Englishman Harold Adrian Russell Philby, nicknamed Kim, slips onto the Russian freighter Domatova as it quietly sails out of the Beirut harbour. A spy for the Soviet Union, he flees the Lebanese capital with just the clothes on his back and uncertainty over his fate in Moscow. Will he be welcomed as a senior Soviet intelligence officer? Will the Great Game he's so keen on playing have a third act? Or will the Heart of Darkness have a more sinister purpose'.Impossible to put down, Young Philby paints a vivid picture about one of recent history's most fascinating and subtle spies.'.this novel is an undeniably alluring read and a fine technical achievement by the award-winning Littell' Sydney Morning Herald.'A Littell book is like a Chinese box, opening up more and more, teasing and tempting the reader, unravelling side-bars of plot and slivers of character. I admire lots of Littell's novels, but Young Philby may be the best he has written' Canberra Times.

'An intriguing and surprisingly plausible new interpretation of what Philby was really up to and who he was working for. A fine book' Daily Mail.'Littell combines deep knowledge of spycraft with jovial levity' Guardian.'Distinguished writer though Littell is, can he say anything new about Philby - or take a new approach to him? The answer to both questions, is yes' Independent.