Into The Lion's Mouth: The True Story of Dusko Popov: World War II Spy, Patriot, and the Real-Life Inspiration for James Bond - Softcover

Praise for Into the Lion's Mouth

A work of non-fiction that's more thriller than biography Well-researched. USAToday.com
"Gripping...This one will keep you planted in your reading chair from start to finish." Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Who needs fiction. Truth is a thousand times better, and this true-life adventure has it all. Action, history, secrets, conspiracies a sizzling piece of entertainment that s real. Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author
An intriguing and fascinating book describing the life of a real spy and Britain s most successful double agent Shocking. James A. Lyons, Jr., Admiral, United States Navy (retired)
"Packs the punch of a cyanide capsule." Joshua Hood, author of Clear by Fire and Warning Order
"One of the most fascinating things I've ever read, period. Gripping, thrilling, and too crazy to be true except that it is. Reads less like a biography and more like a thriller novel." The Real Book Spy

From the Hardcover edition."

PRAISE FOR INTO THE LION S MOUTH
A gripping story about a fascinating man of many talents and faces and what makes it all the more intriguing is that its all true! Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrong Side of Goodbye
"A sensational book, telling a remarkable true story that few know, even those in the intelligence business. Written in the style of the best spy thrillers, the book is impossible to put down. A must read." Michael Morell, acting CIA Director (ret.)
For those wanting to know the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming s James Bond, here it is...a work of nonfiction that s more thriller than biography. USA Today
Who needs fiction? Truth is a thousand times better, and this true-life adventure has it all. Action, history, secrets, conspiracies a sizzling piece of entertainment that s real. Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 14th Colony
Excellent book. This is another a well-researched history book and dramatic, breathtaking spy story all of it is true. Mr. Loftis has shown an extraordinary ability to combine the high-integrity research discipline of this legal training with a page-turner writing talent to produce a scholarly thriller that is hard to put down. Dr. Robert Kuckuck, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory (ret.)
Loftis recounts the exploits of the model for Ian Fleming s James Bond character with great skill...will have readers on the edge of their seats and immersed in this sometimes unbelievable tale. Library Journal
Sifting through declassified documents from World War II as well as hotel bills, letters, and long-forgotten memoirs Loftis painstakingly pinpoints the exact moment Bond s creator, Ian Fleming, first encountered this real-life 007. New York Post
Superspy Dusko Popov the real-life James Bond. Parade
Excellent integration of primary and archival sources...impressive evidence...highly readable. Naval Historical Foundation
The real-life inspiration for James Bond proved to be every bit as riveting as any of Ian Fleming s creations...one of the most remarkable books we ve read all year....Although Into the Lion s Mouth reads more like an intelligence caper than a biography, the book is impeccably researched and cited, making it an excellent read for even the most discriminating history buffs. -Best Thrillers
Sometimes truth is not only strange, but more exciting than fiction. If one is an Ian Fleming aficionado and a World War II history buff, you will find Into the Lion s Mouth a merger of the most exciting and fascinating aspects of both genres. 007 s exploits in the fourteen James Bond books almost pale in comparison to the actual exploits of Dusko Popov throughout World War II. Admiral R.J. Zlatoper, USN (ret.)
Intriguing and fascinating....Part of the success of the...D-Day invasion can be directly attributed to the deceptive information Dusko Popov provided the Nazis. The descriptions of the UK s successful attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto and how that served as the model for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor provide an interesting insight. Most shocking, however, is the fact that J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI director, was provided this key intelligence by Dusko Popov four months before the Japanese attack, and apparently didn t tell anyone. Admiral James A. Lyons Jr, USN (ret)
007 inspiration: bolder than James Bond. The Orlando Sentinel
Gripping, thrilling, and too crazy to be true except that it is...reads less like a biography and more like a thriller...one of the most fascinating things I ve read, period. The Real Book Spy
[A] remarkable story...the book packs the punch of a cyanide capsule. Larry Loftis s rich narrative leaves you paralyzed, physically unable to tear yourself from a narrative so vivid that you actually smell the cigarette smoke hanging above the baccarat tables. And feel the weight of the Luger hanging beneath your arm. Joshua Hood, author of Clear by Fire and Warning Order
James Bond is not the amalgamation of several bits and parts from people like Frankenstein s monster, but based on one individual...reads much like a novel, and a thrilling one at that. The Big Thrill
A true tale fraught with danger, suspense, beautiful women, and a fateful summer encounter at a certain Casino Estoril in 1941....Loftis makes the strongest case yet for why Bond fans should consider Popov as Fleming s true inspirations. James Bond Radio
A history book that reads like a fast-paced spy triller. You ll learn a ton about WWII espionage while anxiously wondering what s going to happen next to Dusko. The Art of Manliness
An espionage book that seems to highly improbable it could only be true....Even with the Fleming/Bond connection, Into the Lion s Mouth is hard to put down and the exploits [are] incredible. The James Bond Dossier
"

PRAISE FOR INTO THE LION'S MOUTH
"A gripping story about a fascinating man of many talents and faces -- and what makes it all the more intriguing is that its all true!"--Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrong Side of Goodbye
"A sensational book, telling a remarkable true story that few know, even those in the intelligence business. Written in the style of the best spy thrillers, the book is impossible to put down. A must read." --Michael Morell, acting CIA Director (ret.)
"For those wanting to know the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming's James Bond, here it is...a work of nonfiction that's more thriller than biography."--USA Today
"Who needs fiction? Truth is a thousand times better, and this true-life adventure has it all. Action, history, secrets, conspiracies--a sizzling piece of entertainment that's real."--Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 14th Colony
"Excellent book. This is another a well-researched history book and dramatic, breathtaking spy story--all of it is true. Mr. Loftis has shown an extraordinary ability to combine the high-integrity research discipline of this legal training with a 'page-turner' writing talent to produce a scholarly thriller that is hard to put down."--Dr. Robert Kuckuck, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory (ret.)
"Loftis recounts the exploits of the model for Ian Fleming's James Bond character with great skill...will have readers on the edge of their seats and immersed in this sometimes unbelievable tale." --Library Journal
"Sifting through declassified documents from World War II--as well as hotel bills, letters, and long-forgotten memoirs--Loftis painstakingly pinpoints the exact moment Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, first encountered this real-life 007."--New York Post
"Superspy Dusko Popov--the real-life James Bond."--Parade
"Excellent integration of primary and archival sources...impressive evidence...highly readable."--Naval Historical Foundation
"The real-life inspiration for James Bond proved to be every bit as riveting as any of Ian Fleming's creations...one of the most remarkable books we've read all year....Although Into the Lion's Mouth reads more like an intelligence caper than a biography, the book is impeccably researched and cited, making it an excellent read for even the most discriminating history buffs."---Best Thrillers
"Sometimes truth is not only strange, but more exciting than fiction. If one is an Ian Fleming aficionado and a World War II history buff, you will find Into the Lion's Mouth a merger of the most exciting and fascinating aspects of both genres. '007's' exploits in the fourteen James Bond books almost pale in comparison to the actual exploits of Dusko Popov throughout World War II."--Admiral R.J. Zlatoper, USN (ret.)
"Intriguing and fascinating....Part of the success of the...D-Day invasion can be directly attributed to the deceptive information Dusko Popov provided the Nazis. The descriptions of the UK's successful attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto and how that served as the model for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor provide an interesting insight. Most shocking, however, is the fact that J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI director, was provided this key intelligence by Dusko Popov four months before the Japanese attack, and apparently didn't tell anyone."--Admiral James A. Lyons Jr, USN (ret)
"007 inspiration: bolder than James Bond."--The Orlando Sentinel
"Gripping, thrilling, and too crazy to be true--except that it is...reads less like a biography and more like a thriller...one of the most fascinating things I've read, period."--The Real Book Spy
"[A] remarkable story...the book packs the punch of a cyanide capsule. Larry Loftis's rich narrative leaves you paralyzed, physically unable to tear yourself from a narrative so vivid that you actually smell the cigarette smoke hanging above the baccarat tables. And feel the weight of the Luger hanging beneath your arm."--Joshua Hood, author of Clear by Fire and Warning Order
"James Bond is not the amalgamation of several bits and parts from people like Frankenstein's monster, but based on one individual...reads much like a novel, and a thrilling one at that."--The Big Thrill
"A true tale fraught with danger, suspense, beautiful women, and a fateful summer encounter at a certain Casino Estoril in 1941....Loftis makes the strongest case yet for why Bond fans should consider Popov as Fleming's true inspirations."--James Bond Radio
"A history book that reads like a fast-paced spy triller. You'll learn a ton about WWII espionage while anxiously wondering what's going to happen next to Dusko."--The Art of Manliness
"An espionage book that seems to highly improbable it could only be true....Even with the Fleming/Bond connection, Into the Lion's Mouth is hard to put down and the exploits [are] incredible."--The James Bond Dossier


PRAISE FOR INTO THE LION'S MOUTH
-A gripping story about a fascinating man of many talents and faces -- and what makes it all the more intriguing is that its all true!---Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrong Side of Goodbye
-A sensational book, telling a remarkable true story that few know, even those in the intelligence business. Written in the style of the best spy thrillers, the book is impossible to put down. A must read.- --Michael Morell, acting CIA Director (ret.)
-For those wanting to know the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming's James Bond, here it is...a work of nonfiction that's more thriller than biography.---USA Today
-Who needs fiction? Truth is a thousand times better, and this true-life adventure has it all. Action, history, secrets, conspiracies--a sizzling piece of entertainment that's real.---Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The 14th Colony
-Excellent book. This is another a well-researched history book and dramatic, breathtaking spy story--all of it is true. Mr. Loftis has shown an extraordinary ability to combine the high-integrity research discipline of this legal training with a 'page-turner' writing talent to produce a scholarly thriller that is hard to put down.---Dr. Robert Kuckuck, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory (ret.)
-Loftis recounts the exploits of the model for Ian Fleming's James Bond character with great skill...will have readers on the edge of their seats and immersed in this sometimes unbelievable tale.- --Library Journal
-Sifting through declassified documents from World War II--as well as hotel bills, letters, and long-forgotten memoirs--Loftis painstakingly pinpoints the exact moment Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, first encountered this real-life 007.---New York Post
-Superspy Dusko Popov--the real-life James Bond.---Parade
-Excellent integration of primary and archival sources...impressive evidence...highly readable.---Naval Historical Foundation
-The real-life inspiration for James Bond proved to be every bit as riveting as any of Ian Fleming's creations...one of the most remarkable books we've read all year....Although Into the Lion's Mouth reads more like an intelligence caper than a biography, the book is impeccably researched and cited, making it an excellent read for even the most discriminating history buffs.----Best Thrillers
-Sometimes truth is not only strange, but more exciting than fiction. If one is an Ian Fleming aficionado and a World War II history buff, you will find Into the Lion's Mouth a merger of the most exciting and fascinating aspects of both genres. '007's' exploits in the fourteen James Bond books almost pale in comparison to the actual exploits of Dusko Popov throughout World War II.---Admiral R.J. Zlatoper, USN (ret.)
-Intriguing and fascinating....Part of the success of the...D-Day invasion can be directly attributed to the deceptive information Dusko Popov provided the Nazis. The descriptions of the UK's successful attack on the Italian Fleet at Taranto and how that served as the model for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor provide an interesting insight. Most shocking, however, is the fact that J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI director, was provided this key intelligence by Dusko Popov four months before the Japanese attack, and apparently didn't tell anyone.---Admiral James A. Lyons Jr, USN (ret)
-007 inspiration: bolder than James Bond.---The Orlando Sentinel
-Gripping, thrilling, and too crazy to be true--except that it is...reads less like a biography and more like a thriller...one of the most fascinating things I've read, period.---The Real Book Spy
-[A] remarkable story...the book packs the punch of a cyanide capsule. Larry Loftis's rich narrative leaves you paralyzed, physically unable to tear yourself from a narrative so vivid that you actually smell the cigarette smoke hanging above the baccarat tables. And feel the weight of the Luger hanging beneath your arm.---Joshua Hood, author of Clear by Fire and Warning Order
-James Bond is not the amalgamation of several bits and parts from people like Frankenstein's monster, but based on one individual...reads much like a novel, and a thrilling one at that.---The Big Thrill
-A true tale fraught with danger, suspense, beautiful women, and a fateful summer encounter at a certain Casino Estoril in 1941....Loftis makes the strongest case yet for why Bond fans should consider Popov as Fleming's true inspirations.---James Bond Radio
-A history book that reads like a fast-paced spy triller. You'll learn a ton about WWII espionage while a...

“For those wanting to know the real-life inspiration for Ian Fleming’s James Bond, here it is...a work of nonfiction that’s more thriller than biography."  —USA Today

“A gripping story about a fascinating man of many talents and faces—and what makes it all the more intriguing is that its all true!” —Michael Connelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Wrong Side of Goodbye
 

James Bond has nothing on Dusko Popov. A double agent for the Abwehr, MI5 and MI6, and the FBI during World War II, Popov seduced numerous women, spoke five languages, and was a crack shot, all while maintaining his cover as a Yugoslavian diplomat... 

On a cool August evening in 1941, a Serbian playboy created a stir at Casino Estoril in Portugal by throwing down an outrageously large baccarat bet to humiliate his opponent. The Serbian was a British double agent, and the money―which he had just stolen from the Germans―belonged to the British. From the sidelines, watching with intent interest, was none other than Ian Fleming. . . . 

The Serbian was Dusko Popov. As a youngster, he was expelled from his London prep school. Years later, he would be arrested and banished from Germany for making derogatory statements about the Third Reich. When World War II ensued, the playboy became a spy, eventually serving three dangerous masters: the Abwehr, MI5 and MI6, and the FBI.

Into the Lion’s Mouth is a globe-trotting account of a man’s entanglement with espionage, murder, assassins, and lovers―including enemy spies and a Hollywood leading lady. It is a story of subterfuge and seduction, patriotism, and cold-blooded courage. It is the story of Dusko Popov―the inspiration for James Bond.