William Collins The Spy in the Archive by Gordon Corera | Historical Biography Paperback

Discover the compulsively readable new narrative non-fiction from Gordon Corera, host of The Rest is Classified. The Spy in the Archive reveals the remarkable true story of Vasili Mitrokhin, an introverted KGB archivist who became a traitor to expose the dark forces at the heart of the Soviet state.

This book details how Mitrokhin, disillusioned with the communist state imprisoning its own people, stole the most secret Soviet archives and smuggled them to the West over decades. Corera recounts the edge-of-the-seat operation, aided by MI6, to extract this prized asset from Russia.

• LONGLISTED for the CWA ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction 2026.
• Chronicles the journey of Vasili Mitrokhin from KGB idealist to dissident and spy.
• Explores the life within the Soviet Union and the determination to reveal the KGB's darkest secrets.
• Written by bestselling writer and historian Gordon Corera.

• Author: Gordon Corera
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publication Date: 21 May 2026
• ISBN-10: 0008644837
• ISBN-13: 978-0008644833
• Dimensions: 129 x 26 x 198mm
• Weight: 240 g
• Publisher: William Collins

This is narrative non-fiction at its absolute best, detailing one man's decision to take on the world's most powerful institution by revealing its hidden truths.