The eagle in the mirror The greatest spy story never told

The labyrinthine world of espionage is often cold and remorseless, with a single claim of treachery tarnishing a legacy. Charles Howard "Dick" Ellis (1895--1975) inhabited this world for more than half his life and wound up on the receiving end of such allegations. Born in Australia, Ellis emigrated to England as Europe descended into the First World War, serving with distinction on the western front as well as in Africa and Asia. In 1921, he joined Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (later MI6), and a career in intelligence began. Ellis' work was held in high regard, leading him to work with the British Security Coordination in 1940, but WWII and opaque aspects of its concomitant counterintelligence and counterespionage resulted in turmoil for Ellis that lingers beyond his death. The Eagle in the Mirror immerses readers in spycraft and molehunts and emerges as a captivating biography. Acknowledging the challenges in reevaluating the life and work of the besmirched Ellis, Fink (Pure Narco, 2020) does a more than admirable job, ultimately offering a book capable of opening minds.