An agent tries to turn a member of the Syrian regime, everyone has their motivations and it all really good.

A volatile mix of traditional espionage plotlines intertwined with a modern level of violence that had me flipping pages until the early morning hours.David McCloskey does a fantastic job painting a fictional yet realistic picture of the people and places involved in the brutal, heartbreaking civil war taking place early in the 21st century.

The plot is a bit of a slow burner initially, with suspense gradually building, and the author skillfully creates tension out of seemingly mundane moments, like a character inserting a USB stick loaded with CIA spyware onto her boss's computer. It had shades of Red Sparrow but somehow I think Syria may be a little more ruthless and plays by fewer rules than Russia. But the cat and mouse chase for the killer soon leads to a trail of high-profile assassinations and the discovery of a dark secret at the heart of the Syrian regime, bringing the pair under the all-seeing eyes of Assad's spy catcher, Ali Hassan, and his brother Rustum, the head of the feared Republican Guard.

The CIA find a potential target in a mid-level official working in the Palace – Mariam Haddad, and Sam is sent back in to recruit her. As Sam Joseph dives headfirst into the intricate world of intelligence, readers are treated to a rollercoaster of twists and turns that keep them guessing until the very end.