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The Persian

David McCloskey

Book cover: The Persian

‘A superb and compelling espionage drama inside the Iran Israel shadow war by the top spy thrillerist of these wild turbulent times’ Simon Sebag Montefiore

A great spy writer’ Tim Shipman

What happens when a spy is forced to reckon with the consequences of his deception?

Kamran Esfahani, a Persian Jewish dentist from Stockholm, dreams of starting afresh in California. To finance his new life, he agrees to spy for Mossad in Iran, working with a clandestine unit tasked with sowing chaos and sabotage inside the country. When he’s captured by Iranian security forces, Kamran is compelled to confess his experiences as a spy, in a testimonial dealing not only with the security of nations, but also with revenge, deceit, and the power of love and forgiveness in a world of lies.

Mixing suspense with strikingly cinematic action, David McCloskey takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel, delivering propulsive storytelling and riveting tradecraft.

THE FOURTH NOVEL FROM FORMER CIA OFFICER, THE REST IS CLASSIFIED PODCAST CO-HOST AND THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ***THE TIMES THRILLER OF THE YEAR***DAMASCUS STATION (‘One of the best spy thrillers in years’ THE TIMES) AND ***SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR*** MOSCOW X

READER REVIEWS

‘A brilliant gripping read. This is one of his best books’

An excellent read from the pen of one who has been there and done it all, especially in light of current events in the Middle East.’

‘This is the best book I have read in years. A superb spy novel.’

‘Couldn’t put it down, this is an amazing book…This is a must read from a great writer!’

Hardback

ISBN: 9781800754027

Published: January 29, 2026

Paperback

ISBN: 9781800754041

Published: July 2, 2026

Ebook

ISBN: 9781800754034

Published: September 30, 2025

Book cover: The Persian

Category:
Fiction

Reviews for The Persian

‘High drama and twists with characters you care about. There is much here on love and loyalty as well as deep cover operations. It’s deep and satisfying … traits of great tradecraft and headlong dash to the end. It proves he is a great spy writer’ – Tim Shipman, Spybrary

‘A superb and compelling espionage drama inside the Iran Israel shadow war by the top spy thrillerist of these wild turbulent times’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore

The Persian sees David McCloskey write himself into a completely new and different context – both Israeli and Iranian – in a way that seems completely authentic. The story is gripping and wholly topical and the telling of it is wonderfully executed’ – Charles Beaumont

‘A could-not-be-more-topical thriller focusing on the covert machinations of players operating inside the crucible of the wider Middle East conflict. Caught between personal desires and the hostilities of nation states, these all-too-human actors, in McCloskey’s hands, become both victims and aggressors of a war without end. An immaculate spy novel’ – Vaseem Khan

‘In four short years David McCloskey has written a quartet of spy thrillers which have rightly taken the genre by storm. The Persian is the best of the lot’ – Charles Cumming

‘[A] taut political thriller…. Intricately plotted and populated with multidimensional characters whose complicated motives drive them to desperation, the novel deftly balances geopolitical tensions and human stakes. Fans of John le Carré will have a tough time putting this down’Publishers Weekly

‘David McCloskey keeps writing spy thrillers, and the plots keep coming true’ – Mary Louise Kelly, NPR

The Persian instantly pulls the reader into a completely plausible and dramatic story, told in a fluent and highly original style. The plot and the main characters are so credible you half expect to see it unfold on the following days’ news. David McCloskey has written a clever novel which is hard to put down and is highly recommended’ – Alex Gerlis

‘David McCloskey made waves with his latest spy novel The Persian. Highlighting Mossad’s unique tradecraft in the shadow war with Iran, McCloskey hits another home run in describing the actual feel of espionage operations. Former case officers like myself have celebrated McCloskey’s writing, as getting our old world just right’ – Marc Polymeropoulos, former CIA senior intelligence service officer

Praise for Damascus Station:

‘One of the best – and most authentic – spy thrillers in years’ – The Times

‘Simply marvellous storytelling…a stand-out thriller and essential reading for fans of the genre’ – Financial Times

‘Breathlessly gripping and truly terrifying’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore

‘The best spy novel I have ever read’ – General David Petraeus, former director of the CIA

Author

David McCloskey

Author image: David McCloskey

David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and former consultant at McKinsey & Company. While at the CIA, he worked in field stations across the Middle East and briefed senior White House officials and Arab royalty. He lives in Texas.