SPIES FOR HIRE The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing

Outsourcing is everywhere—including the cloak-and-dagger business. Much of the government's intelligence gathering is now done by private companies—and very profitably. Dick Hill takes us through a tangle of acronyms and who's-doing-what-for-whom with his usual professional clarity. He picks up on the author's skepticism and sets off quotes, and there are many, with pauses, adding interest and some variety to a long cautionary tale of monitoring communication and satellite spying. Concentration is required to remember which company does what and with whom, usually ex-CIA employees. Not all books translate well to audio; this may be one that, no matter how well read, does not. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]