The Persian
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The Persian
What happens when a spy is forced to reckon with the consequences of his deception?
'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
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 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!'
Series: David McCloskey spy thriller
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INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781800754041
Publisher: Swift Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 02 July 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Swift Press
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 400
About the Author
David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst who worked in field stations across the Middle East and briefed senior White House officials and Arab royalty. His first novel, Damascus Station, was called ‘one of the best spy thrillers in years’ by The Times; his second, Moscow X, was a Sunday Times Thriller of the Year. His third, The Seventh Floor, was a Sunday Times bestseller, as was his fourth, The Persian. He is the co-host of the podcast The Rest is Classified, and lives in Texas.
Also by David McCloskey
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