A fascinating exploration of the devious tricks and ingenious tools used by early modern
spies—from ciphers to counterfeiting invisible inks to assassination Early modern Europe
was a hotbed of espionage where spies spy-catchers and conspirators pitted their wits
against each other in deadly games of hide and seek. Theirs was a dangerous trade—only those
who mastered the latest techniques would survive. In this engaging accessible account
Nadine Akkerman and Pete Langman explore the methods spies actually used in the period
including disguises invisible inks and even poisons. Drawing on a vast array of archival
sources they show how understanding the tricks and tools of espionage allows us to re-imagine
well-known stories such as the Babington and Gunpowder plots. Exposing the murky world of spies
they demonstrate how the technological innovations of petty criminals secretaries and other
hitherto invisible actors shaped the fate of some of history’s most iconic figures.
Spycraft explains how early modern spies sought to protect their own secrets while exposing
those of their enemies showing the reader how to follow in their footsteps.
