The Peacock and the Sparrow

Complex, smart thriller .. takes its time establishing our becoming familiar with narrator's voice .. weathered, cynical but sustaining of his conviction as a spy in crucial mid Eastern location .. double crossings, trusted informants (or not), there is an authenticity here that is compelling .. in a way, it's an important thriller .. I've already recommended numerous times .. excellent

This is a cracking thriller from IS Berry, a former CIA agent, lending this an all too real authenticity, rather different from your usual spy fiction, set primarily in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and featuring the divorced, jaded, hard drinking American spy, Shane Collins, estranged from his children, losing his edge, perilously close to obsolescence, a manipulator looking to while away the remnants of his career until he can leave and collect his pension. He resides amongst the privileged and sheltered expat community, immersed in their own shadowy relationships and sex, with a circle of suitable places to frequent, and access to culture supported by the King, including opera, they know little of the locals nor the seething underlying belly of anger that is fuelling the oppositon and its ongoing protests.

Collins refers to their station head,28 y ear old Whitney Alden Mitchell, as 'the kid', in a country that had belonged to so many outsiders, never managing to assume the mantle of being a homeland, protected by Saudi Arabia, fearing the power of Iran to destabilise the region. He has but one informant, SCROOP, where in espionage, sources do not fail, just their handlers, if one goes bad so does the other. Collins is to find himself attracted to Almaisa, an enigmatic local mosaic artist artist with a facial scar, falling into a relationship that is to have him mesmerised, and go on to propel and shape the never before territory he is to tread. There is a richly descriptive and detailed feel for Bahrain, Manama, the Shia, inequalities, the king with his ever growing number of palaces, the bone deep neglect and poverty of the people, jailed opposition members, the slums, hunger, overpowering stink, heavy surveillance, destruction, conspiracy theories, and harrowing policing tactics.

Bahrain is a place of ghosts and mirages, betrayals, sorrow, distraction, where relationships can become inverted, and heartbreak. A place where 'even after you disappear, you cannot escape'. America's murky defence, protection, and advance of its interests is a dirty affair of excess that sees some light of day here, as with the Admiral. This is an enthralling and exciting mosaic of a naward winning espionage read that makes an impact, and which has me eagerly anticipating the next book by the author. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This is truly different to any other spy thriller I’ve read. For a change, the author is female and there’s a male protagonist. He’s an almost washed up CIA agent working in Bahrain and wanting to come home. I feel certain the author has drawn on personal experience for much of this story. She has a background in intelligence work and is also a Harvard graduate. Her writing sparkles and this feels very real. It’s set in the wake of the Arab Spring but the insurgents are still targeting anything Western. There’s a romantic interest, which doesn’t overshadow the more serious events and leads to self doubt and mistrust. This is complex and multi layered, rich in detail and with a host of characters who feel like real people. It’s Most are intensely dislikeable. Berry has taken the spy genre to a new and different level and if this a debut, I can’t wait for what comes next. Very satisfying all round and crafted with skill.