---
product_id: 289243631
title: "Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency"
price: "¥9475"
currency: JPY
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/289243631-behind-the-enigma-the-authorised-history-of-gchq-britain-s
store_origin: JP
region: Japan
---

# 4.5/5 rating from 888 reviews Extensive 600+ pages of detailed history 125 rank in Espionage Biographies Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency

**Price:** ¥9475
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🕵️‍♀️ Crack the code of history’s greatest secrets with the ultimate GCHQ chronicle!

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- **What is this?** Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency
- **How much does it cost?** ¥9475 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/289243631-behind-the-enigma-the-authorised-history-of-gchq-britain-s)

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## Why This Product

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## Key Features

- • **Highly Rated & Respected:** Join thousands of readers who rate this a 4.5-star essential for espionage enthusiasts.
- • **Deep Dive into GCHQ's Legacy:** Uncover a century of secret cyber-intelligence evolution with unparalleled detail.
- • **Rich Social & Historical Context:** Explore the untold stories of women and management shaping Britain’s intelligence agency.
- • **Meticulously Researched & Authorised:** Trust the definitive, authorised account that dispels myths and reveals true history.
- • **Thought-Provoking & Complex Narrative:** Challenge your intellect with a dense, rewarding read that demands careful attention.

## Overview

Behind the Enigma is the authorised, meticulously researched history of Britain’s GCHQ, offering a dense and detailed exploration of its cyber-intelligence operations, social dynamics, and management evolution over a century. Highly rated and ranked among top espionage biographies, this book is a must-read for professionals craving deep insight into intelligence history.

## Description

Buy Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency by Ferris, John (ISBN: 9781526605481) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: An authoritive and well researched history of GCHQ - Although this is a comprehensive history of GCHQ, it is also an easy read. Plenty of photographs too. GCHQ is often the more overlooked member of the three security services with Mi5 the Security service and Mi6 Secrey Intelligence Service. Yet GCHQ is perhaps the one that has the main influence for the general public. In addition to its intelligence gathering it also fights cyber attacks and protect our increasingly cyber dominated life. I thought I was already informed about the work of GCHQ and its NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre), but learnt a great deal from reading this book, realising my existing knowledge was rather limited.
Review: Very Detailed. - This is a very densely written book - full of acronyms and hopefully, informed detail. Blows some holes in the Enigma mythology - but puts it firmly in the place where it should always have been. However, it also goes into social details as regards numbers of women employed, their social backgrounds, their employment and also their gradual rise in the ranks as societal pressures and backgrounds changed. It is complex - I'm doing about 40 pages a day - and this is a long book - but it is very detailed and takes careful reading to ensure that you fully understand what is happening. Well worth the reading, perhaps it could have been shortened a little - but lets face it - the author is dealing with a difficult and very detailed history. His account of Stuart Hampshire - a philosopy don, being brought in to sort out the management was astonishing to me - and more importantly his obvious competence in dealing with difficult problems in management and structure. Oh, if he were in charge of the Covid Crisis I wonder how much better off we would be now. Anyway- this is a dense but ultimately rewarding book that pulls no punches - but also allows for brilliance to have a light shone where necessary.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 42,622 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 127 in Espionage Biographies 135 in British Historical Military Biographies 526 in Historical Biographies by Country |
| Customer reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (890) |
| Dimensions  | 19.7 x 5.9 x 13 cm |
| ISBN-10  | 1526605481 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1526605481 |
| Item weight  | 614 g |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 880 pages |
| Publication date  | 10 Jun. 2021 |
| Publisher  | Bloomsbury Publishing |

## Images

![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ToTn+-iWL.jpg)
![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91T+k600RJS.jpg)
![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91r5v44ag0S.jpg)
![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 4](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/913IT6R8cBS.jpg)
![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 5](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91C4PenvRZS.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An authoritive and well researched history of GCHQ
*by D***D on 13 March 2026*

Although this is a comprehensive history of GCHQ, it is also an easy read. Plenty of photographs too. GCHQ is often the more overlooked member of the three security services with Mi5 the Security service and Mi6 Secrey Intelligence Service. Yet GCHQ is perhaps the one that has the main influence for the general public. In addition to its intelligence gathering it also fights cyber attacks and protect our increasingly cyber dominated life. I thought I was already informed about the work of GCHQ and its NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre), but learnt a great deal from reading this book, realising my existing knowledge was rather limited.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Detailed.
*by J***R on 23 December 2020*

This is a very densely written book - full of acronyms and hopefully, informed detail. Blows some holes in the Enigma mythology - but puts it firmly in the place where it should always have been. However, it also goes into social details as regards numbers of women employed, their social backgrounds, their employment and also their gradual rise in the ranks as societal pressures and backgrounds changed. It is complex - I'm doing about 40 pages a day - and this is a long book - but it is very detailed and takes careful reading to ensure that you fully understand what is happening. Well worth the reading, perhaps it could have been shortened a little - but lets face it - the author is dealing with a difficult and very detailed history. His account of Stuart Hampshire - a philosopy don, being brought in to sort out the management was astonishing to me - and more importantly his obvious competence in dealing with difficult problems in management and structure. Oh, if he were in charge of the Covid Crisis I wonder how much better off we would be now. Anyway- this is a dense but ultimately rewarding book that pulls no punches - but also allows for brilliance to have a light shone where necessary.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An interesting topic but a disjointed read
*by G***R on 12 June 2021*

This book promises to be fascinating and insightful but, even when one has been reading books on codes and cyphers for many years, it is hard going. Any history that tackles various threads over an extended period is going to be somewhat less than free flowing but this is hard work. The author is a member of the Royal Society or Canada which should have been a clue but I found the use of North American syntax; "never would" instead or "would never" etc. to be distracting. The use of terminology without explanation can also lead one to question one's understanding. I haven't, yet, finished the book but I will keep going if only to see how the author interprets the use of communications intelligence during the second world war. I would say, try not to be put off by the distractions and be prepared to work at it.

## Frequently Bought Together

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*Product available on Desertcart Japan*
*Store origin: JP*
*Last updated: 2026-03-19*