The Persian. Is this David McCloskey's Boldest Spy Novel Yet?

British political journalist Tim Shipman is once again in conversation with David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst turned podcaster turned novelist, discussing his fourth and most ambitious book yet, The Persian. Buy The Persian - https://geni.us/VcZO2b Join the Spybrary Community - https://spybrary.com/join-our-community/ Support this channel on Patreon -   / spybrary   Departing from his CIA-rooted earlier work, McCloskey dives into the morally murky waters of the Israeli-Iranian shadow war. The novel, a high-stakes standalone thriller, follows a Mossad operation and an Iranian-born dentist-turned-reluctant-spy. They discuss the challenges of writing beyond American intelligence, the process of accessing former Mossad officers for research, the rich culture and contradictions of Iran, and the psychological complexity of agent-handler relationships. The episode also teases McCloskey's next book, the return of Artemis Proctor, and exciting developments for screen adaptations. So what is The Persian by David McCloskey all about, Shane? Kamran Esfahani, a dentist living out a dreary existence in Stockholm, agrees to spy for the Mossad after he’s recruited by Arik Glitzman, the chief of a clandestine unit tasked with running targeted assassinations and sabotage inside Iran. At Glitzman’s direction, Kam returns to his native Tehran and opens a dental practice there, using it as a cover for the Israeli intelligence agency. Kam proves to be a skillful asset, quietly earning money helping Glitzman smuggle weapons, run surveillance, and conduct kidnappings. But when Kam tries to recruit an Iranian widow seeking to avenge the death of her husband at the hands of the Mossad, the operation goes terribly wrong, landing him in prison under the watchful eye of a sadistic officer whom he knows only as the “General.” And now, after enduring three years of torture in captivity, Kamran Esfahani sits in an interrogation room across from the General, preparing to write his final confession. Kam knows it is too late to save himself. But he has managed to keep one secret—only one—and he just might be able to save that. In this haunting thriller, careening between Tehran and Tel Aviv, Istanbul and Stockholm, David McCloskey delivers an intricate story of vengeance, deceit, and the power of love and forgiveness in a world of lies. Chapters 00:00 Recruiting Mossad: A Tougher Nut to Crack 00:40 Welcome & Episode Intro by Shane Whaley 02:49 Tim Shipman Introduces David McCloskey 04:30 Why Leave the CIA Behind? The Bold Move Behind The Persian 06:04 Publisher Reactions & Mossad Research Challenges 08:41 Mossad vs. CIA: Tradecraft & Cultural Differences 12:45 The Premise: A Dentist Caught in the Crossfire 15:01 Writing Structure: Confessions, Timelines & Narrative Risks 17:24 Creating Eric Glitzman: Mossad Swagger & Real-Life Inspirations 20:01 Ethics of Assassination: "Killing to Save Lives" 22:32 Writing the Middle East: Staying Ahead of the Headlines 26:21 Portraying Iran: Culture, Corruption, and Complexity 29:17 Trust, Control & the Agent-Handler Illusion 31:09 The Interrogator: Cam's Unlikely Rapport 33:23 Is This McCloskey's Best Work Yet? 35:45 Book 5 Preview: Proctor Returns, UK-US Tensions Explored 38:45 Book 6 & Beyond + Film/TV Adaptation Teasers 40:52 Final Thoughts & Thank You