Maugham's stories offer a blend of elegance and dark realism that few others can match, especially with his first-hand knowledge of intelligence work during World War I. If you enjoy tales that explore the intricacies and the moral ambiguities of secret service work, dipping into this collection will likely provide you with a treasure trove of insights, wrapped up in skillful storytelling. Its historical significance, combined with Maugham's narrative prowess, makes it a compelling read for anyone fascinated by espionage or the complexities of human nature under duress.

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Who better qualified to chronicle the experiences of an author-agent during the First World War than Somerset Maugham, himself a writer turned spy? His alter-ego is Ashenden, a calm observer with a cool head. From his almost casual recruitment into Intelligence at the beginning of hostilities we follow his progress through a series of incidents. There is the fiasco of the Hairless Mexican, a ladies' man and thoroughly inept assassin. And the pathetic tale of Mr Harrington, the touching and ridiculous American, clumsily feeling his way through the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Most dreadful of all is the bleak story of the Traitor, whose fate reveals the real horror of the agent's profession.

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