STALIN’S APOSTLES: THE CAMBRIDGE FIVE AND THE MAKING OF THE SOVIET EMPIRE. ANTONIA SENIOR IN CONVERSATION WITH ROGER MOORHOUSE.

Stalin’s Apostles is a radical new look at the way five people allowed their obsession with Communist ideology to overshadow any sense of morality or decency – or loyalty to their country. Why did these gilded charming men, blessed with brains, and beauty and opportunities, choose to betray their country?

Using recently declassified files, Stalin’s Apostles explores as never before the treachery of Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Kim Philby, John Cairncross and Keeper of the Queen’s Pictures Anthony Blunt, all radicalised while at Cambridge University in the 1930s. Their clandestine supply of British and US intelligence material gave Stalin an inside track on US and British decision-making until the implosion of the spy-ring in May 1951. There was barely a secret, barely a decision made, that Stalin did not know about, thanks to his Cambridge spies, and his networks in the United States. The Five became tools in Stalin’s imperial scheme, responsible directly and indirectly for the death of thousands of men and women fighting against Soviet domination.

Shielded for so long by the British Establishment, four of the five were never prosecuted for their crimes. As STALIN’S APOSTLES reveals, they were exposed as much by their own incompetence as by forensic investigation by the CIA, MI5 or MI6. And in time another dictator emerged as ruthless as Stalin, but with an even greater desire to establish a Russian Empire that would threaten Western democracy. The legacy of the Cambridge Five is not only in the graveyards of eastern Europe, but at the heart of Putin’s Kremlin.

‘Meticulously researched, this is a fascinating analysis.’ Nigel West, author of A Matter of Trust: MI5, 1945-72

‘Beautifully written and utterly compelling, Stalin’s Apostles is a brilliant reassessment of the Cambridge Five whose naive faith in communism is tellingly juxtaposed with the brutal reality of Stalin’s rule. Their betrayals had serious consequences for the West, as Senior makes clear, yet they lived out their days in Soviet exile with few regrets. A cautionary tale by a rising star of non-fiction.‘Saul David, author of Tunisgrad

‘Understanding why the Cambridge spies really betrayed their country has eluded historians for decades. Senior’s new book is impressive in its scope of ground-breaking research and depth of historical context to unpack the motivations of these enigmatic men. A powerful narrative.’
Dr Helen Fry, author of The White Lady
A brilliant book. Deep research and dazzling writing make Stalin’s Apostles an appallingly entertaining read. A definitive work on one of the 20th century’s most treacherous conspiracies. Tim Weiner, author of Legacy of Ashes and The Mission.

Antonia Senior is a novelist, critic and journalist. She studied history at Cambridge University and has retained a lifelong interest in the Soviet Union and intelligence history. Antonia has published three novels. Stalin’s Apostles is her first work of non-fiction. Antonia has spent more than a decade as the historical fiction reviewer for The Times. She spent thirteen years on staff at The Times in various roles, including acting Business Editor and leader writer.

Roger Moorhouse is a specialist in modern German and Polish history, particularly the Third Reich and the Second World War. He has written a number of books in this capacity, including Killing Hitler (2006), Berlin at War (2010), The Devils’ Alliance (2014) and the critically acclaimed First to Fight (2019), which was awarded the Polish Foreign Ministry History Prize in 2020. Roger’s books have appeared in