Sandra Grimes

Written by the action officer CIA persons, this book illuminated the search for Aldrich Ames. Ames spied for the USSR and profited greatly by it--until his downfall. The USSR citizens who Ames betrayed were all eliminated by their country--some of them were highlighted in detail. The cast of characters is complex and long with several foreign names and a plethora of US bureaucrats. This complexity detracted from understanding a little, but was necessary to establish bona fides, credit, and clarity. While stating up front that the authors have no axe to grind, they factually stated their distaste for CIA management, illustrated by the medals (rewards) received for the job and the recognition received by individuals who accomplished the work and back pedaling under congressional pressure.… (more)