
The Peacock and the Sparrow
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Pete Simonelli
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By:
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I.S. Berry
About this listen
THRILLER OF THE YEAR: The Times (London) • The Telegraph
BEST FIRST NOVEL WINNER: Edgar Awards • International Thriller Writers Awards • Barry Awards • Macavity Awards
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New Yorker • NPR • The Times (London) • The Financial Times • The Guardian • The Telegraph • 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 heralded as one of the “top spy novelists of the 21st century” (The Sunday Times, London).
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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-
Story
CIA Case Officer Sam Joseph is dispatched to Paris to recruit Syrian Palace official Mariam Haddad. The two fall into a forbidden relationship, which supercharges Haddad's recruitment and creates unspeakable danger when they enter Damascus to find the man responsible for the disappearance of an American spy. But the cat-and-mouse chase for the killer soon leads to a trail of high-profile assassinations and the discovery of a dark secret at the heart of the Syrian regime.
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The Performance !
- By Allenby on 01-02-22
By: David McCloskey
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Beirut Station
- By: Paul Vidich
- Narrated by: Amber Townsend
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Lebanon, 2006. The Israel–Hezbollah war is tearing Beirut apart and the country is on the brink of chaos. The CIA and Mossad are targeting a reclusive Hezbollah terrorist. They turn to young Lebanese-American CIA agent, Analise, who has the perfect plan. However, Analise begins to suspect that Mossad has a motive of its own. She alerts the agency but their response is for her to drop it. Analise is now the target and there is no one she can trust.
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Disappointing narration
- By William Jenks on 12-17-24
By: Paul Vidich
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Gabriel's Moon
- A Novel
- By: William Boyd
- Narrated by: George Blagden
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Gabriel Dax is a young man haunted by the memories of a fire that took his mother’s life. Every night, when sleep finally comes, he dreams about his childhood home in flames. His days are spent on the move as an acclaimed travel writer, capturing the changing landscapes of Europe in the grip of the Cold War. When he is offered the chance to interview Patrice Lumumba, newly elected president of the People’s Republic of the Congo, he finds himself drawn into a web of duplicities and betrayals.
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One of the best Boyd storylines, but...
- By WKB on 12-19-24
By: William Boyd
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Red Sparrow
- A Novel
- By: Jason Matthews
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Drafted against her will to become a "Sparrow" - a trained seductress in the service, Russian intelligence officer Dominika Egorova is assigned to operate against Nathaniel Nash, a first-tour CIA officer who handles the CIA's most sensitive penetration of Russian intelligence. The two young intelligence officers, trained in their respective spy schools, collide in a charged atmosphere of tradecraft, deception, and inevitably, a forbidden spiral of carnal attraction that threatens their careers and the security of America's valuable mole in Moscow.
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Sexy Saucy Spies
- By Mel on 06-13-13
By: Jason Matthews
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The Enigma Girl
- By: Henry Porter
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Slim Parsons is all but burned. When her last deep-cover job for MI5 ended with a life-and-death struggle on a private jet, she went on the run from her deadly target–a conniving businessman and money launderer codenamed “Hagfish." Now she's back at home, in hiding from her angry bosses in the Security Service, who have accused her of being overly violent and unsuitable for the role of an MI5 operative. But after several months off the grid, Slim is called back to another job–Operation Linesman–where she is asked to infiltrate a news website.
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Wild and twisted but not credible
- By Robert M. Baird on 06-08-25
By: Henry Porter
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Don't Know Tough
- By: Eli Cranor
- Narrated by: Eli Cranor
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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In Denton, Arkansas, the fate of the high school football team rests on the shoulders of Billy Lowe, a volatile but talented running back. Billy comes from an extremely troubled home: a trailer park where he is terrorized by his unstable mother’s abusive boyfriend. Billy takes out his anger on the field, but when his savagery crosses a line, he faces suspension. Without Billy Lowe, the Denton Pirates can kiss their playoffs bid good-bye.
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Stunning debut
- By Michelle R on 03-30-22
By: Eli Cranor
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Phantom Orbit
- A Thriller
- By: David Ignatius
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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David Ignatius is known for his uncanny ability, in novel after novel, to predict the next great national security headline. In Phantom Orbit, he presents a story both searing and topical, with stakes as far-reaching as outer space. It follows Ivan Volkov, a Russian student in Beijing, who discovers an unsolved puzzle in the writings of the seventeenth-century astronomer Johannes Kepler. He takes the puzzle to a senior scientist in the Chinese space program and declares his intention to solve it.
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Too much story, not enough payoff
- By WtW on 06-26-24
By: David Ignatius
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Deer Season
- By: Erin Flanagan
- Narrated by: Sarah Welborn
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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It's the opening weekend of deer season in Gunthrum, Nebraska, in 1985, and Alma Costagan's intellectually disabled farmhand, Hal Bullard, has gone hunting with some of the locals, leaving her in a huff. That same weekend, a teenage girl goes missing, and Hal returns with a flimsy story about the blood in his truck and a dent near the headlight. When the situation escalates from that of a missing girl to something more sinister, Alma and her husband are forced to confront what Hal might be capable of, as rumors fly and townspeople see Hal's violent past in a new light.
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Solid story, terrible narration
- By Ames on 12-13-22
By: Erin Flanagan
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Shanghai
- A Novel
- By: Joseph Kanon
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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After the violence of Kristallnacht (1938), European Jews, now desperate to emigrate, found the consular doors of the world closed to them. Only one port required no entry visa: Shanghai, a self-governing Western trading enclave in what was technically Chinese territory, a political anomaly that became an escape hatch—if you were lucky enough to afford a ticket on one of the great Lloyd liners sailing to the East and safety.
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A very different story of Jewish refugees
- By Barbara on 06-29-24
By: Joseph Kanon
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Flags on the Bayou
- A Novel
- By: James Lee Burke
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews, Michael Crouch, Dana Gourrier, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In the fall of 1863, the Union army is in control of the Mississippi river. Much of Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, is occupied. The Confederate army is in disarray, corrupt structures are falling apart, and enslaved men and women are beginning to glimpse freedom. When Hannah Laveau, a formerly enslaved woman working on the Lufkin plantation, is accused of murder, she goes on the run with Florence Milton, an abolitionist schoolteacher, dodging the local constable and the slavecatchers that prowl the bayous.
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Difficult Engagement, Stretching Credulity
- By Craig on 07-19-23
By: James Lee Burke
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Twice the Trouble
- A Novel
- By: Ash Clifton
- Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Noland Twice, a star athlete turned private investigator, can find anyone, no matter how far they run or how well they hide. He works the Orlando-Tampa corridor, a bizarre land where theme parks and tourists coexist with drug deals and crooked businessmen. When a shady local executive, Valkenburg, goes missing, Noland is the only man for the job.
By: Ash Clifton
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A Reluctant Spy
- By: David Goodman
- Narrated by: Norman Bowman
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Jamie Tulloch is a successful exec at a top tech company, a long way from the tough upbringing that drove him to rise so far and so quickly. But he has a secret...since the age of 23, he's had a helping hand from the Legend Programme, a secret intelligence effort to prepare impenetrable backstories for undercover agents. Real people, living real lives, willing to hand over their identities for a few weeks in return for a helping hand with plum jobs, influence and access.
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Good story - narration was a challenge
- By Rob on 06-06-25
By: David Goodman
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Agents of Innocence
- A Novel
- By: David Ignatius
- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 14 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Agents of Innocence is the book that established David Ignatius's reputation as a master of the novel of contemporary espionage. Into the treacherous world of shifting alliances and arcane subterfuge comes idealistic CIA man Tom Rogers. Posted in Beirut to penetrate the PLO and recruit a high-level operative, he soon learns the heavy price of innocence in a time and place that has no use for it.
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breathy over-actor tarnishes an OK story
- By reader on 05-11-20
By: David Ignatius
Nice writing slow start , long finish
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Excellent, clever, and well performed.
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Better and better as the story evolves
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Overly descriptive
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Well written story with interesting outcome
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Riveting!
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More screenplay than spy novel
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Review:
I recently had the pleasure of delving into a captivating book that sheds light on the intertwined narratives of the CIA and the Arab Spring. This thought-provoking account not only offers a glimpse of historical events but also keeps readers on the edge of their seats with its intriguing blend of espionage, political upheaval, and, most importantly, human drama.
The book masterfully sheds light on the complex web of intelligence operations, covert actions, and geopolitical maneuvering that characterized the CIA's involvement during the Arab Spring. The author skillfully navigates the intricate landscape, providing valuable insights into the agency's role in the region and its impact on the movements that swept across several Arab nations, including the setting of narration - Bahrain.
What sets this book apart is its ability to humanize the individuals involved, both within the CIA and those driving the Arab Spring. The author weaves together personal narratives and behind-the-scenes accounts, rooted in her own eyewitness experience, to create a vivid tapestry of human experiences amidst the tumultuous backdrop of political change. These personal perspectives lend authenticity and emotional depth to the story, making it resonate on a profound level.
The book not only explores the events as they unfolded but also lifts a curtain into the complexities of the Arab Spring. It offers a humane view of the socio-political landscape, shedding light on the aspirations, frustrations, and aspirations of the people who participated in the uprisings. By contextualizing the actions of the CIA within this broader socio-political framework, the book paints a bright and bold picture of a pivotal era in recent history.
Furthermore, the writing style is engaging and accessible, in the best traditions of espionage and geopolitical thriller genre, making it accessible to both casual readers and those well-versed in the subject matter. The author strikes a perfect balance between providing historical context, delivering captivating narratives, and offering insightful analysis. This combination ensures that the book remains informative, gripping, and intellectually stimulating throughout.
In conclusion, this book offers a riveting glimpse of the CIA's involvement in the Arab Spring, presenting a multi-faceted account that is both enlightening and entertaining. Its ability to humanize the events and provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics involved is commendable. It has it all - a tale of human tragedy, a love story, espionage and covert operations, stories of travel. Whether you are interested in geopolitics, espionage, or simply seeking a gripping narrative that delves into a pivotal moment in contemporary history, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Fantastic book. An insightful glimpse into a complex world of geopolitics and espionage through a lens of human vulnerability.
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I can see this book being made into a movie
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story too long
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