IAN Withers rewrote the book on what it means to be a Private Investigator.

He traversed the world recovering abducted children, gathered intelligence for left and right-wing regimes and was jailed over a British prime minister's bad bet.

Across sixty years he chased down fraudsters, bugged leaders of international coups and cracked open assassination plots.

He tracked the IRA's Hyde Park bomber with a bluffed phone call, located Jeremy Thorpe's illicit lover and put his life on the line to return snatched tug-of-love kids to desperate parents.

Now, for the first time, Britain's most controversial agent-for-hire lifts the lid on an intense life in the darkest of shadows.

Gripping, illuminating and unflinching, Private Eye, Secret Spy is the thrilling true story of a steely English gentleman's rise to the top of his game.

"Ian Withers has walked the walk... a frank, honest and brave confession."

Gary Murray, author of Enemies of the State.