Eddie Chapman was a charming criminal, a con man, and a philanderer. He was also one of the most remarkable double agents Britain has ever produced. Inside the traitor was a man of loyalty; inside the villain was a hero. The problem for Chapman, his spymasters, and his lovers was to know where one persona ended and the other began.

In 1941, after training as a German spy in occupied France, Chapman was orders orders from the Abwehr to blow up an airplane factory in Britain. Instead, he contacted MI5, the British Secret Service. For the next four years, Chapman worked as a double agent, a lone British spy at the heart of the German Secret Service.

Crisscrossing Europe under different names, all the while weaving plans, spreading disinformation, and, miraculously, keeping his stories straight under intense interrogation, he even managed to gain some profit and seduce beautiful women along the way.

The Nazis feted Chapman as a hero and awarded him the Iron Cross. In Britain, he was pardoned for his crimes, becoming the only wartime agent to be thus rewarded.

Sixty years after the end of the war, and 10 years after Chapman’s death, MI5 has now declassified all of Chapman’s files, releasing more than 1,800 pages of top secret material and allowing the full story of Agent Zigzag to be told for the first time.

Listening Length

10 hours and 53 minutes
Author

Ben MacIntyre
Narrator

John Lee
Audible release date

September 26, 2007
Language

English
Publisher

Random House Audio
ASIN

B000WM9UHU
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	10 hours and 53 minutes
Author	Ben MacIntyre
Narrator	John Lee
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	September 26, 2007
Publisher	Random House Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B000WM9UHU
Best Sellers Rank	#16,410 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #19 in Espionage True Crime #23 in World War II Biographies #47 in Espionage True Accounts

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A fantastic work of historical fiction, eminently readable, more history than fiction.

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2018

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This is the second book I have read by Ben McIntyre (the first was “A Spy Among Friends”, about Kim Philby) and I continue to be impressed. There exists a genre called ‘historical fiction’ in which an author writes a story that takes place sometime in the past, maybe in the same time frame as an important event, or maybe about some important historical figure. There are various levels of accuracy – sometimes there is nothing historical whatsoever other than the story takes place in the past. Or sometimes a story is a reenactment of actual events, grounded in reality and with evidence of significant research. Then there are the books written by masters of the genre who create highly readable, thoroughly engaging accounts of actual historical events that transport the reader into the era and read like the best modern day thriller (Steven Pressfield, Robert Harris, and David L. Robbins come to mind).

Ben McIntyre is one such author whose works are at the very top level of the genre. He has the rare ability to turn the results of his exhaustive, stunningly complete research into a book that reads like a top shelf novel but drips with authenticity at every turn. In “Agent Zigzag”, we learn of the exploits of Eddie Chapman, an Englishman with an extensive criminal record who becomes a spy for the Germans but ultimately becomes a double agent run by the British. Despite his past, he becomes quite successful, supplying information to the British, supplying disinformation to the Germans, and earning the respect of both sides while doing it. He is one of the few spies who actually provided information which helped turn the war in favor of the Allies. In fact, one of his British handlers stated that his exploits were so incredible that they were beyond conception for the writer of fiction.

The book starts with Eddie the criminal deserting his lunch date by jumping out of a window as the police close in on him, and ends with Eddie the spy encountering that same woman (whom he marries) in a different restaurant after the war is over. In between the lunch dates, he gets picked up by police, gets sentenced to jail, gets collected by the Germans, and learns tradecraft, bomb making, and wireless communications. He is parachuted into England, where he immediately goes to work for the Allies and commences to supply his German handlers with disinformation, perform various espionage tasks, and help in measurable ways to win the war. He even returns to the Germans, survives numerous interrogations, and proceeds to supply his English handlers with information straight from the heart of enemy territory.

The text is clear and readable, with proper grammar and structure. It is alive, however, and delivers the story at the pace of the best novel, but is peppered throughout with references to material obtained from MI5 archives, interviews, and other history sources. In fact, the last fifty plus pages are footnotes on the sources from which the material was obtained. If high school history texts were this well written, there would be a lot more historians around.

This book is quite entertaining and satisfying, and at the end you will have learned things about the covert side of WWII that you would never have known otherwise. And all along the way you will marvel at how one man can do so many things and live to tell about it. I recommend “Agent Zigzag”.

41 people found this helpful

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Randy M Lloyd

Insightful as well as entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2015

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As an adult I read non fiction almost exclusively, but years ago I was fond of reading spy novels. Trust me; not one of those old fanciful tales was half an engrossing as this one. I really believe that Hollywood could never craft a fictional screenplay as amazing as the story of Zigzag, and yet even as incredible as the story seems, the details unfold with startling credibility; as it is absolutely true. Sometimes truth is much more formidable than even the most skillful spinning of fantasy. This book is a perfect example.

I grew up hearing the anecdotal stories of war from my father and uncles, all of which served in WWII. As a kid I was riveted by the real life tales they had to share sitting around after a family meal. I have read quite a few non fiction books about divergent aspects of WWII many of which are heavy with details, seeming like a straight documentary. They are intriguing because they are history. This book is as insightful as any I have yet read in revealing the details of, and shedding light on the inner workings of, the historical events described, and yet was thoroughly entertaining at the same time. If you are a WWII aficionado you need to read this one.

6 people found this helpful

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Jason Page

Fun true spy thriller

Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2021

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I’ve become such a huge fan of the author for his ability to make true spy action so much more interesting an exciting than fiction. Zig zag was so into the life of thrills that he started out in a life of crime and never truly gave it up. He became the only British subject to win an iron cross, the German military Medal of Honor, but did so while working as a double agent and his loyalty solely with Britain. A fun fast paced read that’s hard to put down.

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Cynthia Sally Haggard

He must have been charming...he had 3 girlfriends waiting for him in 3 different places!

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2012

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Ben Macintyre's AGENT ZIGZAG is a gripping account of a double-agent during World War Two, who must have been incredibly charming, because not only did he acquire three girlfriends waiting patiently for him in London, Oslo and the countryside of England, but he also managed to convince the German secret service that he was loyal to Hitler. Never once did he falter when closely questioned by various German officers. His courage and coolness are stunning when one considers what would have happened to him if his cover had been blown. And when one considers that at the time he was acting as a double-agent he was only in his late twenties.

I won't spoil the story by telling you what happens to Agent Zigzag (the brilliant name that MI5 gave him) aka Fritz or Fritzchen (the name that the Abwehr gave him) aka Eddie Chapman (his real name). But if you are suffering from insomnia and have nothing else to do, read this book. It won't cure the insomnia, because it's too exciting for that. But it will while away the hours. Five stars.

2 people found this helpful

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Ted

Outstanding!!

Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2012

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I had read something of Zigzag's adventures in other books dealing with espionage. I chose this book in hopes it would be as informative and as interesting as "A man called Intrepid" and "Bodyguard of Lies". In my estimation it equals both of those works.
It is easily read and chronologicaly written so it's easy to follow the story line. No jumping back and forth from one event to the next. No tricky names of people and places making it hard to follow.
This is the real deal! Eddie Chapman is one of the great heros of the second world war. The part he played in that war is one of the great stories. Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre is an outstanding book. If you have any interest in true espionage and double agents, buy this book!

Ted

OK, my first review was in July 2012. Now its June 2013 and I just finished this book for the second time. It's equaly as good the second time around. You will not be disappointed! I hope this helps you decide.

Ted

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Matthew H

A must read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2017

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Ben Macintyre, a quite superb writer, has a knack of unearthing gems of stories. A previous book, A Foreign Field, told the remarkable tale of four British soldiers given sanctuary in a French village during the First World War after being marooned behind enemy lines. Now he has told the equally remarkable story of Second World War double agent Eddie Chapman.

Chapman, a criminal, sybarite and serial philanderer, found himself on Jersey when the Germans invaded and was transferred to a hellhole of a prison in Paris. The only way out of this benighted existence was to volunteer his services to the Abwehr as a secret agent. Eventually accepted, he was then parachuted into England, where he promptly landed flat on his face and then swiftly handed himself over to the police and volunteered to become a secret agent.

Get the picture? This was a man who first and foremost was driven by self-interest. Yet, as Macintyre makes clear, Chapman was not that simple a character. He developed a genuine affection for his Abwehr controllers. As for his many female conquests, he always professed undying affection, an emotion that was uniformly reciprocated.

Even his British secret service superiors, who, correctly, treated him initially with hostility and suspicion, succumbed to his undoubted charm and ability. Only when he volunteered to assassinate Hitler and go out in a blaze of glory did they curb his patent enthusiasm for espionage. That he was eventually sacked as an agent owed far more to another man's jealousy than to Chapman's failings.

Ben Macintyre tells Chapman's story with panache, affection and tremendous wit. In the course of Agent Zigzag, there are many charming and touching vignettes, none more so than the case of Praetorius, one of Chapman's Abwehr minders. A fan of all things English, but especially folk dancing, Praetorius eventually left the secret service and was appointed dance instructor to the Wehrmacht in the middle of the war. It makes you wonder why it took so long for the Germans to lose.

32 people found this helpful

Corby

The real 007...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2021

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A story based on real life,hard to belive watched the movie Triple cross starring Christopher Plummer and was so amazed that I got this book it was based on the real life of Eddie Chapman and was fact based, a story of a man who broke into houses and safes and ended up in prison,who then became a double agent working for Germany and Britain during the second world war.You start to realise where the idea for James Bond concept came from and was based on. Like Bond Chapman had nerves of steel and a eye for beautiful ladies as well as almost being found out a few times he still returned to carry out his missions,his final mission to help divert rockets aimed at London, amazing read.

2 people found this helpful

E Griffith

Interesting.....but....

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2021

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I’ve read several books by this author and they’ve always been fascinating reads. This starts off well too. Chapman was a pretty unpleasant criminal, but obviously a clever and charming one by the way he plays both the German and British secret services against each other and also his many lady friends. There’s no doubt he was an outlandish adventurer, brave even, but there was only one side he was interested in. His own. So in this way he’s not actually a very nice person and despite his derring do it’s difficult to warm to him. Despite a good start the book seems to run out of steam about two thirds through with little left to talk about. This was disappointing as previous books have continued to grip until the end. Nevertheless an interesting read about a character I knew nothing about during the dark days of the war.

One person found this helpful

Vicuña

Reads like a thriller. Fast paced and filled with compelling characters

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2017

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Ben Macintyre's real life account of spy, Eddie Chapman, reads like a thriller. Although packed with fact, the text is gripping and I was keen to know what happened next.

Source material is annotated and accessible and there's a veracity to the content which makes the story an exciting and relevant read. This book links well with others by the author, who writes with authority about espionage and duplicity in WWII. Chapman was a no mark crook who d beloved a taste for the high life. There's a strange naivety about the way in which disaffected individuals were 'turned'. Macintyre explores the way in which Chapman reached a position where he was content to maybe betray his country. But he also explores other possibility and the reader is left to judge the truth. Informed, intelligent, compelling and written with verve and a real sense of adventure.

7 people found this helpful

David Welford

Amazing Spy Story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2020

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A friend recommend me to watch on I-player BBC Timewatch prog on Eddie Chapman with Ben Macintyre the Author of the book. At present it is available until 5th June 20 but no doubt it will be repeated , do watch it so see the interview with the real Eddie. So fascinated by this incredible true story I bought the book. I found it one of those books that is hard to put down and I read it in two days. As others have said its better than any fictional Spy Story...I doubt any Author could dream up such a complex plot line. Most exciting book I've read in a longtime.
The film of Eddie's exploits 'Triple Cross' was shown last Sept on BBC TV keep an eye out for repeat showings.

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Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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