The Peacock and the Sparrow: Winner of the 2024 Edgar Award for Best First Novel

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Prize winning and critically acclaimed spy fiction from a female ex member of the CIA.

WINNER OF THE 2024 EDGAR 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

The thrilling debut from author and former CIA officer I.S. Berry, following an American spys 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, hes 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, hes caught in the crosshairs of a revolution. He must navigate a bloody uprising, win Almaisas love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrains secrets end and Americas begin.

Reviews

'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'

-- Joshua Huminski * Diplomatic Courier *

'Its cynical, fast moving and immensely readable'

-- Steve Drummond * Books We Love *

'Crackling debut thriller'

* New Yorker *

'...the most realistic espionage story I've read...heart-stopping' - Joseph Weisberg, creator of The Americans

-- Joseph Weisberg

'Outstanding. . . The plots many twists will captivate readers, and Berrys gorgeous prose is its own reward with echoes of le Carr and Graham Greene'

-- Publishers Weekly

'The Peacock and the Sparrow is that rare thing: a genuine page turner that also has something to say. A sharp, knowing look at todays 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 Good German

-- Joseph Kanon

'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 Carr and Graham Greene, former spy Berry has woven a twisted, richly evocative taleone that plunges the reader into the depths of the Arab Spring and the blackest recesses of human nature. A breathless tour-de-force.'

'This is a sensational novel which draws you in from the first page and doesnt let go until long after the last one. The author racks up the tension and the intrigue with every twist, pulling the reader into what feels like every inch of the real world of espionage' Alex Gerlis, author of Every Spy a Traitor

'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

-- Charles Beaumont * author of A SPY ALONE *

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.

Author Bio

I. S. Berry spent six years as an operations officer for the CIA and has lived and worked in Europe and the Middle East, including two years in Bahrain during the Arab Spring. She has a degree in Law from the University of Virginia, and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, International Association of Crime Writers, and the Association of Former Intelligence Workers. The Peacock and The Sparrow was her debut novel, published in 2023. Berry currently lives in Virginia with her husband and son.