In this unsparing exploration of one of the most powerful Americans of the twentieth century, Sibert Medalist Marc Aronson unmasks the man behind the Federal Bureau of Investigation — his tangled family history and personal relationships; his own need for secrecy, deceit, and control; and the broad trends in American society that shaped his world.

Hoover may have given America the security it wanted, but the secrets he knew gave him — and the Bureau — all the power he wanted.

Using photographs, cartoons, movie posters, and FBI transcripts, Master of Deceit gives readers the necessary evidence to make their own conclusions. Back matter includes an epilogue, an author’s note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

• With the increased public discussion of the role of the FBI, this is the perfect time for a paperback edition, with an updated cover, of Marc Aronson's biography of J. Edgar Hoover and examination of the Bureau's early history. 
• Fascinating and timely; this book will help teenagers address contemporary questions like "Is it acceptable for the US to torture in the name of national security?"
• Perhaps the only book for young adults that focuses on J. Edgar Hoover's 48-year political hegemony as well as the Communist witch hunts of the 50s.