Former CIA analyst Karen Cleveland is the author of this month's debut thriller Need to Know about a female agent who finds herself at the center of a Russian sleeper cell. We asked Cleveland to tell us what books correctly portray life in the CIA.
I spent eight years as a CIA analyst, working first on Russia and later on counterterrorism. I wrote my debut novel, Need to Know, while on maternity leave from the CIA. It might be no surprise, then, that the protagonist in Need to Know is a mother of young kids—I was home with an infant and a toddler when I wrote it!
In Need to Know, a CIA analyst working to uncover a cell of Russian sleeper agents makes a discovery that threatens everything important to her—including her family. The book has been optioned for film by Universal Studios, with Charlize Theron attached to produce and star.
I find books about the CIA fascinating. Because it’s such a secretive community, I think it’s sometimes difficult for non-Agency authors to write about it. And those who’ve worked for the CIA have to find a way to provide realistic detail without disclosing classified information. These are some books that I think get it right in terms of portraying what it’s like to work for the CIA:
FICTION
"Red Sparrow is an authentic look at modern spy tradecraft from someone who spent years in the field practicing it."
"In The Triple Agent, Joby Warrick provides a powerful account of the challenges that counterterrorism analysts and operators face in determining who to trust."
"Keeping secrets for a living can complicate life outside work, as Chris Pavone aptly describes in this engrossing novel."
"Intelligence is a satirical take on an enduring priority for CIA analysts: speaking the truth and making sure policymakers hear it."
"Red Cell, a thriller that centers around an actual Agency think tank, is full of detail about Langley."
Karen Cleveland's Need to Know hits bookshelves on January 23. Add it to you Want to Read shelf here.
What spy thrillers would you recommend to your fellow readers? Let us know in the comments!
Check out more recent blogs:
Rising Up: Pierce Brown on Shaping Our World Through Stories
40 of the Hottest Mysteries & Thrillers of 2018
2018's Big Book-to-Screen Adaptations
posted by Cybil on January, 10
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