Spycraft: Tricks and Tools of the Dangerous Trade from Elizabeth I to the Restoration

I had read a review of this book some months ago in the Sunday Times and thought it would be a good one to buy. It is written by academics and is full of detail so cannot be read in one sitting but rather to be dipped into at will. The 16th century was a very fraught time with religious wars and spycraft was a huge factor in Elizabeth I's reign as there were several plots to assassinate her. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by spycraft, particularly in Sir Francis Walsingham's time as the Queen's spymaster.

A riveting account of early modern spycraft - the hidden world of 16th/17th espionage. So well written, I was completely engrossed

The book provides a wealth of information on Elizabethan spyycraft in all its aspects.

This is a work of serious scholarship that nevertheless rips along with all the headlong torrent of rollicking incident and drama of The Three Musketeers.In fact, one would scour Dumas, or Le Carré - or for that matter, George R.R.Martin - in vain for characters half as vivid and unforgettable as, say, Peter Bales (C17th Barnum of forgery) or Arthur Gregory (Fleming's Q, as portrayed by Wile E. Coyote), or plot twists as snakey and audacious.The book is particularly strong when it immerses the reader in the practical mechanics of Elizabethan tradecraft - a great deal of which, one infers, must have been verified experimentally at first hand - but the erudition never drags. The material is gleefully colourful - from prayer books concealing proto-Derringers triggered by a riband bookmark to viper wine and poisoned gloves: the authors were quite clearly having the time of their lives and this is thoroughly, irresistibly, infectious. HBO commissioning editors please form an orderly queue — this is not a book which discreetly hints at screen potential, it practically insists upon it.Intriguing, in this bravura history, resoundingly *is*.

This is such a treat, whether to read for pleasure in one sitting or for ongoing reference. And it really does glow in the dark!

The book covers events during the period between the mid 1500's & 1600's. A time when it would be a quill & not an exploding pen that could bring down your target.Where forgers & blackmailers had learnt how to copy signatures & handwriting, which would be hard to prove otherwise.Incredibly even by this period, the use of ciphers & codes had been around for centuries.Readers will learn about the early use of disguises by both men & women, which often involved pretending to be the opposite sex.Should a weapon also need to be discreetly carried, then there was some ingenious techniques that were used.This is just a sample of some of the subjects covered in this fascinating book, which also includes many great photos throughout.It might not be about car chases & gun fights, but you will come away from this book having learnt a great deal more. It is hard not to admire the ingenious craft of those early spies.Highly recommended.

Forget James Bond . This is the real thing, and it’s a tribute to human ingenuity

Langman and Akkerman take you through a roller coaster ride across the Tudor period of espionage. Spying became an art form and was transformed through new technologies developed over this period. Langman and Akkerman are the new Q's with examples of how spying was used in many of the historical events of the period - from Guy Fawkes to Babington Plots. It is very readable but with academic rigour and credibility. L & A discover new spycrafts and open up our world to early spying. As readable as an Ian Fleming novel underpinned with academic credibility.