The Spy Who Was Left Behind

By: Michael Pullara

Narrated by: Michael Pullara

The shocking true story of international intrigue involving the 1993 murder of CIA officer Freddie Woodruff by KGB agents and the extensive cover-up that followed in Washington and in Moscow.

On August 8, 1993, a single bullet to the head killed Freddie Woodruff, the Central Intelligence Agency’s station chief in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Within hours, police had a suspect - a vodka-soaked village bumpkin named Anzor Sharmaidze. A tidy explanation quickly followed: It was a tragic accident. US diplomats hailed Georgia’s swift work, and both countries breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet the bullet that killed Woodruff was never found, and key witnesses have since retracted their testimony, saying they were beaten and forced to identify Sharmaidze. But if he didn’t do it, who did? Those who don’t buy the official explanation think the answer lies in the spy games that played out on Russia’s frontier following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Woodruff was an early actor in a dangerous drama. American spies were moving into newborn nations previously dominated by Soviet intelligence. Russia’s security apparatus, resentful and demoralized, was in turmoil, its nominal loyalty to a pro-Western course set by President Boris Yeltsin, shredded by hard-line spooks and generals who viewed the Americans as a menace.

At the time when Woodruff was stationed there, Georgia was a den of intrigue. It had a big Russian military base and was awash with former and not-so-former Soviet agents. Shortly before Woodruff was shot, veteran CIA Officer Aldrich Ames - who would soon be unmasked as a KGB mole - visited him on agency business. In short order, Woodruff would be dead and Ames, in prison for life. Buckle up, because The Spy Who Was Left Behind reveals the full-throttle, little-known thrilling tale.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Michael Pullara (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

fascinating story, highly relevant to present day

I am absolutely obsessed with the Cold War and I really enjoyed this book. I think it's highly relevant to present day US-Eurasia relations and events covered in the book contain important lessons for America and her foreign allies.

Riveting!

One of the best audio books I’ve listened to. Great detail, exceptional writing (I hope Mr. Pullara pens more books), inspiring determination of will. All around a super read!

Riveting

We’ll written, we’ll read and a great story of what might have been collateral damage of an American when another betrays their oath.

Follow Michael as he puts together the pieces to tell the story of betrayal, deceit, and conspiracy in a relevant case in contemporary American intelligence.

Great read

Book is excellent and I really don’t understand the criticisms of the narration. I found it A+. Engaging and definitely not a bland recitation. Difficult names all pronounced correctly. Listen to a sample and decide for yourself.

awesome all around

great audible product, great book, great narrator. very interesting story that included some information from a lot of different sources

Great spy book

Would read it again it’s that good. What a interesting book. Great book of some historical information.

Trial lawyers would enjoy this

Very interesting story. Good opportunity to learn about Georgia and USSR. As a trial lawyer I especially appreciated the comparative law analysis and the techniques the author used. He was a very good narrator as well.

Interesting and suspenseful

I think the story was really interesting and suspenseful. A little disappointed with the ending but I understand the complexity of CIA/FBI/KGB networks. The reader is really slow so you’re probably gonna want to crank it up to 1.5x. All and all a good book. I would only recommend for people really into spy series or people that listened to the podcast serial and enjoyed it.

great book needs a hires narrator

fantastic book which reveals the truth of government coverups in the assassination of intelligence officers.i loved the story but the narrator spoke slowly and the volume of the recording was LOW, so it made listening sometimes difficult to hear. glad to see a fellow attorney going international to get justice

An overall good story and worthy listen

I enjoyed the story and would recommend it, however I agree with some comments that it would have been better with a professional narrator instead of the author. he wasn't bad, but it could have been better. the story was very interesting but the end was a little anticlimactic