Awards

• Short-listed for Edgar Allan Poe Awards (Best First Novel) 2024

Overview

BEST FIRST NOVEL WINNER: Edgar Awards - International Thriller Writers Awards A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker - NPR - The Diplomatic Courier During the Arab Spring, an American spy's final mission goes dangerously awry in this ""crackling debut thriller"" (The New Yorker) from a former CIA officer that Joseph Weisberg, creator of The Americans, calls ""the most realistic espionage story I've read."" Shane Collins, a world-weary CIA spy, is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia for his final tour, he has little use for his mission--uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency against the monarchy. Then Collins meets Almaisa, a beautiful and 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 inside the opposition becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself drawn deep into the conflict. His budding romance with Almaisa--and his loyalties--are upended; in an instant, he's caught in the crosswinds of a revolution. Drawing on all his skills as a spymaster, he sets out to learn the truth behind the Arab Spring, win Almaisa's love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain's secrets end and America's begin.

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9781982194543

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Reviews

Not since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold has there been such a riveting and thought-provoking story of international espionage. In the tradition of John le Carre and Graham Greene, former spy Berry has woven a twisted, richly evocative tale--one that plunges the reader into the depths of the Arab Spring and the blackest recesses of human nature. A breathless tour-de-force that smuggles the reader form the souks of Bahrain to the simmering streets of Phnom Penh, Berry's debut delivers the perfect spy tale. --Ian Caldwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Fifth Gospel

"A CrimeReads Best May Debut A Publishers Weekly Top Pick of the Week A Strand Magazine Top May Read ""Berry has the authentic voice of an insider, someone who's lived the life. Engrossing and compelling, The Peacock and the Sparrow picks up speed, keeping you turning pages right up to the finale."" --Valerie Plame, former CIA officer and author of Fair Game ""The Peacock and the Sparrow is that rare thing: a genuine page turner that also has something to say. A sharp, knowing look at today's CIA, with the moral complexities of the best spy fiction and a Persian Gulf setting so richly detailed and immediate you feel you could reach out and touch it. A remarkable debut.""--Joseph Kanon, New York Times bestselling author of Istanbul Passage and The Berlin Exchange ""A dark, unpredictable, twisty, and grim espionage thriller...a marvelous and intellectual debut of warring ideologies in a land where no one can be trusted, not even the 'good' guys.""-- ""Best Thriller Books"" ""An astonishing debut. In the spirit and tradition of le Carré - but somehow with even greater verisimilitude - Berry perfectly captures the romance, the grit, the overarching sense of loss, and even the underlying dry comedy of a life devoted to undercover operations. CIA officer Shane Collins is the most realistic representation of a spy I've encountered in fiction.""--Lindsay Moran, former CIA officer and bestselling author of Blowing My Cover ""Bold, modern, and has the striking realism that only a former spy can bring to the page. Prose that is lush and haunting. A smart, sensational work of literature - putThe Peacock and the Sparrow on your shelf next to all the espionage greats.""--Dustin Thomason, bestselling author of 12.21 ""I.S. Berry absolutely nails the psyche of case officers in this examination of life in the clandestine service. From the pitch-perfect opening to the stunning twist at the end, The Peacock and the Sparrow is gorgeously written with a surefootedness rarely seen in a debut. Sure to be a new classic among spy novels.""--Alma Katsu, former CIA officer and author of Red London ""Not since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold has there been such a riveting and thought-provoking story of international espionage. In the tradition of John le Carre and Graham Greene, former spy Berry has woven a twisted, richly evocative tale--one that plunges the reader into the depths of the Arab Spring and the blackest recesses of human nature. A breathless tour-de-force that smuggles the reader from the souks of Bahrain to the simmering streets of Phnom Penh, Berry's debut delivers the perfect spy tale.""--Ian Caldwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Fifth Gospel ""Outstanding...The plot's many twists will captivate readers, and Berry's gorgeous prose is its own reward with echoes of le Carré and Graham Greene."" -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" ""Something very special in the crowded genre of spy fiction. Berry's book is the most realistic espionage story I've read, heart-stopping without any contrived glamour."" --Joseph Weisberg, creator of the TV series The Americans"

The Peacock and the Sparrow is that rare thing: a genuine page turner that also has something to say. A sharp, knowing look at today's CIA, with the moral complexities of the best spy fiction and a Persian Gulf setting so richly detailed and immediate you feel you could reach out and touch it. A remarkable debut. --Joseph Kanon, New York Times bestselling author of Istanbul Passage and The Berlin Exchange Not since The Spy Who Came in from the Cold has there been such a riveting and thought-provoking story of international espionage. In the tradition of John le Carre and Graham Greene, former spy Berry has woven a twisted, richly evocative tale--one that plunges the reader into the depths of the Arab Spring and the blackest recesses of human nature. A breathless tour-de-force that smuggles the reader form the souks of Bahrain to the simmering streets of Phnom Penh, Berry's debut delivers the perfect spy tale. --Ian Caldwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Fifth Gospel

Author Information

I.S. Berry spent six years as an operations officer for the CIA, serving in wartime Baghdad and elsewhere. She has lived and worked throughout Europe and the Middle East, including two years in Bahrain during the Arab Spring. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Haverford College. Raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC, she lives in Virginia with her husband and son.

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