The Determined Spy, Douglas Waller (Penguin)

The Determined Spy: The Turbulent Life and Times of CIA Pioneer Frank Wisner by Douglas Waller. Published by Dutton (Penguin Random House) in April 2025, this New York Times bestselling hardcover biography spans 656 pages and chronicles the life of Frank Wisner, one of the most powerful yet least known figures in 1950s Washington.

Wisner masterminded some of the CIA's most daring and controversial covert operations during the early Cold War, commanding thousands of clandestine agents worldwide. Following his career as a key World War II spy under General William "Wild Bill" Donovan, Wisner rose to lead a top-secret unit overseeing propaganda, economic warfare, sabotage, and guerrilla operations, including the CIA-backed coups in Iran and Guatemala. The biography also explores Wisner's struggle with bipolar disorder, which ultimately led to his breakdown and transfer to a mental hospital, with repercussions felt throughout Washington's highest levels of power.

Praised by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, the book has received starred reviews from Booklist and favorable coverage from Kirkus, Library Journal, and Foreign Affairs. ISBN: 978-0593184424.