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Sources & Methods

Undercover for the holidays: Some of our favorite spy novels

Sources & Methods

NPR

Politics, News

4.9919 Ratings

🗓️ 29 December 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What's more thrilling than a great... thriller? As national security buffs, we have thoughts.


Host Mary Louise Kelly chats with national security correspondent Greg Myre and books and culture reporter Andrew Limbong about some of their favorite books and authors in the world of espionage fiction.

Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, it's Mary Louise. A quick word before today's episode.

0:04.0

2025 is almost over. And at NPR and our local stations, we are excited to begin a new year.

0:11.5

This year was tough. The loss of federal funding for public media attacks on the free press.

0:17.0

Despite it all, we are not shying away from our jobs, not shying away from exercising the critical

0:22.8

right to editorial independence guaranteed by the First Amendment. With your support, at NPR,

0:29.0

we will continue our work without fear or favor. And we will continue to bring you episodes of

0:34.3

this show that keep you updated on the biggest national security news

0:37.8

of the week with our team of veteran reporters and guests who know the Natsuk world firsthand.

0:44.2

If you're already an NPR Plus supporter, thank you. We want you to know how important your

0:49.4

support is right now. If you're not a supporter, you can become one right now, before the end of the year,

0:54.7

at plus.npr.org. Sign up to unlock a bunch of perks, things like bonus episodes, and more

1:01.3

from across NPR's podcasts. Plus, you get to feel good about supporting public media while you

1:07.1

listen. In the year on a high note, invest in a public service that matters to you.

1:12.4

Visit plus.npr.org today. Thank you. Here's the show.

1:19.6

I need a dude who's running away from another guy with a gun or is chasing another dude with a gun.

1:26.4

Is there anything more delicious than the prospect of a cold winter's night, a roaring fire,

1:33.5

and on your lap, a good spy novel to crack open?

1:36.5

Okay, maybe you could add a tumbler of scotch to this picture, or peppermint tea,

1:40.6

I'll go with a nibble of good Swiss chocolate, pick your poison.

1:44.6

I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

1:45.7

This is Sources and Method from NPR.

1:50.8

So as you know, every Thursday on this podcast, I sit down with NPR reporters on the

...

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