There is a traditional niche in publishing for books about spooks, codes, conspiracies, and leaks. I have never been an addict although I was peripherally involved in the publication of Peter Wright's memoir and expose of MI5, Spycatcher. The book was commissioned by Heinemann in London with modest expectations of sales. I think the first printing was to be in the low thousands of copies. The British Government tried to ban it. Lots of lawyers made lots of money. Paul Hamlyn was courageous and unwilling to be bullied or bribed by the great and the good of the time. Publication was moved to Australia. The book was printed in Ireland and Finland and could therefore be legally imported into the UK whatever the Government tried to do. It went on to sell (literally and truthfully) millions.

On a more serious level there have been many books about the British Government's intelligence centre, GCHQ, in Cheltenham. I hope I won't be arrested for showing this picture of its latest office building.

I was reminded about spy publishing by the arrival yesterday of a copy of Thirty Secret Years by my former boss and friend, Robin Denniston. The book is about his father, Alastair Denniston, who was in charge of the code-breaking team at Bletchley Park during the war. There are many historians who reckon that this project was a defining contribution to the outcome of the war.

I don't suppose the book will be another Spycatcher in terms of sales, not least because the Government has probably learned a few lessons about censorship attempts, but it would be great to see Robin and his far-sighted publishers, Polperro Heritage Press, succeed. It is a fascinating account of the back-room teams of intelligence and a social history of a special period of world history. The book is underpriced in trade paperback (in my opinion) and so order now!

Alastair Denniston worked in secret on behalf of Britain for thirty years. Neither the Times nor the Guardian published an obituary of him although belatedly the Dictionary of National Biography has put the record straight. On a much less important stage he reminds me of all those people in publishing who ensure success but never get any recognition. So a salute to the code-breakers of publishing as well as to Alastair Denniston.

Neologism of the day - 'frenemies', to describe the likes of Google or Amazon. They are our best friends but could easily become our worst enemies.