On Thursday 1st June, join author Henry Hemming at Heffers as he talks about two remarkable female spies and the man who ran them: an animal-loving drop-out who went on to become MI5’s greatest spymaster.

This is the dramatic true story of a maverick MI5 officer who recruited two women in the 1930s to penetrate the British Communist movement. Their skilful, deft work led to the exposure of a Soviet spy-ring in the Woolwich Arsenal, a famous court case and one of them being hailed in America as ‘Britain’s counter-espionage heroine'.

MI5’s Maxwell Knight - better known as ‘M’ – was a complex, conflicted character and an inspiration for the James Bond ‘M’ as well as John Le Carré’s Jack Brotherhood in A Perfect Spy. Come and get to know 'M' better, and learn about his remarkable agent Olga Gray, as well as finding out the name of his second female agent, ‘M/2’, which has never been revealed by MI5.

Matt Charman, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Stephen Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, and Mammoth Screen, producers of Poldark and Victoria, are producing a big budget TV series based on Henry's book, which will be available to buy at the event for a special discounted price.

Tickets for the evening are priced at £4 in advance (£6 on the door) and can be purchased through this page, by calling 01223 463200 or in person at Heffers bookshop. Please note that tickets are transferable but non-refundable.

If you are unable to attend the event but would like to request a signed copy of M by Henry Hemming, please send an email via the 'contact' button.