What do you think?
Rate this book
The Persian: A Novel
From former CIA analyst and best-selling author David McCloskey, a novel that takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel.
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.
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.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
1570 people are currently reading
11178 people want to read
About the author
David McCloskey
11 books1,358 followersDavid McCloskey is the author of the novels Damascus Station, Moscow X, The Seventh Floor, and The Persian, and is cohost of the podcast The Rest Is Classified. A former CIA analyst, he worked at Langley and in field stations across the Middle East. He lives in Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
November 24, 2025
I picked up The Persian as my first foray into David McCloskey’s work, and I’m glad I did. What immediately struck me was that while it doesn’t lean heavily into trade craft—there are fewer long scenes of surveillance gadgetry or deep-tech spy maneuvers than some thrillers—the storyline still had me hooked from the start. The pacing never slackens, and the author clearly knows how to turn the screw of tension. Others have noted that McCloskey “delivers an intricate story of … the deadly shadow war between Iran and Israel.”
The characters stood out to me as especially well-formed and believable. The protagonist’s reluctant transformation, the emotional undercurrents of conflicted loyalties, and the moral ambiguity of the espionage world all felt real. I appreciated how the “cross and double cross” elements were handled—McCloskey keeps them clean enough that I never got lost, yet they still felt layered and clever. Professionally-reviewed remarks support this: one reviewer said, “characters are vividly drawn and often endearing” and praised the way the multiple threads weave together without losing coherence.
The interludes in the present day worked remarkably well. I found that jumping back and forth between past operations and present consequences gave depth to the story, grounding the action in real stakes. It kept the suspense alive, because even as I understood there was an endpoint coming, I couldn’t quite predict how it would play out. And speaking of the ending—-you’ll only get the “last kept secret” in the very last few minutes of the audio version. That reveal hit me as satisfying and unexpected enough to make me want to continue exploring McCloskey’s catalogue. One reviewer calls the novel “a masterfully constructed espionage thriller … the tension consistently building … and just when you think you know how the story ends… bam!”
All told: this first McCloskey book was a strong start. Smooth narration of the Audible version helped me stay immersed, the characters held their weight, and the plot delivered solidly without over-indulging in technical tradecraft. I’ll definitely be seeking out another McCloskey book before long.
The characters stood out to me as especially well-formed and believable. The protagonist’s reluctant transformation, the emotional undercurrents of conflicted loyalties, and the moral ambiguity of the espionage world all felt real. I appreciated how the “cross and double cross” elements were handled—McCloskey keeps them clean enough that I never got lost, yet they still felt layered and clever. Professionally-reviewed remarks support this: one reviewer said, “characters are vividly drawn and often endearing” and praised the way the multiple threads weave together without losing coherence.
The interludes in the present day worked remarkably well. I found that jumping back and forth between past operations and present consequences gave depth to the story, grounding the action in real stakes. It kept the suspense alive, because even as I understood there was an endpoint coming, I couldn’t quite predict how it would play out. And speaking of the ending—-you’ll only get the “last kept secret” in the very last few minutes of the audio version. That reveal hit me as satisfying and unexpected enough to make me want to continue exploring McCloskey’s catalogue. One reviewer calls the novel “a masterfully constructed espionage thriller … the tension consistently building … and just when you think you know how the story ends… bam!”
All told: this first McCloskey book was a strong start. Smooth narration of the Audible version helped me stay immersed, the characters held their weight, and the plot delivered solidly without over-indulging in technical tradecraft. I’ll definitely be seeking out another McCloskey book before long.
July 2, 2025
I was able to get an early copy of The Persian from NetGalley.
The Persian is written from the viewpoint of Kamran Esfehani, an Iranian Jew that has been working for the Mossad for a few years. You quickly learn that he is writing his story under duress, while being held prisoner by the General.
He is writing his tale for the last time. It starts with his recruitment by the Mossad in Sweden and continues through different missions up to ultimately his capture.
We know his reasons for cooperating with Mossad, we see why Mossad is targeting these individuals in Tehran and the story is gripping.
This story has many excellent characters and as the story continues, you grow attached to them. There are twists to the story, a few surprises and you want to see how it ends.
I must say that the ending was completely surprising and I cannot think of a better one. It was excellent. I held the book for a few minutes just thinking about it, shocked by how good it was.
Another masterclass by David McCloskey.
The Persian is written from the viewpoint of Kamran Esfehani, an Iranian Jew that has been working for the Mossad for a few years. You quickly learn that he is writing his story under duress, while being held prisoner by the General.
He is writing his tale for the last time. It starts with his recruitment by the Mossad in Sweden and continues through different missions up to ultimately his capture.
We know his reasons for cooperating with Mossad, we see why Mossad is targeting these individuals in Tehran and the story is gripping.
This story has many excellent characters and as the story continues, you grow attached to them. There are twists to the story, a few surprises and you want to see how it ends.
I must say that the ending was completely surprising and I cannot think of a better one. It was excellent. I held the book for a few minutes just thinking about it, shocked by how good it was.
Another masterclass by David McCloskey.
August 20, 2025
As much as I liked "Damascus Station" and Moscow X," this one really didn't do it for me. I found the multiple timelines and perspectives confusing and was a quarter through the book before I figured out what was going on. It kind of smoothed out after that but was painfully slow. I kept reading and while the ending somewhat redeemed the book, I wouldn't really recommend this. If you haven't read David McCloskey before, start with "Damascus Station."
Thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an advanced reader copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an advanced reader copy.
October 24, 2025
Unfortunately I struggled to finish Mc Closkey’s latest book which was very disappointing as his earlier novels were excellent. It felt that he was trying to be LeCarre without a strong and eventual storyline. However, he does create an authenticity in his books which kept me reading.
Sorry David not your best, at least in my opinion.
Sorry David not your best, at least in my opinion.
August 14, 2025
Disclaimer: I won this ARC in a GoodReads giveaway but that in NO WAY influenced my review. The book should be published in late Sept. 2025.
I loved this book and hated this book all at once. I LOVED it because I learned a LOT about world affairs and the Middle East which I was woefully ignorant about. For that reason I also hated the book because it forced me to do a lot of look-ups along the way in reading the book---locations and groups for the most part. Do you know what The Mossad is? Do you know exactly where locations in Iran are? It is not a fast or pleasant read but I feel it is a very important story for everyone...hence the 5 star rating.
I loved this book and hated this book all at once. I LOVED it because I learned a LOT about world affairs and the Middle East which I was woefully ignorant about. For that reason I also hated the book because it forced me to do a lot of look-ups along the way in reading the book---locations and groups for the most part. Do you know what The Mossad is? Do you know exactly where locations in Iran are? It is not a fast or pleasant read but I feel it is a very important story for everyone...hence the 5 star rating.
March 30, 2026
‘The Persian’ by David McCloskey is an insider’s fictional novel about ideological and warlike sparring between Israel’s and Iran’s “special collections” units, i.e. spies, and the people they each recruit to work “in the field”. To tell the truth, since both countries utilize the same techniques in trying to damage the other, the fact that one group are Jews and the other are Muslims barely registered to this reader. The novel describes what only can be a “Great Game”, indeed. The author, David McCloskey, may or may not have intentionally designed the action in such a manner that the leaders of the antagonists could have been interchangeable, I don’t know. McCloskey was a CIA analyst, and he worked at Langley and in Middle Eastern field stations before becoming an author of spy novels.
From Wikipedia:
“The "Great Game" was a 19th-century diplomatic and strategic rivalry between the British and Russian Empires for supremacy in Central and South Asia. Spanning roughly from 1830 to 1907, the contest centered on Russia's expansion toward India, considered the "jewel" of the British Empire, and Britain's efforts to secure a buffer zone, particularly in Afghanistan.”
In my opinion the Great Game is still ongoing between many nations, but in ‘The Persian’ it is Israel and Iran who are the opposing teams.
I have copied the book blurb:
”From former CIA analyst and best-selling author David McCloskey, a novel that takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel.
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.”
Of course, the book is fascinating since it reads like a fictionalized story based on real life, and it includes what are very likely loads of insider information about the spycraft which is possibly true and as real as the book feels to be.
I highly recommend ‘The Persian’! Especially today in the second month of Donald Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s new Middle Eastern war. However, the book is only a fictional chapter in the tribal struggle between Israel and Iran, and a “feels real” look at the spying trade only. It holds no answers or suggestions on ending the hatreds. It does highlight why some of the clashes have grown these regional disputes into unresolvable ideological armageddons.
From Wikipedia:
“The "Great Game" was a 19th-century diplomatic and strategic rivalry between the British and Russian Empires for supremacy in Central and South Asia. Spanning roughly from 1830 to 1907, the contest centered on Russia's expansion toward India, considered the "jewel" of the British Empire, and Britain's efforts to secure a buffer zone, particularly in Afghanistan.”
In my opinion the Great Game is still ongoing between many nations, but in ‘The Persian’ it is Israel and Iran who are the opposing teams.
I have copied the book blurb:
”From former CIA analyst and best-selling author David McCloskey, a novel that takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel.
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.”
Of course, the book is fascinating since it reads like a fictionalized story based on real life, and it includes what are very likely loads of insider information about the spycraft which is possibly true and as real as the book feels to be.
I highly recommend ‘The Persian’! Especially today in the second month of Donald Trump’s and Benjamin Netanyahu’s new Middle Eastern war. However, the book is only a fictional chapter in the tribal struggle between Israel and Iran, and a “feels real” look at the spying trade only. It holds no answers or suggestions on ending the hatreds. It does highlight why some of the clashes have grown these regional disputes into unresolvable ideological armageddons.
October 12, 2025
This book is very slow, you have no idea, and mostly given up in the first 30% of the book. You would have no idea who are these people and why their ideology interests you. Not until 50% of it , there is finally a story line that make sense. One thing I'm not sure is why the author choose to do so much deep dive into the culture, the hatred of the Isreal and Iran and in the end, you don't really like any of the characters.
While the ending of the book is a happy one, I actually don't think this is realistic and the drag of the whole book is way too much that I'm a bit disappointed.
While the ending of the book is a happy one, I actually don't think this is realistic and the drag of the whole book is way too much that I'm a bit disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2025
This was a very compelling story that drew me in from the start. I wasn't sure how the story being told as a confession from a prisoner would go, but the author laid it all out very nicely. There were plenty of shocking moments that made me actually gasp and enough twists to keep things very interesting. I continue to enjoy the author's story telling and will look forward to whatever book he writes next!
Thank you to W.W. Norton & Company and Net Galley for this ARC. #ThePersian #NetGalley
Thank you to W.W. Norton & Company and Net Galley for this ARC. #ThePersian #NetGalley
October 7, 2025
I feel like the author has lost steam with this one. I bought it thinking it would link together with his other previous novels but I don’t think there were any similar characters. I was disappointed with the plot and just did not feel invested in the story.
October 19, 2025
In full disclosure: the author is a personal friend, so I can’t give an unbiased review. However, Dave does an excellent job in describing the spy recruitment process and dangerous assignments for espionage. I definitely recommend this book for those who love spy thrillers!
December 14, 2025
A brutal battle between spy organizations - Israel's Mossad and Iran's Qods Force - that becomes personal forms the centerpiece of this story. It's told from the perspective of Kam Esfahani, a Persian Jew, as he writes (and rewrites) his confession from prison in Iran. Kam, who was assisting Mossad in their attempts to kill scientists and key military figures in Iran, was captured in an otherwise successful operation to kidnap an Irani Colonel. His capture was mostly due to his desperate attempt to help Roya, a woman whom he had deceived into assisting Mossad's operation, escape retribution. The plot is intricate and occasionally confusing to follow, but that is not unusual in a spy thriller - and in this case, knowing that there is one last secret that Kam has withheld from his confession (and the reader) extends the suspense to the final pages of the book. This may be McCloskey's best effort so far.
November 28, 2025
3.5 stars. I ultimately liked this book a lot but it’s def my least favorite of McCloskey’s books (though I would characterize myself as a David McCloskey super fan, so that’s still pretty good.) This book was just very slow and I was not called to keep picking it up (until I literally just forced myself to read the last 80 pages, which were great and not slow at all.) It might just boil down to me missing the CIA and Artemis Aphrodite Proctor, a setting and character where McCloskey seems more comfortable.
October 5, 2025
It’s really uncomfortable reading anything with Mossad as the good guys right now, although in this case the moral ambiguity of their actions is not ignored. Not sure I buy the ending, either. That said, this is suspenseful and engaging.
October 10, 2025
His best yet...and I am a huge fan of his first three novels. This one rings true and paints a very realistic picture of how the Mossad may operate in Iran. Emotional, action-packed, and full of vibrant characters.
November 6, 2025
Honestly I found it boring and monotonous
November 12, 2025
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the arrival of the mullahs at the head of Iran’s attempt at theocracy relations with the United States have been fraught with hatred. Over the years wars, assassinations, terrorism, computer related attacks, spying, kidnappings, a nuclear deal and its revocation, and economic sanctions have been the norm. Today Iran finds itself at a crossroad. Its Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is eighty-six years old and nearing the end of his reign, and as Karim Sadjadpour writes in his November/December 2025 issue of Foreign Affairs, “The Autumn of the Ayatollahs” the twelve day war last June laid bare the fragility of the system he built. Israel bombed Iranian urban centers and military installations, allowing the United States to drop fourteen bunker busting bombs on their nuclear sites. Tehran’s ideological bravado and its inability to protect its borders along with the defeat of its proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas has reduced its threat to the region.
Apart from the succession problem Iran faces a choice of how to prioritize its nuclear program, but with no negotiations, oversight, or concrete knowledge of Tehran’s stock of nuclear material another war with Israel seems inevitable. Despite Donald Trump’s insistence that the United States “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, officials and analysts are less sanguine. Iran may have been weakened, but it has not become irrelevant. As the rhetoric between Iran and the Trump administration ratchets up it is clear that the Tehran government suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of Israel and the United States. The Iranian economy continues in a freefall, and the regime remains in power through coercion and threats. In this domestic and diplomatic climate, a novel that reflects the current forceful environment should attract a strong readership. THE PERSIAN by former CIA analyst and best-selling author David McCloskey, fits that need as the author takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel and plays out a scenario that is quite plausible.
McCloskey begins the novel describing the assassination of Abbas Shabani, an Iranian scientist who was an expert on drone-cladding, making drones invisible. The murder was carried out by a woman using a joystick at a Mossad site near Tel Aviv. The operation continues Israeli policy of killing anyone it believes is a threat to the Jewish state engaging in any component of Iran’s nuclear preparation – a policy that is accurate in fiction as well as the real world. McCloskey immediately shifts to an Iranian interrogation room where Kamran (Kam) Esfahani, a Persian Jewish dentist. Kam, the main character and narrator of this taut political thriller, is counting down the days until he has enough money to leave Sweden for sunny California. The interrogation allows Kam to rewrite and rework his confession over a three year period enabling the author to recount his novel through Kam’s acknowledgement of being part of a plot that killed Ismail Qaani, a member of the Qods Force, Unit 840. The group is run by Colonel Jaffer Ghorbani whose reason for being created is to kill Jews. Kam had been recruited by Arik Glitzman, head of the Mossad’s Caesarea Division, who offered to pay him a fortune to sow chaos in Iran. Trading the monotony of dentistry for the perils of espionage, he runs a sham dental practice in Tehran as a cover for smuggling weapons and conducting surveillance. McCloskey offers a wonderful description of Glitzman which is emblematic of his character development as the head of the elite team within the Caesarea Division of Mossad is described as “Napoleonic, short and paunchy with a thatch of black hair and a round face bright with a wide smile. There was fun in his eyes and if they had not belonged to a secret servant of the state…they might have belonged to a magician, or a kindergarten teacher.”
In addition to using Kam’s voice to relate a major part of the story, McCloskey organizes the novel by repeatedly shifting back and forth in time and location as he organizes his chapters. A key character who appears often is Roya Shabani who witnessed the assassination of her husband and seeks revenge against Israel. She will be given that opportunity as part of Ghorbani’s unit, initially carrying out low level tasks. Soon her immediate superior, Hossein Moghaddam, a Qods Operation Officer, who falls for her carries out an assassination of Meir Ben-Ami, Arik Glitzman’s deputy reflecting the real world that Israeli and Iranian intelligence regularly engage in.
McCloskey’s CIA background and research allow him to portray assassinations, the use of technology for spy craft, recruitment of assets, and organizing operations in such a realistic manner heighten the reader’s immersion into the novel. In an NPR interview which took place on “All Things Considered” program on September 29, 2025, McCloskey admits that as a former CIA analyst who has been posted throughout the Middle East he is able to draw upon a great deal of inside knowledge in creating his characters and present them as authentically as possible. The authenticity of his characters and storyline is enhanced as his novel must pass through CIA censors and at times he is amazed as to what the “Publication Review Board” allowed to remain in the book. In a sense the book itself is prewritten as the actions of Iranian and Israeli intelligence officials and agents create the bones of an insane spy novel.
Aspects of McCloskey’s novel weigh heavily on the real world of espionage as the author delves into the fact that Israel was at a disadvantage in the world of espionage since it did not have diplomatic relations with the countries that surround her in the Arab world – it did not have embassies to hide intelligence officers who could carry out its operations. As a result, operational teams are cobbled together, surged to where they are needed, and disbanded when the operation is completed. Israel has to create different types of cover than the United States, United Kingdom and others because of this disadvantage and it amazes how successful they are when the playing field is not level.
McCloskey is very successful in creating multiple storylines as he goes back and forth between time periods and locations. A major shift occurs when the kidnapping of a target fails as somehow he is murdered. This causes Glitzman to change his plans on the fly resulting in Roya becoming a major focus of the novel. Her evolution from the spouse of a scientist to an espionage asset is fascinating as is that of Kam. The author does an exceptional job tracing Kam’s progression from an unsuccessful Iranian Jewish dentist raised in Sweden into a reluctant and fearful spy into someone who becomes devoted to his mission. The explanation that is offered makes sense as Kam develops his own feelings of revenge toward Iran and its agents who kicked his family out of the country, for decades has laid siege to the country of Israel and wants to eradicate its entire population. The problem is that his mission will result in his capture and the reader must wait until the last page to learn the entire truth bound up in his confession.
The author’s goal in the book, which was already written before the war of last summer, was to go beneath that kind of overt conflict and get to the heart of the shadow war between Israel and Iran. After reading THE PERSIAN it is clear that he accomplishes his goal completely as his characters must survive in a world of intrigue, paranoia, and what appears to be a world of endless violent retribution.
Apart from the succession problem Iran faces a choice of how to prioritize its nuclear program, but with no negotiations, oversight, or concrete knowledge of Tehran’s stock of nuclear material another war with Israel seems inevitable. Despite Donald Trump’s insistence that the United States “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, officials and analysts are less sanguine. Iran may have been weakened, but it has not become irrelevant. As the rhetoric between Iran and the Trump administration ratchets up it is clear that the Tehran government suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of Israel and the United States. The Iranian economy continues in a freefall, and the regime remains in power through coercion and threats. In this domestic and diplomatic climate, a novel that reflects the current forceful environment should attract a strong readership. THE PERSIAN by former CIA analyst and best-selling author David McCloskey, fits that need as the author takes readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel and plays out a scenario that is quite plausible.
McCloskey begins the novel describing the assassination of Abbas Shabani, an Iranian scientist who was an expert on drone-cladding, making drones invisible. The murder was carried out by a woman using a joystick at a Mossad site near Tel Aviv. The operation continues Israeli policy of killing anyone it believes is a threat to the Jewish state engaging in any component of Iran’s nuclear preparation – a policy that is accurate in fiction as well as the real world. McCloskey immediately shifts to an Iranian interrogation room where Kamran (Kam) Esfahani, a Persian Jewish dentist. Kam, the main character and narrator of this taut political thriller, is counting down the days until he has enough money to leave Sweden for sunny California. The interrogation allows Kam to rewrite and rework his confession over a three year period enabling the author to recount his novel through Kam’s acknowledgement of being part of a plot that killed Ismail Qaani, a member of the Qods Force, Unit 840. The group is run by Colonel Jaffer Ghorbani whose reason for being created is to kill Jews. Kam had been recruited by Arik Glitzman, head of the Mossad’s Caesarea Division, who offered to pay him a fortune to sow chaos in Iran. Trading the monotony of dentistry for the perils of espionage, he runs a sham dental practice in Tehran as a cover for smuggling weapons and conducting surveillance. McCloskey offers a wonderful description of Glitzman which is emblematic of his character development as the head of the elite team within the Caesarea Division of Mossad is described as “Napoleonic, short and paunchy with a thatch of black hair and a round face bright with a wide smile. There was fun in his eyes and if they had not belonged to a secret servant of the state…they might have belonged to a magician, or a kindergarten teacher.”
In addition to using Kam’s voice to relate a major part of the story, McCloskey organizes the novel by repeatedly shifting back and forth in time and location as he organizes his chapters. A key character who appears often is Roya Shabani who witnessed the assassination of her husband and seeks revenge against Israel. She will be given that opportunity as part of Ghorbani’s unit, initially carrying out low level tasks. Soon her immediate superior, Hossein Moghaddam, a Qods Operation Officer, who falls for her carries out an assassination of Meir Ben-Ami, Arik Glitzman’s deputy reflecting the real world that Israeli and Iranian intelligence regularly engage in.
McCloskey’s CIA background and research allow him to portray assassinations, the use of technology for spy craft, recruitment of assets, and organizing operations in such a realistic manner heighten the reader’s immersion into the novel. In an NPR interview which took place on “All Things Considered” program on September 29, 2025, McCloskey admits that as a former CIA analyst who has been posted throughout the Middle East he is able to draw upon a great deal of inside knowledge in creating his characters and present them as authentically as possible. The authenticity of his characters and storyline is enhanced as his novel must pass through CIA censors and at times he is amazed as to what the “Publication Review Board” allowed to remain in the book. In a sense the book itself is prewritten as the actions of Iranian and Israeli intelligence officials and agents create the bones of an insane spy novel.
Aspects of McCloskey’s novel weigh heavily on the real world of espionage as the author delves into the fact that Israel was at a disadvantage in the world of espionage since it did not have diplomatic relations with the countries that surround her in the Arab world – it did not have embassies to hide intelligence officers who could carry out its operations. As a result, operational teams are cobbled together, surged to where they are needed, and disbanded when the operation is completed. Israel has to create different types of cover than the United States, United Kingdom and others because of this disadvantage and it amazes how successful they are when the playing field is not level.
McCloskey is very successful in creating multiple storylines as he goes back and forth between time periods and locations. A major shift occurs when the kidnapping of a target fails as somehow he is murdered. This causes Glitzman to change his plans on the fly resulting in Roya becoming a major focus of the novel. Her evolution from the spouse of a scientist to an espionage asset is fascinating as is that of Kam. The author does an exceptional job tracing Kam’s progression from an unsuccessful Iranian Jewish dentist raised in Sweden into a reluctant and fearful spy into someone who becomes devoted to his mission. The explanation that is offered makes sense as Kam develops his own feelings of revenge toward Iran and its agents who kicked his family out of the country, for decades has laid siege to the country of Israel and wants to eradicate its entire population. The problem is that his mission will result in his capture and the reader must wait until the last page to learn the entire truth bound up in his confession.
The author’s goal in the book, which was already written before the war of last summer, was to go beneath that kind of overt conflict and get to the heart of the shadow war between Israel and Iran. After reading THE PERSIAN it is clear that he accomplishes his goal completely as his characters must survive in a world of intrigue, paranoia, and what appears to be a world of endless violent retribution.
October 14, 2025
This is much better than McCloskey's immediately preceding book, the abysmal The Seventh Floor, but not as good as his first two. I found the main character, Kam, uncompelling, and the main conceit (the story is being related by Kam as a "confession") poorly motivated. Also, unfortunately I guessed his big secret pretty early on, rendering the end somewhat anti-climactic.
July 21, 2025
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Make sure to check out the full review
Make sure to check out the full review
February 20, 2026
I went into The Persian a bit wary. I loved Damascus Station, hated The Seventh Floor, and found Moscow X somewhere in the middle. So I wasn’t sure what to expect — but this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise, especially coming right on the heels of The Seventh Floor, which I read last week. The plot is tight and well‑paced, the characters feel credible and engaging, and the device of Kam’s debrief unfolding under interrogation is genuinely inventive. The ending lands well, too — satisfying without feeling forced.
November 22, 2025
well the first half was slow and due to my limited (almost nonexistent) knowledge of the conflicts of the middle eastern countries and culture in this book, I had a pretty hard time keeping up, but once the second half kicked off it was great, I was very surprised by the end!
also I’d like to just say that the reason I don’t read horror books is because they scare the living shit out of me, and books like this one do as well, but more than the fear, I feel gratitude. gratitude that I’ve never experienced anything like this fucking story when if I was just born somewhere else I could’ve
also I’d like to just say that the reason I don’t read horror books is because they scare the living shit out of me, and books like this one do as well, but more than the fear, I feel gratitude. gratitude that I’ve never experienced anything like this fucking story when if I was just born somewhere else I could’ve
October 18, 2025
This might be my favorite of McCloskey's smart, action-filled, and tightly plotted thrillers. I don't quite see why this is seen as fourth in a series, other than themes; the scenes and the cast are quite different. But moral complexities, questions of loyalty, belonging, and the ambiguity of the world are definitely the same. This novel has some echoes of Le Carré's The Little Drummer Girl, in a good, not in a derivate way, although McCloskey strikes me as bit less cynical/despondent/hopeless than Le Carré sometimes is.
October 30, 2025
This was an interesting read, I liked that the subject was not something that I usually read but not too graphic. You connect with the characters and you can understand what motivates them and what their hopes and dreams are. People are the same everywhere, everyone just wants a connection and a purpose.
January 3, 2026
This was initially disappointing as it was slow and confusing with its time hopping- the first third. Then it takes off. A Persian Jew, a struggling dentist living in Sweden, is recruited by Mossad. Brilliant ops by both sides. Bungled ops. Revenge. Israel. Iran. Turkey. Quite the surprise ending.
January 28, 2026
This is a masterpiece.
On par with Le Carré, and without exaggeration—even surpassing him.
The plot is wonderful, and the subplots are well-crafted. The characters feel real and are well-defined.
This is much more than just a must-read.
I am in absolute awe—it's a true masterpiece.
On par with Le Carré, and without exaggeration—even surpassing him.
The plot is wonderful, and the subplots are well-crafted. The characters feel real and are well-defined.
This is much more than just a must-read.
I am in absolute awe—it's a true masterpiece.
January 19, 2026
For me, it was a little slow because there was a lot to take in, but I found it educating and would recommend it.
February 7, 2026
Really interesting structure and framing device
February 14, 2026
Outstanding spy thriller - McCloskey's best yet, bringing to life the world of Tehran and the horrors of the Israel-Iran conflict.
February 1, 2026
A different approach from McCloskey's previous books. Fast-paced ending.
February 5, 2026
Really disappointing. Super curious about the publisher, agent and editor conversations behind this. Such a departure from the previous excellent books is a risk and this book was ultimately boring and with cypher women characters - and I wouldn't have said anything like this about the previous books. I did appreciate the history and culture elements but these didn't make up for the plot and character weaknesses. I nearly didn't finish it.
October 23, 2025
This book reminded me of when a favorite band puts out a concept album and it just doesn’t quite hit right. But later on during a subsequent listen you realize why they were the favorite to begin with.
I loved McCloskey’s first three offerings. It moderated my guilty pleasure of indulging in spy thrillers with my deep appreciation for literature. When I got a few pages into The Persian I was lost. I was not finding what I expected and was disappointed at the unorthodox approach. But I trusted the author and pushed through.
The halfway point is where things began to come together for me, and, judging from other reviews, for many others. From there I think the book improved throughout. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the book would be better if the first third was twice as good and it dropped off a bit at the end.
Overall I’d say if you’re a fan of the author push through and you will find what you came for. If you have never read him before, Damascus Station is a very good read, and his next two publications are on par.
Mixed metaphors are rarely appreciated, and mixing up halves and thirds in a discussion of a whole object is probably not either. But that’s the way the book came together for me: stilted in odd layers that formed an interesting whole. A 3 star rating would probably be more accurate based on what I’ve written here, but I do not suppose accuracy has much to do with fondness. I chose the 4 star rating because I enjoyed the second half, and thus the book, that much.
I loved McCloskey’s first three offerings. It moderated my guilty pleasure of indulging in spy thrillers with my deep appreciation for literature. When I got a few pages into The Persian I was lost. I was not finding what I expected and was disappointed at the unorthodox approach. But I trusted the author and pushed through.
The halfway point is where things began to come together for me, and, judging from other reviews, for many others. From there I think the book improved throughout. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the book would be better if the first third was twice as good and it dropped off a bit at the end.
Overall I’d say if you’re a fan of the author push through and you will find what you came for. If you have never read him before, Damascus Station is a very good read, and his next two publications are on par.
Mixed metaphors are rarely appreciated, and mixing up halves and thirds in a discussion of a whole object is probably not either. But that’s the way the book came together for me: stilted in odd layers that formed an interesting whole. A 3 star rating would probably be more accurate based on what I’ve written here, but I do not suppose accuracy has much to do with fondness. I chose the 4 star rating because I enjoyed the second half, and thus the book, that much.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews