No one I want Opening a Mystery to be for fellow crime fiction lovers looking for a new author to follow or a next book to read. This year, we had a debut writer to break out and win all kinds of awards. I.S. Berry, with The Peacock and the Sparrow, won the 2024 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, the 2024 Barry Award for Best First Mystery or Crime Novel, and the 2024 Thriller Award for Best First Novel, among others. It’s a safe bet she had to buy a new display case. And The Peacock and The Sparrow deserves each one of the accolades.
Review
Shane Collins, a jaded CIA analyst quickly reaching mandatory retirement age, is stationed in Bahrain during the Arab Spring. Many consider Bahrain a sleepy, inconsequential station for an agent to bide his time until retirement. Collin’s mission is to uncover evidence for the CIA’s position that Iranian is providing support for an insurgency against the government. But, as is often the case, the truth is harder to determine.
Collins carries the burdens, including alcoholism and disillusionment, that wear down the more experienced agents. His agency suspects his most trusted informant of being a double agent. Collins finds himself drawn into conflict with his station chief, a rising star in the agency. When he meets Almaisa, a beautiful and mysterious Bahraini artist, he’s drawn into the native culture that the Westerners have been so insulated from. Soon, he finds himself caught between Bahrain’s and his country’s own goals.
Author
For her novel, I.S. Berry drew upon her years working as an operations officer for the CIA. She has lived and worked in Europe and the Middle East, including Bahrain during the Arab Spring. She graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law and Haverford College.
As complex and descriptive as the story is, it’s easy to forget this is her debut novel. In an interview with Elena Hartwell for The Mystery of Writing blog, Ms. Berry described her protagonist, “In many ways, he’s a failure. But Collins is true-to-life. Authenticity was paramount to me. There are plenty of novels with glamorized, slick spies. It was important to write something that felt true to my experience, an unconventional spy novel. One that reflected the true weight and dimensions of espionage.”
No one will mistake Collins for James Bond, although you can easily imagine the two throwing back a couple of martinis. But in The Peacock and The Sparrow, Berry has given us an unforgettable glimpse into the shadowy and dangerous world of espionage.
The Peacock and The Sparrow by @isberryauthor @Tim Suddeth @OpeningAMystery #mysteries #thepeacockandthesparrow #spy Share on X