Spy the Lie

At the core is the method former CIA officer Philip Houston developed to detect deception in counterterrorism and criminal investigations, set out by Houston, Michael Floyd and their co-authors. Drawing on cases from their intelligence careers, involving KGB moles, turned assets and criminal officials, they teach readers to spot the verbal and nonverbal behaviors people tend to show when they answer questions untruthfully. Examples include a hand to the face, grooming gestures, invoking religion, repeating the question and qualifiers such as basically. The authors also share their approach to asking questions that draw out the truth, and apply the techniques to everyday situations such as hiring an employee, making an investment or dating someone new.

Bogdan Savonea, CEO of TPS Engage, named it in his interview with The CEO Library as one of the books he would recommend to young people interested in his career path.