Sheymov had the most sensitive position of any KGB officer ever to defect to the West. Incognito for years, he now describes his life in the KGB, conflict with the system, and reveals how he escaped from the heart of Moscow with his wife and young daughter--a CIA coup that convinced the KGB he was dead. Photos.
Tower of Secrets Is a thriller, filled with spycraft and intelligence techniques never before revealed, a true story that is more spellbinding than any work of fiction could ever be.Head of security for cipher communications worldwide, Sheymov has rare knowledge of the entire system. A star player, headed for the top, his contacts range from party elite to the dissident community and the Moscow underworld. Until shattering events force a decision. With his wife and five-year-old daughter, Sheymov will defect. First he must find a way to make scret contact with the Americans. Then he must beat the overwhelming odds against getting out of Russia. But the thorniest challenge is to keep the defection secret for a decade and allow the US to use Sheymov's stunning expertise. A coup for the West, catastrophe for the KGB. Enter the riveting world of real intelligence where every life-or-death move on the chessboard affects the fate of nations. This memoir is a tale more thrilling than fiction, told by a consummate master of the game.