WINNER OF THE 2024 EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
WINNER OF THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
'This is a sensational novel...feels like every inch of the real world of espionage' Alex Gerlis, author of Every Spy a Traitor
‘Every bit as good as I had been led to believe. I.S. Berry is at the vanguard of a new generation of American spy novelists who have electrified the genre.’ Charles Cumming, author of Judas 62
The thrilling debut from author and former CIA officer I.S. Berry, following an American spy’s last dangerous mission.
Shane Collins, a world-weary CIA spy, is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain for his final tour, he’s anxious to dispense with his mission — uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency. But then he meets Almaisa, an enigmatic artist, and his eyes are opened to a side of Bahrain most expats never experience, to questions he never thought to ask.
When his trusted informant becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself drawn deep into the conflict and his romance is upended. In an instant, he’s caught in the crosshairs of a revolution. He must navigate a bloody uprising, win Almaisa’s love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain’s secrets end and America’s begin.
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'Berry puts the human back in human intelligence, exploring the motivations, feelings, and thoughts of the officers and agents, and in so doing sets her first novel apart from a crowded field'
" - Diplomatic Courier
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'It’s cynical, fast moving and immensely readable'
" - Books We Love
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'Crackling debut thriller'
" - New Yorker
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'Berry has achieved something remarkable. She has written what may prove to be the definitive novel of the Arab Spring...a highly authentic and gripping spy thriller and a moving account of a culturally complex relationship against the backdrop of a country riven by sectarian and political strife. A deeply impressive debut.' Charles Beaumont, author of A SPY ALONE
" - author of A SPY ALONE
