Lt Cmdr Ewen Montagu RNVR, the counterintelligence agent and mastermind behind the scheme, was pressured to write the factual account of this operation when the authorities learned that Duff Cooper was to publish the fictional story of Major William Martin's life and his unsatisfactory love affair, culminating in his death and his body being used in Operation Mincemeat.
Both these books are now gathered in one volume, providing an intriguing and fascinating contrast, giving color and insight to the full story of the most successful, thorough and enthralling deception of World War II.
Duff Cooper's son, Lord Norwich, has contributed a fascinating preface which explains the genesis of the combined volume and includes recent revelations about the identity of the mysterious Major Martin.
