Love a good spy thriller and wanted to love this one but just could not get into it. Alas. The book is very detailed but I think it is bogged down by this. I like my spy thrillers a bit quicker paced.

THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW by I. S. Berry is a promising debut novel. Berry's writing is extremely expressive, and she ably creates a sense of tension and danger in this espionage thriller (written by a former operations officer for the CIA). THE PEACOCK AND THE SPARROW received a starred review from Publishers Weekly ("auspicious first outing marks Berry as a writer to watch") and was on the Best Book of the Year list for NPR.

I could not get into this book. While the espionage plot lines appear to be good and reflect the author's CIA experience, the romance takes up too much of the story. Not as bad as Red London however, which is a romance novel pretending to be a spy novel.

Solid debut. I think of it more as a slow burn that builds the tension as it progresses rather than a non-stop action thriller. Berry builds her characters brick by brick as the story progresses, pulling you deeper in to their lives while still leaving you wondering what's around the next bend.

This book takes place during the Arab Spring. It is a spy novel, but not necessarily in the traditional Jason Borne niche. This book looks at the seedy underside of the spy world. Shane Collins is a middle aged spy, not one in the prime of life. I enjoyed the writing style quite a bit. It's not the fast paced thriller we are use to when it comes to spy novels, but it is still an interesting read.

Published by Atria Books on May 30, 2023

Spy novels are fundamentally about the betrayal of trust. The strategy of spying dictates that it is dangerous to trust. Yet spies must be trusted by their sources or the sources will not divulge valuable information. Determining the trustworthiness of sources and the information they provide is part of the espionage game. The Peacock and the Sparrow explores the difficulty of winning the game when spies base their assessment of trustworthiness on what politicians want to hear.

Shane Collins is an aging spy who has been posted to Bahrain. He is there in 2012, surrounded by rumors of the Arab Spring. Collins spends most of his time drinking, but he’s developed a source named Naqid. Collins trusts Naqid. The reader will wonder whether Collins is being played.

Collins’ head of station, Whitney Alden Mitchell, is the youngest station chief in CIA history. Mitchell has a strong sense of what his bosses want to hear. He specializes in giving them intelligence that makes them happy and assessing intelligence as unworthy of belief if his bosses won’t want to believe it.

Naqid is a member of “the opposition.” The opposition makes a nuisance of itself, throwing the occasional Molotov cocktail, as it protests the royals who govern Bahrain. There is good reason to protest the royals, as they have no regard for human rights. Yet the US supports them because the US perceives the enemy to be Iran and Bahrain is the enemy of that enemy. On the other hand, the opposition views westerners as infidels, despite Naqid’s apparent friendship with Collins.

A series of minor bombs near coffee shops frequented by Americans are blamed on the opposition. Mitchell has been told that the explosives were provided by Iran. Naqid tells Collins that the bombs were planted by the royals to win support from the Americans, including the lifting of sanctions so Bahrain can better respond to terrorist threats. Mitchell dismisses Naqid’s report because it isn’t what his bosses will want to hear. Could Naqid be telling the truth? Collins believes that what he’s saying makes a certain amount of sense.

The novel raises profound questions about whose side the US should take in the Middle East, or whether the US should be taking sides at all. Certainly, there’s truth in Naqid’s complaints that the ruling family suppresses dissenting voices and tortures prisoners, but the US is unreasonably tolerant of human rights violations that are committed by its allies. By the end of the story, it becomes clear that the opposition’s revolution will not be a favorable replacement for the ruling family. Sharia law is enforced overnight: assaults on liquor store owners, the imposition of strict dress codes, brothels burned, gay men shot, lawyers arrested. American expats who enjoyed cheap rent and cheaper sex are lining up to be evacuated. The CIA is shredding documents before the Embassy is overrun.

The plot follows Collins as he does some remarkably stupid things to assist Naqid, including dumping a dead body and picking up a package in Cambodia. Collins also continues a relationship with an artist named Almaisa after the CIA tells him she’s a security risk who needs to be kept at a distance. Why Collins makes such poor choices might be attributed to the fog of alcohol through which he perceives the world, although we don’t learn his true motivation for becoming the opposition’s courier until the novel’s end.

The Peacock and the Sparrow is unlike most spy novels in that the first-person narrator is not only unreliable but a poor excuse for a human being. Collins’ unreliability pertains to his inability to acknowledge his weaknesses. He drinks too much but denies his alcoholism. He justifies harmful acts by telling himself “I couldn’t have known.” He even asks himself, “What is knowledge?” Do we really know what we know? Collins indulges in philosophy to make his betrayals abstract and less important.

Collins’ first sexual encounter with Almaisa is pretty clearly a rape (he tears off her dress and apparently regards submission as consent) but, while he entertains a moment’s regret, he quickly convinces himself that he did nothing wrong. He meets women in brothels to confirm information he’s been given and, for no operational benefit, sleeps with them on the taxpayer’s dime. He punches Mitchell in the face, which clearly isn’t a wise career move. He tells himself he’s a good spy, but his tradecraft is lax (he doesn’t see a man who hits him on the head and robs him). He puts his hand on a gun that was used to shoot someone, one of several acts that potentially create incriminating evidence that could be used against him.

Collins’ paranoia seems to be sending him off the deep end. Is he being followed? Did someone break into his hotel room and search his luggage? Is Mitchell sleeping with Almaisa behind his back? All those things could be true, but they might be the alcohol-fueled imaginings of a mind that has lived too long in the darkness of espionage. The truth is not always clear, to either the reader or Collins, although most mysteries are resolved in the closing pages. A final twist sheds some light on who the novel’s greatest betrayer might be.

The novel builds tension as it nears its climax, particularly when Collins crosses borders and encounters checkpoints. Strong characterization is supported by observant prose and a grim but authentic sense of atmosphere in Bahrain and Cambodia. Collins isn’t likable but his messy life and dangerous liaisons are fascinating. The Peacock and the Sparrow is a skillful blend of history and fiction. It will certainly be among the best spy novels I’ll read this year.

RECOMMENDED

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of The Peacock and the Sparrow on Netgalley. After hearing a lot about this book, I couldn't wait to dive in.
And I was not disappointed.
This reads as one of the classic spy thrillers like le Carre. Filled with intricate detail, great characters and a setting that many do not know, it grabs your attention right away.
I loved the detail of spycraft throughout. As a reader, you gain a full understanding of what a foreign posting would be like, the aspects of the job and its impact on you.
Thoroughly enjoyed, hard to put down. Highly recommend.

A middling, age worn, lonely American spy Shane Collins nearing the end of his career is stationed in Bahrain. Bahrain is pulsing with unrest against the monarchy. Suspicion is directed at Iran, whom the Americans believe are fueling the flames of the insurgency. The ruling monarchy is Sunni Muslim, Iran is ruled by Shia Muslim. Surviving on alcohol fumes and cigarettes, Collins is getting by, not bringing in much intel except through one source - Naqid - scant intel at best. His boss is a twenty-eight year old guy - uneasy, sort of gauche, a character Collins turns his nose up at, but he is his boss after all. The mysterious and sometimes elusive tile artist Almaisa who Collins meets at a party has an interesting background and is passionate about an orphanage. Who is supporting the insurgents and what will they do next? Are the Americans adept at getting the right information? Do they really know who is foe and who is friend? Racing against the backdrop of a bubbling Bahrain, with full scale revolution imminent, what is Collins to do? This book has a great sense of place and time. Shane is certainly not a likable character - I felt he was probably a bit over “caricactured” - the drinking, womanizing, estranged from his son, lonely spy, but this is fiction or maybe not (?), given the author was an operations officer with the CIA. There’s twists and turns, multiple secret meetings, safe places, and a trip to Phnom Penh - all this made for a fast-paced spy story, at times slightly abrupt in the transitions, but still intriguing. Overall, I enjoyed the book, especially since it’s set in Bahrain - not many English written books are set there. I gave it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. A great debut book and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel, the writing is so good, the story so believable. Shane Collins is a CIA agent on his last tour in Bahrain, drinking his way through his final days, pumping his contact for details on any upcoming disruptions and trying to stay clear of conflict with his boss, a 28 year old, over 20 years younger than Shane. He becomes intimately involved with an artist who creates mosaics, and in an attempt to impress her he purchases one, The Tree of Life, which he installs in his villa. Shane keeps busy between meeting with his contact and his gradual seduction of Almaisa. The time period in around the Arab Spring when there was a lot of protests and uprising. I found much of the first part of the book a bit on the slow side, a lot of time was spent on Shane and his relationship with Almaisa, which later in the book is understandable. This is not a conventional spy type novel, Shane is an outcast even within his own community, a loner who likes to be alone. He has a tenuous relationship with his boss, someone he thinks is also pursuing Almaisa, something that arouses jealousy in him. The last portion of the book literally flies by, all the reasons why things were being done is revealed, at the same time the violence is upped significantly, the protesters are overtaking the limited police and the whole situation becomes chaotic. A very good book which I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Atria for the ARC.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this excellent CIA spy novel from Netgalley, author I. S. Berry, and publisher Simon Schuster. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Peacock and the Sparrow of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend this work to friends and family. It is a personal look into the turmoil of the 2011-2012 revolution known as Arab Spring as it affected Bahrain, and an open, honest look at the life of our operatives trying to stay a step ahead of the turmoil that is our world today.

You sure won't envy Shane Collins his chaotic, bone-tired, less-than-uplifting life, but you will respect the guts it takes for him to see it through. But you will see the world of the tumultuous Middle East with a clearer eye, and with more compassion for the people who are only pawns of that political machine. And before the end, you will acknowledge the effort it takes to power through a battle you are so very tired of fighting, where even the intentions of the 'good guys' are more than questionable, and the clear, clean worldview and sense of completion that Collins is able to attain with the addition of his growing relationship with artist Almaisa. 'The Peacock and the Sparrow' is a keeper. It is a book I will want to read again, and share with my family.
pub date May 30, 2023

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

I don't usually read spy novels because I've already seen the movie. This one was different. Instead of glamorizing spy work, it lays bare the corruption, arrogance and dissolution of many Americans working for the government overseas. The first two thirds of the novel were difficult for me because the American characters (esp the MC) were truly unlikeable, and I am the kind of person that is often drawn to unlikeable characters. But this was too real. Much of the plot was ripped from the headlines and I won't give it away, but it is very believable. Now they just need to make the movie so we can cleanse ourselves of those tired old spy movie tropes. This author can write and I look forward to her next work.

The author's credentials certainly lent this book an air of authenticity. The details are richly provided throughout, again, adding to the book's overall sense of realism. The story is layered with many sharp turns, not all pleasant. If spy novels are your thing, this book is definitely for you.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Atria Books for an advanced copy of this novel about espionage, romance, disillusionment, and finding something to believe in, no matter how tenuous it might be.

Two of the biggest characters in spy thrillers have both been around for a long time, been played by different actors, have problems with women, drink a little too much, and though they work for the same government, would probably hate each other. James Bond is urbane, fussy in food, drink and his comforts, rude to women and an assassin for his government. George Smiley is a fussy man, a civil servant with a wife who betrays him constantly, a little heavy, dull, but far more deadlier than Bond could ever be. Bond is more than willing to die for Queen, King or Country, Smiley is willing to let anyone die for the same goal. Bond does is killing close, Smiley by turning his back and letting it happen. In the middle is the real world of espionage. Spies would love to be Bond, hate the idea of Smiley, but find themselves more gaming the system rather than gambling in Blades. Though occasionally something does happen to remind agents that the human factor is actually human lives. And the Great Game suddenly gets real. The Peacock and the Sparrow is set during the Arab Spring when thoughts of change filled the Middle East, written by I. S. Berry, a former intelligence agent with experience in the field.

Shane Collins is on his last tour of his career, stationed in Bahrain, a small country near Saudi Arabia, in more ways than one, and working for the Central Intelligence Agency. Collins spends his days talking to a contact in the burgeoning resistance movement, looking for evidence of Iranian influence in the uprisings that are expected. Collins boss has no real experience in either the field or the Middle East and is pushing a narrative that blames Iran for everything, and ignoring the large shadow that the Saudis have in the country, and ally America does not want to annoy. The more Collins pushes his source the more apparant it is that all the problems in the country are coming from the corrupt leadership and failure of the government in many levels that have stirred resentment. Resentment that is gaining force. Collins also has a problem with a young woman, an artist, who Collins becomes entangled with, not in a good way. As things start to go bad Collins has to draw on skills Collins never knew he had, and deal with feelings he never thought he'd feel.

A spy story that has the real feel of authenticity to it, with situations that seemed to drawn from a CIA after action report. There are so many little things that really make the story soar. The smell of cheap cigarettes, not being able to park on base, the exhaustion of dealing with office people who should know better. The descriptions of the streets, and the way Collins talks to his contacts. The boredom. So many little things support the story, which again isn't destroying the world's oil reserves, but is a plot that will hurt many people, and seems much more personal. Shane Collins is not a nice guy. Collins is lazy with a hint of corruption, and a bigger hint of not just being burned out by the job, but by life. The rest of the characters are all unique and different, and seem not exotic foreigners, but people who live in a different part of the world, and can be seen in cafes and with families. Berry is very good at showing that espionage is getting little bits of information and making something of it, that it make take a long time just to get a little bit. I enjoyed the story, and found the country interesting along with the politics.

Recommended for spy fans who like their stories more low key, no oil tankers swallowing submarines here. For fans of the Red Swallow books, or even Alan Furst. Though set in different continents and eras, the writing has the same feel, along with the relationships. I look forward to more books by I. S. Berry.

Shane Collins works as an intelligence agent for the CIA and, as the second decade of the 21st century arrives, is reaching the end of his career. His last tour of duty finds him stationed in the country of Bahrain, off the coast of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain is under the heavy-handed rule of an autocratic Sunni King who enjoys the support and backing of the Saudis, with the country’s Shia population living in impoverished circumstances under substantial discrimination. With the advent of what will come to be known as the Arab Spring, rebellion is starting to brew amongst the Shia, and the US aims to maintain a neutral position in the dispute. The US doesn’t want to overtly offend their Saudi allies by supporting the opposition forces, but also refuses to provide requested military supplies for the Bahraini government. Against this backdrop, Collins is tasked with finding and using informants that can determine which if any outside forces might be fomenting the unrest, with Iran being of particular concern to his superiors. Collins is not a very aggressive agent; he has always done just enough to get by, and is not looking to expend much more effort now in these final months of his career. His primary source Naqid has yet to provide anything terribly useful, but as pressure mounts on Collins to procure solid information, he in turn pushes Naqid for more. Unfortunately, what Naqid is telling him isn’t matching what the powers above want to hear….he swears that Iran is not, in fact, funneling to the opposition weaponry and training. Collins becomes involved with a beautiful mosaic artist named Almaisa, and through his relationship with her and his increasing engagement with Naqid he finds himself more aligned with those allied against the Bahraini regime and less with the entitled, abrasive expat crowd with whom he lives and works. Collins questions the intelligence being fed to his boss and the results of a Bahraini investigation into an attack in expat territory; before long he is questioning the goals of his own country. Corruption, betrayals, and murder ensue, and Collins will find himself in the midst of an uprising that no one ever suspected would happen in Bahrain….in a role he never thought he would play. As the story from Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights of the peacock and the sparrow explains, even with the best of advice one cannot always escape one’s destiny.
I. S. Berry, author of The Peacock and the Sparrow, was herself an operations officer for the CIA for several years, and spent time in Bahrain during the Arab Spring and elsewhere in the MIddle East. She has imbued this novel with knowledge and impressions gained during her time there, and does a fantastic job of painting the scene of a country possessed of both great wealth and significant poverty, where the elite live in large homes in gated communities, with immigrant workers keeping gardens, lawns and pools in perfect order while blocks away the less fortunate can’t afford basic healthcare, and even children are swept up by government forces and imprisoned for showing alliance with the opposition. Bored embassy wives discuss cut-price plastic surgery, fantastic deals on opulent jewelry and the inconvenience of protests that block their route to the beauty salon. Alcohol is consumed frequently and in large amounts (for some, like Collins, it has tipped into problematic territory), over-the-top parties are de riguer….and few are very happy. Political decisions are made upon less than reliable information, and a blind eye is turned to bad behavior when those displaying it are those the US is supporting. For someone like Collins to not be cynical and concerned more about his own skin than others would hardly be likely. But this lazy, alcoholic and barely adequate agent finds himself unable to let the corruption and hypocrisy triumph, and as a reader I quickly found myself hoping for him to come out of this situation intact and maybe even lucky in love.
For fans of espionage whose protagonists don’t need to be as polished as James Bond or even all that noble, this novel is for you. Those who read Martin Cruz Smith or Daniel Silva might find this of appeal as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The Peacock and the Sparrow.

Thank you to the author, Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC to this book. I have not read a lot of classic espionage novels so for the first 50 pages or so I was confused. It was hard to figure out if we were supposed to root for the protagonist, Shane Collins or not. He seems to be a grizzled veteran of the CIA who is approaching retirement. His seen it all, done it all attitude makes him a hard to like character. However, as the Arab Spring arises though, we begin to see the soul of the man and what makes him tick. I would not call this a feel good story at all, but I found the motivations and actions of the characters all very believable. Because this book didn't leave me feeling good at the end, I cannot give it 5 stars, but I have to say this was a very thought provoking book, and I really enjoyed it. 4-stars!

An enthralling read that captivated me. The Peacock and The Sparrow by I.S. Berry reminded me of Philip Marlowe and Columbo with a very descriptive first-person narration.

I was intrigued by the cynical, jaded, and somewhat lawless spy Shane Collins, who is in his final assignment stationed in Bahrain. Shane takes us on an espionage journey battling good vs evil and which side is which.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, with the vivid descriptions of Bahrain, as well as the interesting and formidable characters of informants, lovers, ex-pats, admirals, and lonely spouses.

Thank @NetGalley and @atriabooks for my eARC.
#netgalley #atriabooks

I was excited to check this one out. I liked the description. The cover is amazing.

However, it was very melodramatic to me in the worst ways. Is it an okay spy narrative, yes. Does it stand out amongst others? No. Perhaps that is unfair. Perhaps not.

Read it. Judge for yourself.

It is with regret that I report that I could not finish The Peacock and the Sparrow. I felt that the writing and plot were difficult, encumbered a lot by the author's tendency to describe things to excess. His characters were not appealing to me. Finally I just didn't care what happened in the novel.
But I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and hope a future novel is smoother.

Having been a lover of espionage fiction, I was thrilled to get my hands on this thriller set during the days of Arab Spring and combining the crucial elements of this genre with some romance. A beautifully written novel!

The Peacock and the Sparrow is an engaging espionage and character-driven narrative that speaks to the dark, thankless, and necessary trade of spies. I.S. Berry may be a new face in the thrillerverse but he propels the debut with his explosive and palpable challenges as a former CIA officer. If you prefer your spy books to emphasize the grounded tone of operating behind enemy lines, you’ll want to pay attention.

Embodying a first person POV, I.S Berry takes us on a treacherous journey as Shane Collins, a world-weary CIA spy who is just wanting for his career to be over. He is stationed in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia for his final tour as an intelligence officer working with and against all the sides in the ongoing conflict of uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency against the monarchy. Unsure of who to trust anymore, he leaves a solitary life. His banal outlook changes as his trusted informant ropes him into a revolution that upends all that he had come to believe in. All that he can do is trust to work through the storm and uncover the blurred lines between the dark secrets of both Bahrain and the United States.

It will catch you off-guard with how unlikable its protagonist is. With deep-rooted flaws and some out-right revulsion, it isn’t a happy tale. Perhaps that’s why this narrative stands out so well when it dissects the dark side of espionage where everyone looks out for themselves and no one can be trusted. There are no flashy action sequences. The lack of action however is complimented by sharp dialogues and fascinating twists and turns that focus on the Shane Collins navigating through changes in his life just when he imagined all would be over for him. The genuine nature of the described espionage tradecrafts gives it a tinge of non-fiction flavor as if listening to an old-school story by a man looking back at his regrets. The thriller aspect kicks in almost immediately though, as Collins starts unraveling dirty secrets right in the midst of a growing revolution, packing in a paradoxical chaotic serenity where anything can happen but you are put in the mindset to watch everything turn to ash as a parting gift.


Full review to be posted on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain