In one of the most infamous moments of the Cold War, Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov died following a strange encounter on the streets of London. The incident came to be known as the "Umbrella Assassination", after the British press picked up on claims that Markov had been killed by a mysterious man carrying an umbrella. But the truth might be different - and even more shocking - than the lurid media tale. In the first part of our 3 part episode on his death, we meet Markov and learn about his assassination.

For more information about Georgi Markov and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.