Book Review: ‘Master of Lies’ by Piers Blofeld

Book Title: Master of Lies
Author: Piers Blofeld
Publisher: Quercus
Number of Pages: 384
ISBN: 1566897351
Date Published: May 7, 2026

Book Review

“Master of Lies” by Piers Blofeld is a gripping, heavily researched biography that rethinks the story of Anthony Blunt, the Cambridge spy long dismissed as the “least dangerous” of the group. Piers Blofeld argues that Blunt was actually the most lethal traitor of the twentieth century, passing intelligence to Hitler, Stalin, and Churchill during the war and shaping the Cold War in ways that cost tens of thousands of lives. The book reads like a spy thriller, but every twist is backed by newly released files and careful detective work, turning a familiar historical figure into a terrifyingly hidden mastermind.

The author structures the stories around Blunt’s double (and possibly triple) life: the charming art historian, Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures, and decorated member of British society, and the secret Soviet agent who outwitted MI5 for decades. The author shows how Blunt used his friendships with the great and good, his intellectual brilliance, and his calm deception to evade serious consequences even after his spying was exposed. At the same time, he exposes the moral failures and cover-ups within the British establishment that allowed Blunt to avoid prosecution and live a comfortable life while others died for his betrayals.

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The book is sometimes unsettling in its conclusions, calling Blunt not just a traitor but a war criminal and “callous mass-murderer” whose actions had global consequences. It is not a light read, but it is clear, compelling, and hard to put down for anyone interested in espionage, history, or the hidden forces behind major events. “Master of Lies” succeeds in making Blunt’s story feel newly shocking and in forcing readers to ask how many more “Blunts” might still be hidden in the shadows of power.

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