My dictionary suggests that the name "Chiaroscuro" is a pseudonym, but the author can be partially identified. His writing style is very distinctive. His circuit design style is also distinctive, although less so than his writing style. Considering these things together, I believe that the author of this book also wrote "The Basement Buggers Bible". Now I believe that book to be the best of this genre available, and this book, although published in 1997, is the one you should read after you read the "Bible", published in 1999.

Every circuit in this book consists of applications of the basic building blocks covered in "The Basement Buggers Bible". Applications include: a directional corner reflector for a microphone; infrared senders and receivers; ultrasonic senders and receivers; optical fibre and hardwire senders and receivers and a variety of analogue audio preprocessors and post-processors to dig audible sound out of inaudible noise. PCB templates are supplied, circuit schematics are clearly laid out and there is a brief but comprehensive explanation of the theory behind each circuit. A newcomer to electronics, however, would need more explanation to understand the circuits.

There is one error in the book, on page 56 where the optical fibre sender has been omitted and the optical fibre receiver circuit used instead. Otherwise the book is error-free.

The Parts Source section is only of use to readers in North America but the references are well chosen for further study.

Like the earlier book, this is old technology, but still very useful. Likewise, the circuits are not for beginners. They are well-designed but if a mistake was made in construction, or operation proved faulty, a novice would find it impossible to deal with. If you are an electronics professional and sometimes have to provide advice on the subject of eavesdropping technology, this book provides a useful reference, but only as a companion volume.