Frances Stonor Saunders, a renowned investigative historian and author, has died at the age of 60 after battling a brain tumour. Known for her groundbreaking work on the CIA’s covert influence during the Cold War, Saunders left a lasting legacy in historical and cultural journalism. Her 1999 book, Who Paid the Piper?, exposed how the CIA, through a front organization called the Congress for Cultural Freedom, funded and influenced a vast array of cultural activities, including books, art exhibitions, and music. This work revealed that many prominent intellectuals of the time, such as George Orwell and Jackson Pollock, had, knowingly or not, played a role in this covert operation. The book was widely acclaimed, translated into 17 languages, and inspired both former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, who later created a popular podcast exploring the idea that the CIA might have influenced the lyrics of the Scorpions’ 1990s hit song of the same name. Saunders began her career in television, where she worked on a 1995 Channel 4 documentary series that examined the link between abstract expressionist art and CIA funding. This experience led her to delve deeper into the topic, eventually resulting in Who Paid the Piper?. Known for her sharp eye for uncovering hidden truths, she was fascinated by themes of memory, exile, and the moral complexities of history. Her other works included Hawkwood, a narrative history of a 14th-century mercenary, and The Woman Who Shot Mussolini, which told the story of Violet Gibson, an Anglo-Irish aristocrat who attempted to assassinate Benito Mussolini in 1926. Her final book, The Suitcase, a memoir about her father’s life and his struggle with Alzheimer’s, won the PEN Ackerley Prize in 2022. Born in Windsor, Berkshire, Saunders came from a family with deep historical roots. Her mother, Julia Stonor, was part of one of England’s oldest aristocratic Catholic families, while her father, Donald Saunders, had fled Europe after World War II and became an investment banker. After her parents’ divorce, she and her older brother lived with their mother in London, where their bohemian upbringing included frequent visits from notable figures like the novelist Graham Greene. Despite being considered the “black sheep” of her school, she was elected head girl at St Mary’s convent school in Ascot. She later studied English at Oxford and lived in Rome, where she stayed with the novelist Muriel Spark. Throughout her career, Saunders worked as a freelance journalist, arts editor for the New Statesman, and a radio presenter for the BBC. Her work spanned a wide range of subjects, from ancient Greek literature to modern political figures. She also collaborated on the documentary We Are Many, which chronicled the 2003 anti-war protests, and curated art exhibitions on themes of exile and displacement. Despite her success, she remained critical of the digital age and resisted the influence of smartphones, even during her illness. Her work continues to resonate today, especially as the themes of Who Paid the Piper?—the use of culture as a political tool—are more relevant than ever. She is survived by her mother and her brothers.