Traitor's Odyssey: The Untold Story of Martha Dodd and a Strange Saga of Soviet Espionage

“For someone who was meant to be working in the shadows, attracting attention came far too easily to Martha Dodd”.

Martha Dodd was a larger-than-life character, and to say that this is a ‘Strange Story’ is somewhat understated. However, this is not a piece of period fiction; the events as revealed by investigative journalist Brendan McNally, in this thoroughly fascinating and engaging book, did actually happen.

Martha Dodd was as extraordinary as the times that she lived in. Her life as an ambassador’s daughter and Soviet spy is portrayed in exquisite detail by McNally. He weaves her incredible journey from Berlin in the 1930s, to the United States during the Second World War, and then on to Cuba, before ending in Prague. Martha’s life is juxtaposed against the tumultuous world events of the times. The part which resonated with me the most is where McNally paints the complex political and security situation in interwar Europe, through the perspective of very real people, living what were normal lives in extraordinary times. He captures the nuanced allegiances which evolved, both at a state and at an individual level, and the societal impact that resulted. Valuable insights are revealed into the sympathies and motivations of those both controlling the political and social narrative and carried along with it. What results is both a compelling historical account, and a deeply personal one.

Hartley could very well have been referring to the events in this book when he wrote, “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there”. Martha Dodd’s exploits take place not so much in a foreign country, but on a different planet. Her erratic approach to relationships, familial loyalty, and her own personal security, expose an unpredictable woman, who some would describe as carefree, whilst others as reckless. Her romantic affairs included Nazis, a French intelligence officer, and Soviet agents, to name but a few. This may be considered a lifestyle choice, challenging contemporary societal norms and nothing worse than sticking two fingers up at the establishment. Unfortunately, those fingers were also lifting secret documents from her father’s desk and passing them to the very same Soviet spy that she was having an affair with.

The reader gets to take their seat on the roller-coaster that was Martha’s life. Along the way, she encounters many others engaging in antics that wouldn’t be out of place in a best-selling novel or a Hollywood blockbuster. The best-seller was indeed written by Martha, and its film adaptation came very close to fruition. However, this book is no light-hearted comedy, and associating with Martha did not end well for some. Getting involved, romantically or otherwise, with her was akin to playing a game of Russian Roulette. “Martha was not just difficult to work with, but also likely to get you put in front of a firing squad”.

McNally does an exceptional job of portraying how different this era was, and the tension of living in such turbulent and dangerous times as interwar Germany literally seeps from the pages. However, it is the first-person perspective which brings so much intimacy to the story of Martha Dodd. The candid conversations, and the machinations and motivations, of the players are revealed in glorious detail by the accounts pulled from the archives and memoirs. McNally brings to life what it truly meant to be a character in such an incredible story. He extends his analysis far beyond Martha’s experiences and delves deeply into the lives of her contemporaries, creating a book that reveals as much about psychology as it does about history and politics.

Those interested in the history of 20^th century Europe and America will find this book a welcome addition to their collection, due to the candid personal perspectives that it elicits about these times. Hitler’s consolidation of his power over Nazi Germany, the evolution of the relationship between the USA and the USSR, and the rise (and fall) of the Soviet Empire are all examined. Those interested in intelligence will learn how the Soviets viewed, and conducted, their intelligence operations and managed their assets, which is exposed from the accounts of individual agents and handlers.

Martha herself teaches a brilliant lesson in how not to conduct yourself as a spy, which is perhaps why she was passed around by her handlers like a hand-grenade missing its pin. The intelligence professionals amongst you may find yourself either tutting or shouting at the pages as Martha’s blatant disregard of virtually every rule of tradecraft is revealed. Once Martha and her co-conspirators inevitably came to the attention of the FBI, they became a part of the largest and most secretive operation in its history.

This extraordinary and fascinating book captures the intrigue, betrayal, and passion that was Martha Dodd’s whirlwind of a life - a thoroughly engaging read.

TRAITOR’S ODYSSEY: The Untold Story of Martha Dodd and a Strange Saga of Soviet Espionage is out on 21 November 2024 and is published by Icon Books, London.

Simon Ball was invited by the publisher to review an advanced copy of this book. Simon specialises in matters of intelligence and security.