Opening with the story of a real intelligence leak at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow during the Cold War, this volume in the Spy Guide series (6 titles) is packed with fascinating information about secret intelligence gathering. Following an overview of spying basics, including types of spy surveillance and U.S. government intelligence agencies, detailed chapters trace the evolution of espionage, from early techniques used by France’s King Louis XIV to China’s use of spy balloons over the U.S. in 2023. In between are remarkable accounts of spies and their methods, gadgets, and technologies, with numerous archival photos, reproductions, and sidebars lending to their impressive impact. A sampling of modern espionage activities and technologies closes out the last chapter. Finally, readers can test their own surveillance skills with three concluding spy “missions.”