'James Hanning's book is excellent . . . The fascination of Love & Deception lies in the meticulously detailed account it gives of Philby's strange half-life in Beirut, where he was banished in 1956' Guardian

Love & Deception is the extraordinary story of how Eleanor, an able, cultured American living in the espionage hot spot of 1950s Beirut, fell in love with the kindest of men. Unknown to her, that man, Kim Philby, was under suspicion by the British and US intelligence services of having secretly signed up to help the Russians fight fascism in the 1930s, and of remaining in their pay at the height of the Cold War. Despite his mysterious past, Eleanor adored and married Philby, but the strength of their love was challenged as the net steadily closed in on him.

The outline of Philby's story is familiar to many, but Love & Deception breaks remarkable new ground. Through extensive research, Hanning produces an eye-opening tale of friendship, politics, love and loyalty.

'Fascinating and superbly researched' TLS

'I am always gripped by the Philby story and James Hanning succeeds in putting new flesh on this fascinating period in his double life . . . I thoroughly recommend it' Marina Hyde

'If ever there was a cautionary tale about the true costs of male privilege in the higher echelons of the British establishment - this is it' Amanda Foreman

"'In a masterly narrative, James Hanning has plotted through the intrigue to explain the murky and controversial climax of Britain's biggest spy scandal'" - Tom Bower

"Undaunted by the many books already written about the Soviet spy Kim Philby, James Hanning has come up with a hugely entertaining new volume. Love and Deception: Philby in Beirut is a racy confection of known facts and new insights, woven into a surprisingly sympathetic account of the alcohol-fuelled love affair that lit up Philby's last years in the West. The old question - did he cleverly escape the clutches of MI6 or was he pushed through the trapdoor to Moscow? - is not definitively answered, but Hanning finds some intriguing new clues as he follows this strange love story through to its forlorn and inevitable ending." - George Carey, BBC producer of “The Spy who went into the cold”

"If ever there was a cautionary tale about the true costs of male privilege in the higher echelons of the British establishment - this is it. Hanning's masterful research lays bare the extraordinary hypocrisy that enabled Kim Philby to lie and trick his way through life." - Amanda Foreman

"'James Hanning's book is excellent...The fascination of Love & Deception lies in the meticulously detailed account it gives of Philby's strange half-life in Beirut, where he was banished in 1956.'" - The Guardian

"'James Hanning has a fine feel for the mutually advantageous relationship between newspapermen and spies. With the often sozzled Philby's at the centre, he wheels us through Beirut's bars and hotels, notably the Normandy and St Georges... Love and Deception [is] as good an introduction to the whole murky Philby business as any. Personal liaisons are sensitively explored, locations brought to life, and it's all neatly cross-referenced with local and world affairs'" - The Spectator

"'Fascinating and superbly researched'" - Times Literary Supplement

"'Hanning's work is not just a revised look at this passage of Philby's life but an appreciation of how it unfolded through the eyes of Eleanor Kerns - the wife of US correspondent Sam Pope Brewer who became entranced with Philby'" - Camden New Journal

"'Engrossing...Hanning is an accomplished journalist and his smooth prose makes this a book a joy to read - an atmospheric, compelling thriller...The eyewitness detail and in-depth research is outstanding'" - The Tablet