The Peacock And The Sparrow by I.S. Berry

A spy thriller set during the 2011 Arab Spring in Bahrain. Shane Collins, a near- retirement CIA operative, is tasked with uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency, but like the Arabian folk tale to which the novel owes it's title Shane develops a loyalty to his asset and his cause, placing him in a position where his action could potentially impact on the outcome of the civil revolt. Berry (pen name), like a number of the more recent crop of authors in the genre, was an operative in the CIA and specifically in Bahrain during the early part of the Arab Spring. Her writing, despite being delightfully packed with day-to-day "spy" details, is particularly mature for a first novel, and her character development thoroughly engaging. A novel that explores both the complexities of the individual and the group. 5/5