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The Patriot's Daughter: A Novel

Not yet published
Expected 21 Apr 26
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Democracy is fracturing—and one woman may hold the key to saving it.

This electrifying debut from former CIA officer and TikTok sensation Brittany Butler is the perfect geopolitical thriller for fans of David McCloskey and Alma Katsu.


When a wave of Russian cyberattacks ignites a disinformation firestorm, the United States is pushed to the brink of a civil war. State governments defy Washington. Militias rise. As trust crumbles and chaos spreads, the CIA races to expose the source behind such unrest before democracy collapses from within.

Brilliant, relentless, and haunted by her mother’s disappearance, Ava was recruited for a moment like this. Dispatched to infiltrate Russia’s foreign intelligence service, her mission becomes personal when she locks onto her target, Konstantine, a charismatic SVR officer whose shadowed past intertwines with her own.

What Ava uncovers is more insidious than she feared. With the country unraveling, she must navigate a minefield of deception. Her only anchor is Ben, a veteran counterintelligence officer with complicated romantic feelings for Ava. But in a world where nothing is as it seems, trusting the wrong person could be fatal.

Ripped from tomorrow’s headlines, The Patriot’s Daughter is a fresh new take on the international spy genre.

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 21, 2026

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10889 people want to read

About the author

Brittany Butler

2 books146 followers
Brittany Butler is a former CIA targeting officer with first-hand knowledge of the recruitment and handling of spies and dismantling terrorist networks abroad. She is a staunch advocate for women’s rights in the Middle East and works within her local community to resettle Afghan refugees. The Syndicate Spy is her first novel.

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5 stars
9 (36%)
4 stars
5 (20%)
3 stars
8 (32%)
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3 (12%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Natalie K.
640 reviews32 followers
November 22, 2025
Another doozy. I've been on a kick of not-great books lately...

This "thriller" (there was nothing thrilling about it) was allegedly written by a former CIA officer, but you could have fooled me! There was a lack of knowledge of the Russian language—molodyozh (молодеж) means "youth" in the aggregate, such as "The youth voted for Vice President Gore." I think the author meant molodenkaya or something along those lines, which would be used as an affectionate term for a younger woman.

The writing was also quite bad. At one point, the author writes, "His eyes ping-ponged around the room." Sounds painful! Or how about this passage, describing a moment between the main character and her love interest: "She met Ben's eyes once more, deep pools where she could simultaneously loose [sic] and find herself at the same time." Really? What is this, a poorly written romance novel?

Plus, I was frustrated by the treatment of the "villains," the Liberty Coalition. Their sin? Thinking the federal government has too much power and surveils us. Um, it does! But in this book, people who think that way are terrorists supported by the Big Bad Russians.

Then, to make things even weirder, it takes a monarchical turn in the end. All of a sudden the characters want a constitutional monarchy for Russia! How random! (I say this as an avid White Russian supporter who also wants a return to monarchy. It just was kind of shoe-horned into the plot.)

Also, the Russian surname Голицын is properly transliterated as Golitsyn, not the horrible looking "Gallitzin" this book uses. Just saying.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy.
Profile Image for Renee.
1,333 reviews31 followers
November 9, 2025
The Patriot’s Daughter by Brittany Butler is an intelligent, fast-paced, and emotionally charged story that perfectly blends espionage, politics, and humanity. As a former CIA officer, Butler brings a rare authenticity to her writing—the kind that makes every twist feel grounded in reality.

I absolutely loved this book. From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the tension and moral complexity of the spy world. The main character, Ava, is strong, flawed, and deeply human. I appreciated how Butler balanced action and emotion, showing the toll that secrets, loyalty, and patriotism take on a person’s soul. It’s not just a spy thriller—it’s a story about identity, family, and what it truly means to serve your country. The addition of Ben as Ava’s handler was a good one.

What really stood out to me was how current and relevant it felt. The political and social undertones reflect real-world issues, yet the book never loses sight of its characters’ emotional journeys. Butler’s insider type perspective shines through in every detail, making it a rare read that’s both thrilling and thought-provoking. Nobody is telling the truth! Nobody is who they say they are and that makes a page turning book SO real!

If you love stories with strong female leads, like Ava, intricate plots, and moral depth, The Patriot’s Daughter is a must-read. It’s one of those books that stays with you long after you turn the last page.
Profile Image for Christa Johnson.
93 reviews
November 19, 2025
I love a good spy thriller but unfortunately I felt The Patriot's Daughter was lacking something. The premise was fine - CIA agent Ava is on a mission in Russia but is actually seeking to find out what happened to her mother who was also an agent who went missing. It just has too many plot holes and is so repetitive that I found myself skimming sections. The book starts with Ava running away from her aunt's and overhearing her aunt tell someone that Ava's mother was murdered but later in the book is a scene where officers show up at her aunt's house and tell them that she had been killed. Which was it? When Ava & her love interest are hooking up in her apartment he carries her over to....a conference table?? At one point there is a funeral for someone who is being buried next to her mother. Her mother has been missing for the whole book, but now they know there is a body? There were tons of little grammatical errors like "loose" instead of "lose" and "dissemble" instead of "disassemble" along with lots of run-on sentences and copious commas. I was never really hooked or invested and would not have finished it if I hadn't felt obligated to write a review.
#NetGalley #ThePatriotsDaughter
Profile Image for Ed Rabinowitz.
137 reviews1 follower
November 24, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review. “The Patriot’s Daughter” is scheduled for release on April 21, 2026.
The book’s premise is both interesting and timely. Russian cyberattacks ignite a disinformation firestorm that pushes the United States to the brink of a civil war.
Sound familiar?
Unfortunately, the premise is the only positive comment I can offer on this novel from former CIA officer Brittany Butler. The narrative and flow are so convoluted I frequently stopped and questioned whether I had missed a chapter somewhere.
The Prologue gives us 11-year-old Ava Anderson living with her aunt. Her mother, Theresa, has been away for ‘work’ (which we soon learn is as a CIA agent) for the past two months, and there is no father in the picture. One night, small suitcase packed, Ava leaves home, ostensibly to search for her mother.
Then we fast-forward to 26-year-old Ava on assignment in Russia as a CIA agent.
First, that’s a huge leap in time. What happened during those 15 years? And do you really expect the reader to believe that an 11-year-old just walks out of the house one night and manages to survive unscathed to become a CIA agent at age 26?
Perhaps more importantly, despite her current assignment, Ava makes it clear that the real reason she became a CIA agent is to find what happened to her mother. Now, since the CIA knows Ava’s mother was an agent who ‘disappeared’ (though we soon find out that’s not necessarily the case), why would the CIA even take her on and train her? Isn’t there some sort of conflict-of-interest there?
We then learn that Ava’s aunt showed Ava a letter from the CIA indicating her mother was arrested for treason. But if Ava ran off at age 11, when did her aunt show her the letter? And later Ava says that the truth about her mother is “buried deep within Langley’s vaults.” So how did her aunt have a letter if ‘the truth’ is buried?
The entire narrative feels disjointed, and (in my opinion) would benefit from a significant re-write before being published. Way too many holes, and not enough character development or believability to pull me in and keep me interested.
One star for “The Patriot’s Daughter.”
And you can check out all of my reviews at my Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com) book blog.
30 reviews4 followers
November 21, 2025
Brittany Butler 's Patriot's Daughter is an exciting CIA espionage spy novel with additional elements of romance and a search for identity. Since Butler was a part of the CIA, the storyline feels authentic, although a bit far fetched.

Short, punchy chapters keep the action moving forward for the most part. Sometimes the pace slowed down for me, particularly at the beginning of the book where the author was setting up or deepening all the plot elements she eventually wove together. However, upon reflection, these quieter parts where not much happened, showed the pace of real spying: lots of tedious planning and asset cultivation, then incredible battles that require split second life or death decisions.

Multiple subplots ( romance with a co- worker, search for the fate of Ava's mother, discovering her father, etc.) humanized the main characters and made the story richer. However, sometimes there were errors as if the author forgot some of the details previously embedded in the plot. For example, at the beginning of the story when Ava, the protagonist, Is a young teen, her aunt casually tells someone her mother is dead. Then much later, representatives from the CIA come to the aunt's house with the same message. The aunt acts like this is new news.

I thought the romance with Ben added a good dimension to the story and served as a welcome break from the grim, terrifying action. However, some of the descriptions were a bit cringey, particularly since this is not really a romance novel. Following are some examples: " His mouth crashed against hers, rough and desperate, a collision of fear and something desperate." Or "He looked down at her, his eyes blazing, and there was a fraction of a second that she could feel the desire pulsing between them." This overwrought, florid writing seemed incongruent with the taut action and serious themes in the rest of the story.

The biggest take-away for me was that although the plot sometimes seemed a bit implausible, it Incorporated many contemporary events, political movements, and Cold War conflicts that we are experiencing right now. The scary scenario in which Russia attacks America from within could really happen. For this reason alone, the book is worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,346 reviews17 followers
November 9, 2025
“The Patriot’s Daughter” has plenty of action and intrigue — disinformation campaigns, mistrust of the US government, Russian interference, double agents, lots of secrets and lies. The story contains numerous surprises.

However, there are occasions where the author seems to get confused by the complexity of her story. She has Konstantin and Dimitri meet at the Bolshoi Theatre in the present day and indicates this is the first time they met and lets the reader in on Konstantin’s plan to infiltrate Dimitri’s network and destroy him. Yet that is contradicted by much of the backstory for these characters, including why Konstantin wants revenge, which requires that these characters are already aware of each other. There are multiple times where the timeline is off — things happening too quickly or out of sync. In one of the critical scenes, Dimitri and Volkov and their henchmen surprise Ava and her associates. The author orchestrates a way for Ava to “turn the tables” on them but in the process Volkov just disappears. There is no indication that he leaves the room/scene or that he is killed or captured; rather, it seems like the author just forgot about him, too focused on the confrontation between Ava and Dimitri.
2 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy
March 5, 2026
I had the chance to read The Patriot’s Daughter and I’m honestly so impressed. From the first chapter, the story pulls you into a world of intelligence, global stakes, and impossible choices. The pacing is fast and cinematic, but what really stood out to me was how thoughtful and layered the writing is. Every twist feels purposeful, and the characters feel incredibly real.

Ava is a fantastic protagonist—smart, determined, and complex in a way that makes you immediately root for her. The world of espionage and political tension feels vivid and believable, and the story balances high-stakes action with real emotional depth. I kept thinking how easily this could translate to the screen because the scenes are so vivid and gripping.

It’s exciting to see Brittany Butler continue building on her work as a novelist. This book feels timely, intelligent, and incredibly engaging, and you can tell how much care went into crafting the story. If this turns into a series, I’ll absolutely be first in line to read the next one. A fantastic novel and one I’d definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Brittany Butler.
Author 2 books146 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 5, 2026
I didn’t just write The Patriot’s Daughter. In many ways, I lived inside it.
Before becoming a novelist, I spent nearly a decade working at the CIA. It’s a life that asks a lot of you—secrecy, distance, the quiet understanding that parts of your story can never fully be told. What people don’t always realize is how isolating that world can feel. This book grew out of that feeling.
At its core, The Patriot’s Daughter isn’t just about espionage or geopolitics. It’s about something much more personal: the longing for family, the ache of abandonment, and the human need to belong somewhere in a world that can feel very lonely. Ava is strong, but she’s also searching—for truth, for love, for a place where she finally feels at home. In many ways, writing her story helped me understand parts of my own. Thank you for reading it. ❤️
49 reviews2 followers
November 22, 2025
I was excited and intrigued about The Patriot's Daughter by Brittany Butler. Unfortunately, the character development felt like the reader was dropped in mid-story. We were supposed to believe there was connection between Ava and Ben, but there was no build-up to their romantic relationship. The plot itself was engaging, but the editing and writing really took me out of the story. With as many references to a twisted/tight stomach and tilted vision, Ava needs a lot of anti-nausea medication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Press for an advance copy of The Patriot's Daughter in exchange for an honest review. 1 out of 5 stars.
1 review
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 4, 2026
I had the privilege to read an advanced copy of The Patriot’s Daughter.

Butler spins an incredible web of deception and romantic drama in a world that feels eerily familiar to our present day geopolitical environment. I’ve read nearly every spy thriller author, and I’ve never experienced a story like this. Butler’s experience comes through the pages in waves, and her ability to keep you on the edge of your seat is unmatched. For fans of romance, you’ll never find another spy thriller with this level of romantic turmoil that feels all too real.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see this on TV or in the theater soon.
Profile Image for Angel.
151 reviews3 followers
December 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy!

I was super excited for another edge of your seat spy thriller. The story follows the FMC, Ava from a difficult childhood through adult. Unfortunately, I felt like I needed to go back and reread some chapters because I felt like I missed something, but alas, it was just choppy. I'm unsure if the author just couldn't describe certain things that were witnessed in the CIA, but some scenes seemed a bit far fetched. The romance undertones were cringe as well.
45 reviews2 followers
January 23, 2026
First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book. I really enjoyed the premise of the story. However, the author had me in sensory overload - this person smelled like this, a room smelled like that, an elevator had another scent. And the protagonist’s subliminally romantic feelings towards some of the characters - just too much! If the author had edited out a lot of the fluff, it would have been a better read for me. This was a story with lots of promise, but I felt let down.
1 review
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 14, 2026
I really enjoyed this book, and thrillers are not typically a genre I gravitate towards. It was a page turner for me, and I was immediately hooked in the first chapter, wanting to know what happened to Ava's mother. There were multiple twists and turns that kept me wanting more and to figure out what happened throughout the story. As someone who reads almost exclusivly Romatasy / fantasy in general, I still felt like I got lost in this world and liked the romance element to it.
Profile Image for Dave Milbrandt.
Author 6 books50 followers
November 18, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest evaluation of its merits.

While the love story was predictable as was the family reunion, I liked the plot twist in the third act and the resolution of the story. The pacing was strong and kept the reader engaged until the end. In addition the attention to detail in the spy craft was strong.
Profile Image for Kate.
60 reviews13 followers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
December 31, 2025
I picked this one up because I’m a sucker for a badass female CIA agent and The Patriot’s Daughter delivered! It started a little slow for me, but once it got going, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Ava is smart, determined, and exactly the kind of complex, capable heroine I love to root for. Her hunt to uncover what happened to her mother added a really emotional layer to all the fast-paced espionage, and I was surprised (in the best way!) by how much action there was, this is the kind of high-stakes spy thriller I usually expect from male authors, but Brittany Butler absolutely holds her own. I’m officially a new fan and can’t wait to read more from her.
1 review
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 5, 2026
An intense, character-driven spy thriller that balances pulse-pounding suspense with real emotional weight. Ava’s inner conflict and her dynamic with Ben add depth to the fast-moving plot, while the geopolitical tension feels strikingly authentic. Readers who appreciate the layered storytelling of The Americans and smart, emotionally grounded espionage fiction will be completely drawn in.
1 review
Review of advance copy received from Author
March 5, 2026
A high-stakes espionage thriller with emotional depth. The tension between Ava and Ben kept me turning pages, and the geopolitical backdrop felt incredibly real. Fans of The Americans and character-driven spy fiction will love this!
7 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2026
This gripping spy thriller, woven with a complicated romance, delivers a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat page turner! I loved the complex, compelling characters- especially Ava. I can easily see this becoming a binge worthy tv series!
Profile Image for Literary Redhead.
2,823 reviews710 followers
November 23, 2025
Starts out as a strong spy thriller but quickly loses punch and interest. So wished for a dynamite tale but proved not to be my cup of tea, alas.
Profile Image for Mehva.
1,084 reviews18 followers
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
February 7, 2026
naive and not believable
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

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