by Larry Bond
First published 2006
CIA operative Bob Ferguson leads his elite team into a web of religious extremism when the FBI calls for help investigating a radical cult. The zealots want to destroy Christianity by triggering a catastrophic confrontation in Jerusalem. Ferguson discovers the group has ties to Iraqi insurgents and a Syrian weapons dealer. He splits his team to follow multiple leads, working with Middle East expert Thera Majed to uncover the conspiracy. The clock runs down as the President prepares to visit Iraq for elections. Ferguson finds himself cooperating with Israel's Mossad agents, but questions whether they share the same goals. His investigation reveals two separate attacks planned for targets thousands of miles apart. Both strikes aim to ignite a massive religious war. Ferguson must decide which threat poses the greatest danger while navigating uncertain alliances and tracking fanatics across the Middle East.
Genres: military-fiction, adventure, suspense, action, espionage, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Iraq, Israel, Jerusalem, Middle East, Syria
Period: 21st-century
448 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Forge Books
Content warnings: violence