James Wolff was a spy. Now, he's writing about them episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 13, 2026 · 24 MIN

James Wolff was a spy. Now, he's writing about them

from Sources & Methods

There’s keeping a low profile and then there’s author James Wolff. Not his real name. It's a pseudonym. James Wolff had a career as a British intelligence officer. Now, he writes about them. His latest espionage novel is called Spies and Other Gods and it's chock full of spies, people pretending to be spies, secret operations and deceit. Host Mary Louise Kelly spoke with James Wolff about writing fiction as an ex-spy and when the truth can be stranger — and more tangled — than fiction. Email the show at [email protected]+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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James Wolff was a spy. Now, he's writing about them

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This episode is 24 minutes long.

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This episode was published on April 13, 2026.

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There’s keeping a low profile and then there’s author James Wolff. Not his real name. It's a pseudonym. James Wolff had a career as a British intelligence officer. Now, he writes about them. His latest espionage novel is called Spies and Other...

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