourth man。 He details the dedication of the people investigating and the personal repercussions of undertaking that work。 I could not stop turning the pages and read it in one A phenomenal tale of espionage, double agents, and spy hunters。 Three high profile KGB spies have been caught in American intelligence agencies。 There's rumoured to be a fourth but he hasn't been brought to justice yet。 Baer presents the history of the KGB double-agents in the US and the evidence for the existence of the fourth man。 He details the dedication of the people investigating and the personal repercussions of undertaking that work。 I could not stop turning the pages and read it in one afternoon。 It reads like a CIA thriller but it's all real world。 It was so good I didn't want it to end。Thanks to Hachette AU for sending me a review copy。 。。。more