Ashenden by W. Somerset Maugham Paperback Book 9780099289708

When war broke out in 1914 Somerset Maugham was dispatched by the British Secret Service to Switzerland under the guise of completing a play The stories collected in Ashenden are rooted in Maughams own experiences as an agent reflecting the ruthlessness and brutality of espionage its intrigue and treachery as well as its absurdity