A Cesspool of Spies by Linda Watkins

A covert peek into the seamy world of American espionage in the years following World War II, A Cesspool of Spies by Linda Watkins is an authentic post-war tale of finding purpose in the murkiest of waters. Simon Biggs is a twenty-something veteran with a good head on his shoulders, but no money in his pocket, so when he lands a job with the CIA that will pay for graduate school, he leaps at the chance. After a whirlwind of training, he is sent to Istanbul, where he quickly realizes that surviving in the capital of international intrigue is anything but a game, and if he isn’t careful, his first assignment may also be his last. Unlike so many other slick spy thrillers, Watkins’ novel presents a more humanized and humble side of intelligence operatives, while also delivering sharp dialogue, bursts of action, and searing tension, for a multifaceted historical thriller that is both page-turning and emotionally complex.