Customer Reviews

Spy Hunter: Inside the FBI Investigation of the Walker Espionage Case

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a former sailor and current resident of Virginia Beach, I was stunned to learn that much of this entire story happened in familiar places surrounding me. The author spares no details and does not hesitate to give addresses, places, names, etc. to make the story come to life.

I read this book over a weekend because I simply could not put it down. I enjoy the way the story was told. Our country should thank the FBI, Bob Hunter, and his team for their professionalism in catching America's most damaging spy.

As with any of the spy books I have recently read greed, rather than ideology, is the motivating factor behind an individual's desire to sell out his country in exchange for ill-gotten gains to not only bail one's self out of financial difficulties, but to create an upscale in their standard of living. John Walker comes across as a pathological individual who convinced his brother, son, and best friend into joining him in stealing navy secrets and selling them to the Russians.

The book gives interesting examples on the use of the polygraph machine in determining an individual's innocence or guilt. Walker would repeatedly try to defeat the machine by providing answers he believed would vindicate him. The book also provides an interesting description of how the tracking and capture of Walker took place. While being interviewed he bragged that K-Mart has a better security system than did the navy.

Walker's son received a 25-year sentence for his involvement while Walker, his brother, and best friend were sent to prison for life. Prior to being sentenced Walker received an unsympathetic, stern rebuke from the judge for his behavior.

In addition to this book I have read books spies such as Aldrich Ames, Jonathan Pollard, and Robert Hanssen. All have been interesting and informative.

This is a true insider's account of the investigation and arrest of John Walker. This and Pete Earley's Family of Spies are the two best books on the Walker spy ring.

Espionage stories like this are usually fiction! The author tells his story in a casual way, like he's talking to you personally over a glass of ale. He's a character himseld!

The author is the FBI agent in charge of this spy case, who actually arrested Walker and was present at trials and debriefings. It is the only actual insider book about the investigation. Hunter is the FBI counter intelligemnce agent who holds the record for the most spy convictions ever. Very exciting stuff.

Excellent true spy story from the justics side of the case. Other books ont his case don't cover this much at all. The author (and case agent) is a good, unpretentious storyteller.

Having read few earlier books on this subject and served on-board a nuclear powered submarine during John Walker's "active years", I had high expectations for this book. I was disappointed! The book seemed to be simply an "off the cuff" recollection of the author's very significant experience with this case. It was a very surface, rambling treatment of a very complex story.