An Agent in Place

By Robert Littell

Book Overview

With "An Agent in Place," Robert Littell proves once again that he is a master storyteller in the ranks of John le Carr, Len Deighton, and Graham Greene. Deep in the vastness of the Pentagon and the bowels of the massive KGB center in Moscow are old Cold Warriors who refuse to fade away. Yet how can they wage their battles when there are no enemies anymore? Their answer is Ben Bassett. Sent to Moscow as a lowly embassy housekeeper, Bassett meets a fiercely independent, passionate Russian poet, Ada Zavaskaya, and falls under her spell. Together they become pawns in a dreadful game that leads to the clandestine heart of the Soviet system itself.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553076329
• ISBN13: 9780553076325
• Release Date: October 1991
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Length: 302 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Not 'The Company' but darn good

This is one of Littell's most enjoyable books. The plot twists are quite intricate, the evocation of Moscow is very visceral, and there are the usual signs of an author who has had deep briefings in tradecraft. There are two coincidences in the plot which I found too incredible, but everything else flowed smoothly. The touch at the end where the author is 'forced' to disavow that any of this happened in real life by the publisher is a nice touch. If you're new to Littell, this is a good book to start with. I would then proceed to 'The Once and Future Spy', 'The Company', and 'Legends.' 'The Company' is his tour de force!