The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry – Paperback
Award-Winning Masterpiece
- 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
A Spy Torn Between Duty and Desire
In the throes of the Arab Spring, Bahrain is a cauldron of unrest, and Shane Collins, a weary CIA operative, is nearing the end of his career. Tasked with uncovering Iranian ties to the uprising, Shane expects a quiet end to his time in the field—until he meets Almaisa, an enigmatic artist who reveals a Bahrain far removed from the expat bubble.
Their growing connection awakens questions Shane has long avoided, but when a trusted informant is implicated in a murder, his final mission becomes a perilous maze of betrayal and shifting allegiances. As the revolution intensifies, Shane is forced to navigate a world where truth is a shadow, loyalty is fragile, and love is a dangerous vulnerability.
Written by former CIA officer I.S. Berry, The Peacock and the Sparrow combines the intrigue of classic spy fiction with the urgency of a political thriller. This compelling debut captures the complexities of espionage, the human cost of revolution, and the blurred lines between personal and professional loyalty.
For readers of John le Carré and Graham Greene, this is a story of love, deception, and the search for truth in a world teetering on the edge of chaos.
The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry - Paperback
I.S. Berry spent six years as an operations officer for the CIA, serving in wartime Baghdad and elsewhere. She has lived and worked throughout Europe and the Middle East, including two years in Bahrain during the Arab Spring. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and Haverford College. Raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC, she lives in Virginia with her husband and son.