The Peacock and the Sparrow

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.'

THE TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR 2024

GUARDIAN BEST BOOKS OF 2024

THE TELEGRAPH BEST BOOKS OF 2024

FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOKS OF 2024

WINNER OF THE 2024 EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

WINNER OF THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

WINNER OF THE 2024 BARRY BEST FIRST MYSTERY OR CRIME NOVEL AWARD

WINNER OF THE 2024 MACAVITY BEST FIRST MYSTERY AWARD

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANTHONY AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

NOMINATED FOR THE STRAND MAGAZINE BEST DEBUT MYSTERY OF THE YEAR

One of the "top spy novelists of the 21st Century" The Times

'Gritty, propulsive, dark and twisty' David McCloskey, author of Damascus Station

'It’s fantastic, I loved it' Steve Cavanagh, author of Thirteen

'Deservedly garlanded with high praise' Adam Lebor, Financial Times

'..the most impressive debut of the year to date and a spy novel to rank alongside the best of Mick Herron’s Slough House series.' The Irish Times

'immediately elevates IS Berry, a former CIA case officer, alongside David McCloskey and Paul Vidich.' John Dugdale, The Sunday Times

'Berry has all of le Carré’s cynicism about Western intelligence services, and outsoars him in her ability to convincingly evoke a love affair against an espionage backdrop. This is a star in the making.' Jake Kerridge, The Daily Telegraph

'A cracking debut thriller' The New Yorker

'Sensational...feels like every inch of the real world of espionage' Alex Gerlis, author of Every Spy a Traitor

‘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

'Superbly captures the twilight world of espionage, where no one tells the truth, but a hero can still find love.' Geoffrey Wansell, The Daily Mail

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 â€" 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, his romance and loyalties upended. In an instant, he’s caught in the crosswinds of a revolution. 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.

Now optioned for film by Scott Delman of Shadowfox productions (Producer of HBO Max hit series Station Eleven).

'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

'It’s cynical, fast moving and immensely readable' National Public Radio (Best Books of the Year)

'Crackling debut thriller' The New Yorker

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

'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)

'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 Good German

'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 Carré 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.' Ian Caldwell, author of The Fifth Gospel

'This is a sensational novel which draws you in from the first page and doesn’t 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 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

‘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

'Vigilance, violence, paranoia, love, intrigue in the Gulf heat. An unforgettable portrait of venal, cynical, decadent American spies and diplomats' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE, author of Jerusalem

'A stunning debut about an aging CIA case officer at the end of a lacklustre career during the Arab Spring in Bahrain. Tense action that mixes with a beautifully rendered depiction of one man's descent into despair make this spy novel an instant classic' PAUL VIDICH, author of Beirut Station

'It’s dripping in authenticity you really feel like you’re there, you can smell the cigarette smoke, it’s fantastic, I loved it' Steve Cavanagh

'A fascinating, complex story with multilayered and complex characters. Anyone who has served in Gulf states will recognize Berry's unadorned portrait of the underside of the splendid hotels and palaces that fill the landscape. Beautifully (written)...unforgettable' John Limbert, former ambassador, The Foreign Service Journal

'Riveting...and written by one who knows. Berry is the rising star of espionage noir fiction.' James Grady, author of Six Days of the Condor

'IS Berry’s debut The Peacock and the Sparrow has been deservedly garlanded with high praise... rich in insider agency knowledge while its notably nuanced character development quickly draws the reader deeply in' Adam LeBor, Financial Times

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.

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