The Peacock and the Sparrow – I.S. Berry

This espionage thriller features Shane Collins, a worn-out CIA agent on his last posting in Bahrain. Berry has achieved a remarkable feat writing the delicate dance between handler and source involving uncovering Iranian influence on the Bharani Arab Spring movement. She details the transgressions, debauchery, and over-drinking of Collins which culminates in him falling in love with a local Bharani artist. The gradual decay of Collins’ performance and loyalties and his evolving relationship with his “source” provide an unusual twist. But why does he do it?  And who does he do it for?  Berry has produced a gripping page-turner that makes you feel the suffocating humidity of the Gulf and smell the scent of the flames of a popular uprising.

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