American Spy: A Novel

American Spy: A Novel

â€œ[This] unflinching, incendiary debut combines the espionage novels of John le CarrÃ© with the racial complexity of Ralph Ellisonâ€™s Invisible Man.â€â€”Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What if your sense of duty required you to betray the man you love?Â

Itâ€™s 1986, the heart of the Cold War, and Marie Mitchell is an intelligence officer with the FBI. Sheâ€™s brilliant, but sheâ€™s also a young black woman working in an old boysâ€™ club. Her career has stalled out, sheâ€™s overlooked for every high-profile squad, and her days are filled with monotonous paperwork. So when sheâ€™s given the opportunity to join a shadowy task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the charismatic revolutionary president of Burkina Faso whose Communist ideology has made him a target for American intervention, she says yes. Yes, even though she secretly admires the work Sankara is doing for his country. Yes, even though she is still grieving the mysterious death of her sister, whose example led Marie to this career path in the first place. Yes, even though a furious part of her suspects sheâ€™s being offered the job because of her appearance and not her talent.

In the year that follows, Marie will observe Sankara, seduce him, and ultimately have a hand in the coup that will bring him down. But doing so will change everything she believes about what it means to be a spy, a lover, a sister, and a good American.

Inspired by true eventsâ€”Thomas Sankara is known as â€œAfricaâ€™s Che Guevaraâ€â€”American Spy knits together a gripping spy thriller, a heartbreaking family drama, and a passionate romance. This is a face of the Cold War youâ€™ve never seen before, and it introduces a powerful new literary voice.

Praise for American Spy

â€œEchoing the stoic cynicism of Hurston and Ellison, and the verve of Conan Doyle, American Spy lays our complicitiesâ€”political, racial, and sexualâ€”bare. Packed with unforgettable characters, itâ€™s a stunning book, timely as it is timeless.â€â€”Paul Beatty, Man Booker Prizewinning author ofÂ The Sellout

â€œAmerican Spy is by turns suspenseful, tender, and funny, always smart and searingly honest. Lauren Wilkinson renders the world of spies with vivacity and depth, and shines a penetrating light on what itâ€™s like to be a black woman in America. But like all great novels, this one teaches us most about ourselves and our values. â€â€”Sara NoviÄ‡, author of Girl at War
Country USA
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2019-02-12
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2019-02-12
Format	Kindle eBook

American Spy: A Novel

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