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Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For
A real-life, can’t-put-down spy memoir.
The CIA is looking for walking contradictions. Recruiters seek out potential agents who can keep a secret yet pull classified information out of others; who love their country but are willing to leave it behind for dangerous places; who live double lives, but can be trusted with some of the nation’s most highly sensitive tasks.
Michele Rigby Assad was one of those people.
As a CIA agent and a counterterrorism expert, Michele soon found that working undercover was an all-encompassing job. The threats were real; the assignments perilous. Michele spent over a decade in the agency—a woman leading some of the most highly skilled operatives on the planet, secretly serving in some of the most treacherous areas of the Middle East, and at risk as a target for ISIS. But deep inside, Michele wondered: Could she really do this job? Had she misunderstood what she thought was God’s calling on her life? Did she have what it would take to survive?
The answer came when Michele faced her ultimate mission, one with others’ lives on the line—and it turned out to have been the plan for her all along. In Breaking Cover, Michele has at last been cleared to drop cover and tell her story: one of life-or-death stakes; of defeating incredible odds; and most of all, of discovering a faith greater than all her fears.
The CIA is looking for walking contradictions. Recruiters seek out potential agents who can keep a secret yet pull classified information out of others; who love their country but are willing to leave it behind for dangerous places; who live double lives, but can be trusted with some of the nation’s most highly sensitive tasks.
Michele Rigby Assad was one of those people.
As a CIA agent and a counterterrorism expert, Michele soon found that working undercover was an all-encompassing job. The threats were real; the assignments perilous. Michele spent over a decade in the agency—a woman leading some of the most highly skilled operatives on the planet, secretly serving in some of the most treacherous areas of the Middle East, and at risk as a target for ISIS. But deep inside, Michele wondered: Could she really do this job? Had she misunderstood what she thought was God’s calling on her life? Did she have what it would take to survive?
The answer came when Michele faced her ultimate mission, one with others’ lives on the line—and it turned out to have been the plan for her all along. In Breaking Cover, Michele has at last been cleared to drop cover and tell her story: one of life-or-death stakes; of defeating incredible odds; and most of all, of discovering a faith greater than all her fears.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2018
256 people are currently reading
1757 people want to read
About the author
Michele Rigby Assad
3 books27 followersMichele Rigby Assad spent a decade working as an undercover intelligence officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Operations. While serving as a counterterrorism and counterintelligence specialist, Michele realized the value of being different in an industry that was largely lacking in diversity. Several years into her CIA career, she discovered that what made her different was what enabled her to excel as an intelligence officer. Now Michele seeks to demonstrate how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when their faith and passions are greater than their fears.
Michele is an international security consultant, public speaker, and trainer focused on counterterrorism, personal security, and refugees with her work being featured by ABC’s 20/20. She loves using her story to inspire others which includes mentoring students, young adults, and women who want to use their skills in the service of a greater cause. In her off-time, Michele relishes spending time with family and enjoying the great outdoors in her home state of Florida.
Website: www.michelerigbyassad.com
Facebook Page: Michele Rigby Assad
LinkedIn: Michele Rigby Assad
Michele is an international security consultant, public speaker, and trainer focused on counterterrorism, personal security, and refugees with her work being featured by ABC’s 20/20. She loves using her story to inspire others which includes mentoring students, young adults, and women who want to use their skills in the service of a greater cause. In her off-time, Michele relishes spending time with family and enjoying the great outdoors in her home state of Florida.
Website: www.michelerigbyassad.com
Facebook Page: Michele Rigby Assad
LinkedIn: Michele Rigby Assad
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
June 9, 2018
It was fine, kinda like if Elle Woods was a super Christian and joined the CIA. You don’t learn anything about the CIA because duh. Also the jesus juice is pretty thick so be prepared for that in lieu of perfectly reasonable explanations about really mundane things. It also follows a similar trope that a lot of inexperienced memoir writers use which is end every single chapter with the same thought, in this case it was “I’m not smart enough for the CIA!” Even though clearly we were beyond that. Not to diminish her accomplishments, but this was the least interesting book about what should be a most interesting topic.
Read
January 31, 2018I'm not normally a big reader of non-fiction outside of history texts, especially when it comes to memoirs. But I've always been a little curious about the CIA (I mean, who isn't?) and so this book intrigued me.
Parts of it were fascinating, yet also incredibly foreign. And I don't mean just the secret spy stuff. The Middle East is just so different from Western culture, and even though I've taken a class on Middle Eastern history and am not entirely ignorant on the subject, some of the situations that Mrs. Assad described in certain countries were even worse (in regards to how women are viewed and treated) than I thought.
It was interesting how the very personality traits the author thought would be a hindrance in her line of work actually turned out being an asset, and I appreciated the glimpse into a world that I doubt I'll ever get to see into in real life. (Plus, she and her husband were spies together, which I find doubly awesome.) While the author's juggle between her work in the CIA and being a Christian is an interesting dichotomy (and God's hand has definitely moved in her life) some of the things she did or had to do still made me uncomfortable, which brought forth questions about ends justifying means. I don't agree with her perspective on everything, but it was an interesting point of view.
That being said, I found it difficult to connect to the writing in this book. That's actually why I don't usually read memoirs; the writing style almost always tends to rub me the wrong way, making it difficult for me to empathize with the author, even when I think I'd like the person in real life. Breaking Cover suffered from this problem, which makes reviewing it a little tricky. But objectively, I'm sure readers who love memoirs and/or are curious about the CIA will want to try picking this one up.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Parts of it were fascinating, yet also incredibly foreign. And I don't mean just the secret spy stuff. The Middle East is just so different from Western culture, and even though I've taken a class on Middle Eastern history and am not entirely ignorant on the subject, some of the situations that Mrs. Assad described in certain countries were even worse (in regards to how women are viewed and treated) than I thought.
It was interesting how the very personality traits the author thought would be a hindrance in her line of work actually turned out being an asset, and I appreciated the glimpse into a world that I doubt I'll ever get to see into in real life. (Plus, she and her husband were spies together, which I find doubly awesome.) While the author's juggle between her work in the CIA and being a Christian is an interesting dichotomy (and God's hand has definitely moved in her life) some of the things she did or had to do still made me uncomfortable, which brought forth questions about ends justifying means. I don't agree with her perspective on everything, but it was an interesting point of view.
That being said, I found it difficult to connect to the writing in this book. That's actually why I don't usually read memoirs; the writing style almost always tends to rub me the wrong way, making it difficult for me to empathize with the author, even when I think I'd like the person in real life. Breaking Cover suffered from this problem, which makes reviewing it a little tricky. But objectively, I'm sure readers who love memoirs and/or are curious about the CIA will want to try picking this one up.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
March 30, 2018
The cover of this book is very misleading. The author is intelligent, but her simplistic book isn’t a spy book at all. Her CIA training and all the bureaucracy was interesting to learn about.
It wasn’t a riveting read, it was very easy to put down, but it was easy to start up again. A ghost writer would help tell her story in a more compelling way.
On the plus side, I’d like to read more about one of the author’s heroes, Virginia Hall, a mastermind at espionage.
It wasn’t a riveting read, it was very easy to put down, but it was easy to start up again. A ghost writer would help tell her story in a more compelling way.
On the plus side, I’d like to read more about one of the author’s heroes, Virginia Hall, a mastermind at espionage.
March 28, 2023
This was a really interesting, intriguing story but the way it was told annoyed me so much. The author spent the whole book bragging about the amazing things she'd done, how fearless she always was, how incredible her life was, etc. She got in the way of her own story. (Man, I sound so mean...not my intentions, but memoirs like this really irritate me...)
April 11, 2024
This was a great book! Really enjoyed reading it and appreciated her encouragement to walk by faith!
December 22, 2022
From the Review Publishe in the San Francisco Book Review (https://sanfranciscobookreview.com/pr...)
Michele Rigby Assad recounts her life story as an undercover covert CIA officer, specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence. Throughout her tenure with the CIA, she worked in some of the most remote places in the world. She spent extensive time with her husband and colleague, Joseph, fighting the war on terror with skill and wit in the Middle East. She describes months serving in Iraq as some of the most difficult times of her life, but times that helped mold her as a person — an individual of great faith, incredible courage, keen intellect, and an intense longing to make a humanitarian difference in the world.
I found this comment on another person's review and agree whole heartedly:
"Perhaps one of the most significant stories in the book for me was the last adventure Michelle shares about the rescue she and Joseph led for Syrian and Iraqi Christians displaced by ISIS invasion. The story showcases their passion and love for suffering believers and their honed skills through experience and training that gave them the tenacity and wisdom to accomplish the mission."
I read this book with my Christian Book Club and found it a VERY worthy offering.
4 stars
Michele Rigby Assad recounts her life story as an undercover covert CIA officer, specializing in counterterrorism and counterintelligence. Throughout her tenure with the CIA, she worked in some of the most remote places in the world. She spent extensive time with her husband and colleague, Joseph, fighting the war on terror with skill and wit in the Middle East. She describes months serving in Iraq as some of the most difficult times of her life, but times that helped mold her as a person — an individual of great faith, incredible courage, keen intellect, and an intense longing to make a humanitarian difference in the world.
I found this comment on another person's review and agree whole heartedly:
"Perhaps one of the most significant stories in the book for me was the last adventure Michelle shares about the rescue she and Joseph led for Syrian and Iraqi Christians displaced by ISIS invasion. The story showcases their passion and love for suffering believers and their honed skills through experience and training that gave them the tenacity and wisdom to accomplish the mission."
I read this book with my Christian Book Club and found it a VERY worthy offering.
4 stars
February 14, 2018
Powerful book
I happened to see the authors Joseph & Michelle Assad on a TV show and thought she sounded like her book would be interesting and it was! She does focus a lot on the power of prayer and in an era where one’s faithfulness sometimes causes ridicule, I did like that she was proud to share her journey of faith. One thing I would like to point out is that it isn’t only Christians who have been persecuted in Muslim countries. Iraq, Iran, Egypt, all had huge, hundred’s of years old thriving Jewish communities in which it’s Jewish citizens have been murdered, persecuted, expelled and decimated by Islam’s “religion of peace”. It seems like it’s difficult to live alongside Muslim extremism no matter what other faith you have.
I happened to see the authors Joseph & Michelle Assad on a TV show and thought she sounded like her book would be interesting and it was! She does focus a lot on the power of prayer and in an era where one’s faithfulness sometimes causes ridicule, I did like that she was proud to share her journey of faith. One thing I would like to point out is that it isn’t only Christians who have been persecuted in Muslim countries. Iraq, Iran, Egypt, all had huge, hundred’s of years old thriving Jewish communities in which it’s Jewish citizens have been murdered, persecuted, expelled and decimated by Islam’s “religion of peace”. It seems like it’s difficult to live alongside Muslim extremism no matter what other faith you have.
February 26, 2018
I wanted to love this book so much that it was the only one I took on vacation with me. Immediately I found it very repetitive and lacking depth. There are a lot of great reviews so it does suit some readers just not me.
September 9, 2019
An engaging and eye-opening memoir about the author's fascinating story of her time as a CIA agent. The author is a skilled writer who shares her story with intelligence, humor, raw honesty, and wise insight.
I've been mildly curious about the CIA for a long time, and this was the perfect book to satisfy that desire to know more about what it's really like. The CIA is not glamorous like Hollywood spies, though it is cool. For the author, it was more often incredibly difficult and sometimes miserable, including serving in the middle of a very dangerous Middle Eastern war zone no one wanted to be in.
Breaking Cover is Michele Rigby Assad's inspiring story of how God used the extremely difficult trials in her career, which she didn't understand at the time, to prepare her to for a great calling of serving him in another way later on. She also shares how she was created with the personality and potential to be a good CIA agent, something she never would have imagined, and how God used that and the skills and expertise of her career to aid in her future calling. I so appreciate how she freely talks about her faith as a huge part of her life without being preachy. She never shies away from saying truthfully how God sustained her and prepared her through it all, and how He worked behind the scenes to arrange everything for the good of her, her husband, and many others.
I was so encouraged and uplifted by the clearly conveyed message, illustrated by the author's life, of how God uses ordinary people to serve him in huge and life-changing ways. The author states that God does not want qualified, perfect people. He only wants to use people who are open to him, who listen to and obey his voice, and who follow his leading no matter the cost--and it's so true. It was true of the author, and God used her to help so many others in a way she never expected. Hearing her story encourages me in following the calling God has given me, and in my seasons of deep trials that I know He's using to prepare me for great things.
Recommended. 4 stars
Content:
Violence. Description of atrocities of war and terrorist bombings. Honest but still tasteful discussion of what it's like to be a Western woman in the Middle East, including stories of the author's encounters with obscene and disgusting men. A few other things as well.
Best for older teens and up, because of these adult topics--they're dealt with as sensitively as possible, but they don't leave out necessary facts that are sometimes awful. If you're young or sensitive, ask someone else to screen it for you.
I've been mildly curious about the CIA for a long time, and this was the perfect book to satisfy that desire to know more about what it's really like. The CIA is not glamorous like Hollywood spies, though it is cool. For the author, it was more often incredibly difficult and sometimes miserable, including serving in the middle of a very dangerous Middle Eastern war zone no one wanted to be in.
Breaking Cover is Michele Rigby Assad's inspiring story of how God used the extremely difficult trials in her career, which she didn't understand at the time, to prepare her to for a great calling of serving him in another way later on. She also shares how she was created with the personality and potential to be a good CIA agent, something she never would have imagined, and how God used that and the skills and expertise of her career to aid in her future calling. I so appreciate how she freely talks about her faith as a huge part of her life without being preachy. She never shies away from saying truthfully how God sustained her and prepared her through it all, and how He worked behind the scenes to arrange everything for the good of her, her husband, and many others.
I was so encouraged and uplifted by the clearly conveyed message, illustrated by the author's life, of how God uses ordinary people to serve him in huge and life-changing ways. The author states that God does not want qualified, perfect people. He only wants to use people who are open to him, who listen to and obey his voice, and who follow his leading no matter the cost--and it's so true. It was true of the author, and God used her to help so many others in a way she never expected. Hearing her story encourages me in following the calling God has given me, and in my seasons of deep trials that I know He's using to prepare me for great things.
Recommended. 4 stars
Content:
Violence. Description of atrocities of war and terrorist bombings. Honest but still tasteful discussion of what it's like to be a Western woman in the Middle East, including stories of the author's encounters with obscene and disgusting men. A few other things as well.
Best for older teens and up, because of these adult topics--they're dealt with as sensitively as possible, but they don't leave out necessary facts that are sometimes awful. If you're young or sensitive, ask someone else to screen it for you.
February 20, 2018
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Tyndale Blog Network. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
I really enjoyed this book. Although I do not consider myself to be the sort of person who is best equipped to be a spy [1], the subject is one that is of interest to me. This book presents a memoir of the author's experiences as a CIA operative and later as a humanitarian helping Christians escape the horrors of ISIS in northern Iraq. At its heart, this book is an apologia for the use of deception and manipulation in the defense of one's co-religionists as well as one's country. Whether or not everyone will be willing to accept the author's claims for legitimacy in the use of deception in such circumstances, I found the memoir a compelling one and was pleased as well that she subjected herself to the process of having her work slightly redacted in order to avoid blowing the cover of anyone else in the CIA who may be involved in active operations at this time. To write so honestly about oneself without destroying the cover of others is a difficult trick and this book handles it successfully.
In terms of its narrative and flow, the book tells a mostly chronological story, albeit one that begins close to the end of the narrative with the author's stressful interview of a jihadist fighter who does a poor job of pretending to be a Christian. After that point the author discusses her childhood in rural Florida and her somewhat ordinary background and then her marriage to an Egyptian Christian who faced serious discrimination in his home country and her studies of the Arab world that led her to eventually find a job alongside her husband as CIA operatives in the Middle East. Much of the book is devoted to the author's discussion of her life as a CIA agent and the dangers and anxieties of a life in espionage and her struggle with her faith given her experiences and her frustrations about always being in harm's way. After leaving the CIA, she talks about how the two of them transitioned to work that led them again to the Middle East as consultants and then eventually in humanitarian work dealing with Christian internally displaced persons (and, one must not, definitely not refugees), where the book closes with the implication that whatever the author does in the rest of her life, it will likely be in service to God and to others with the potential for high drama that her life has shown thus far.
In reading this book one gets patterns that repeat themselves over and over again. The author shows opportunities where her intuition was correct and led her to be able to see through the deceptions that other people were giving because their body language gave them away. Also, the author frequently notes that she faced a great deal of harassment by being an American Christian in the Middle East, and had to deal with a great deal of hypocrisy from those who wanted to look down on American morals while being even more unrighteous than Americans themselves. Throughout the book the author shows herself taking advantage of the way that other people underestimated her, and this is perhaps the most obvious takeaway that many readers will be able to get from this book. Underestimating someone is to give them the advantage because there is a gulf between what you expect them to do and what you consider them capable of doing and what they know that they can do. This is a lesson that many readers will be able to apply, regardless of what they think about the author's attempts to justify the extreme compartmentalization of her life as a CIA agent from her behavior as a loyal wife and upstanding Christian. I for one found this memoir to be extremely compelling and very well-written.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
I really enjoyed this book. Although I do not consider myself to be the sort of person who is best equipped to be a spy [1], the subject is one that is of interest to me. This book presents a memoir of the author's experiences as a CIA operative and later as a humanitarian helping Christians escape the horrors of ISIS in northern Iraq. At its heart, this book is an apologia for the use of deception and manipulation in the defense of one's co-religionists as well as one's country. Whether or not everyone will be willing to accept the author's claims for legitimacy in the use of deception in such circumstances, I found the memoir a compelling one and was pleased as well that she subjected herself to the process of having her work slightly redacted in order to avoid blowing the cover of anyone else in the CIA who may be involved in active operations at this time. To write so honestly about oneself without destroying the cover of others is a difficult trick and this book handles it successfully.
In terms of its narrative and flow, the book tells a mostly chronological story, albeit one that begins close to the end of the narrative with the author's stressful interview of a jihadist fighter who does a poor job of pretending to be a Christian. After that point the author discusses her childhood in rural Florida and her somewhat ordinary background and then her marriage to an Egyptian Christian who faced serious discrimination in his home country and her studies of the Arab world that led her to eventually find a job alongside her husband as CIA operatives in the Middle East. Much of the book is devoted to the author's discussion of her life as a CIA agent and the dangers and anxieties of a life in espionage and her struggle with her faith given her experiences and her frustrations about always being in harm's way. After leaving the CIA, she talks about how the two of them transitioned to work that led them again to the Middle East as consultants and then eventually in humanitarian work dealing with Christian internally displaced persons (and, one must not, definitely not refugees), where the book closes with the implication that whatever the author does in the rest of her life, it will likely be in service to God and to others with the potential for high drama that her life has shown thus far.
In reading this book one gets patterns that repeat themselves over and over again. The author shows opportunities where her intuition was correct and led her to be able to see through the deceptions that other people were giving because their body language gave them away. Also, the author frequently notes that she faced a great deal of harassment by being an American Christian in the Middle East, and had to deal with a great deal of hypocrisy from those who wanted to look down on American morals while being even more unrighteous than Americans themselves. Throughout the book the author shows herself taking advantage of the way that other people underestimated her, and this is perhaps the most obvious takeaway that many readers will be able to get from this book. Underestimating someone is to give them the advantage because there is a gulf between what you expect them to do and what you consider them capable of doing and what they know that they can do. This is a lesson that many readers will be able to apply, regardless of what they think about the author's attempts to justify the extreme compartmentalization of her life as a CIA agent from her behavior as a loyal wife and upstanding Christian. I for one found this memoir to be extremely compelling and very well-written.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
March 23, 2024
1,000 stars!!
November 16, 2018
This book was so encouraging and grew my heart for the persecuted church. Michele used what God gifted her to glorify God and do amazing things. I love this line from her book as she explains how her life has played out, “The course of my life was not wrought by my own design, but by the grace and leadership of a great God.” Michele has a big faith and has lived up to the call of God in her life.
March 8, 2019
Five Gold Stars to Michele and Breaking Cover for an enlightening view into the world of CIA operators, and the book does come with a few good laughs, especially regarding meals not eaten.
I read this in conjunction with the WOMEN AT WAR segment of the MARCH 2019 Goodreads Psychological Thrillers Book of the Month (BOTM) feature.
To check it all out, start right here: http://botm.blackdogebooks.com/
I read this in conjunction with the WOMEN AT WAR segment of the MARCH 2019 Goodreads Psychological Thrillers Book of the Month (BOTM) feature.
To check it all out, start right here: http://botm.blackdogebooks.com/
May 2, 2018
Not bad. But the title doesn't really capture what it's about. More churchy than I expected. Nothing wrong with talking about faith, but perhaps the subtitle could've addressed how this was more about her personal/family journey centered on religious values & helping persecuted Christians in the Middle East, after 10 years in the CIA.
February 15, 2018
***a true story that reads like a blockbuster spy novel!***
Michelle Rigby Assad’s true story of ten-years as a CIA agent in “Breaking Cover” reads like a blockbuster novel whose pages can’t turn fast enough. Her story is one of struggles that became “skill builders…where pain became a motivator and confusion…a clarifier.” However, it was only in retrospect that she saw those difficulties as a “tremendous gift” when she realized God used them to work out His plan and purpose for her life.
Working as a clandestine CIA agent, a counterterrorism specialist trained to lie and manipulate, was not something Michelle dreamed about. She was a woman of faith, a newlywed and her dreams were of a career, husband, family and friends. Until her final year of graduate school at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies chose because of her personal interest in the Middle East.
That’s when curiosity drew her to listen to a CIA representative at the Georgetown University library. She thought, “it can’t hurt just to listen, right? What do I have to lose?” Especially since it was so late in her education and she still hadn’t decided what career path to take.
Thus, begins an inspirational, often terrifying true story of a counterterrorism, counter intelligence CIA specialist stationed in some of the most treacherous parts of the Middle East alongside her CIA husband. Her training, decade long CIA career, leaving the CIA and later becoming a security consultant, public speaker and refugee mentor were all part of what she considers “God’s call on her life.”
Beginning with “how to be one thing while pretending to be another,” learning how to “spot, assess and develop an agent…debrief agents, identify counterintelligence threats…vet information…spot surveillance…protect sources and conduct dead-drops...” while a target of ISIS and much more.
Added to that Michelle also had to fight feminine serotypes within a male dominated agency while she achieved the challenging requirements of an “undercover intelligence officer.” That taught her to turn her “gender liability” into an advantage as a field operative and later as a security specialist in her own business which focused on counterterrorism and personal security.
The thread of faith and trust throughout her story is realistic as are the dangerous life and death situations she faced, some of which caused her to question if she could do the job and survive; even wonder if she had misunderstood what God wanted her to do.
Her story, training and journey of faith is fascinating. The incidents and situations are real. However, names of cities and countries are blacked out for security reasons, even though the CIA cleared her to drop her cover, so she could write her story. It’s a captivating, informative and enjoyable read for anyone, but, especially for readers who like spy and thriller stories.
‘Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For,’ by Michele Rigby Assad, Tyndale Momentum, Feb 6, Hardcover, 272 Pages, 978-1496419590, $15.63
“Gail’s Bookshelf” Midwest Book Reviews: "January 2018"
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Michelle Rigby Assad’s true story of ten-years as a CIA agent in “Breaking Cover” reads like a blockbuster novel whose pages can’t turn fast enough. Her story is one of struggles that became “skill builders…where pain became a motivator and confusion…a clarifier.” However, it was only in retrospect that she saw those difficulties as a “tremendous gift” when she realized God used them to work out His plan and purpose for her life.
Working as a clandestine CIA agent, a counterterrorism specialist trained to lie and manipulate, was not something Michelle dreamed about. She was a woman of faith, a newlywed and her dreams were of a career, husband, family and friends. Until her final year of graduate school at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies chose because of her personal interest in the Middle East.
That’s when curiosity drew her to listen to a CIA representative at the Georgetown University library. She thought, “it can’t hurt just to listen, right? What do I have to lose?” Especially since it was so late in her education and she still hadn’t decided what career path to take.
Thus, begins an inspirational, often terrifying true story of a counterterrorism, counter intelligence CIA specialist stationed in some of the most treacherous parts of the Middle East alongside her CIA husband. Her training, decade long CIA career, leaving the CIA and later becoming a security consultant, public speaker and refugee mentor were all part of what she considers “God’s call on her life.”
Beginning with “how to be one thing while pretending to be another,” learning how to “spot, assess and develop an agent…debrief agents, identify counterintelligence threats…vet information…spot surveillance…protect sources and conduct dead-drops...” while a target of ISIS and much more.
Added to that Michelle also had to fight feminine serotypes within a male dominated agency while she achieved the challenging requirements of an “undercover intelligence officer.” That taught her to turn her “gender liability” into an advantage as a field operative and later as a security specialist in her own business which focused on counterterrorism and personal security.
The thread of faith and trust throughout her story is realistic as are the dangerous life and death situations she faced, some of which caused her to question if she could do the job and survive; even wonder if she had misunderstood what God wanted her to do.
Her story, training and journey of faith is fascinating. The incidents and situations are real. However, names of cities and countries are blacked out for security reasons, even though the CIA cleared her to drop her cover, so she could write her story. It’s a captivating, informative and enjoyable read for anyone, but, especially for readers who like spy and thriller stories.
‘Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What It Taught Me about What's Worth Fighting For,’ by Michele Rigby Assad, Tyndale Momentum, Feb 6, Hardcover, 272 Pages, 978-1496419590, $15.63
“Gail’s Bookshelf” Midwest Book Reviews: "January 2018"
Google+GailWelborn
Pinterest: GailWelborn
Twitter: @GailWelborn
FaceBook: Gail Welborn
FaceBook Reviews: Gail Welborn
February 1, 2018
Michele Rigby Assad worked for ten years with her husband in the CIA in international espionage. Throughout that time they were consistently put in high-risk areas in the Middle East, as they fought the war on terror. Her book, Breaking Cover: My Secret Life in the CIA and What it Taught Me about What’s Worth Fighting For, is a gripping account of the issues involved in working for peace in one of the most volatile places on the planet. She forthrightly admits that she had four things going against her in her work as a spy: (1) she was a “non-believer,” (2) She was an American, (3) she was a CIA officer, and (4) she was a woman.
The book is full of her accounts of insurgent debriefings, and graphic descriptions of the ins and outs of being an intelligence officer. But Michele also applies the lessons she learned to peoples’ everyday lives in today’s world. She says, “Was it hard to be a CIA officer with all the challenges and change that entailed? Yes. Scary? Of course. But if I was going to fulfill my life mission, I had to conquer my instinctual tendency to freeze in place. Fear would get me nowhere. Faith, however, would take me to places I never imagined” (pp. 88). The same is true for Christians in any walk of life.
Dr. M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D. 2/1/2018
The book is full of her accounts of insurgent debriefings, and graphic descriptions of the ins and outs of being an intelligence officer. But Michele also applies the lessons she learned to peoples’ everyday lives in today’s world. She says, “Was it hard to be a CIA officer with all the challenges and change that entailed? Yes. Scary? Of course. But if I was going to fulfill my life mission, I had to conquer my instinctual tendency to freeze in place. Fear would get me nowhere. Faith, however, would take me to places I never imagined” (pp. 88). The same is true for Christians in any walk of life.
Dr. M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D. 2/1/2018
February 14, 2018
Breaking Cover by Michele Rigby Assad – Fascinating, Intense & It May Keep You Up Late
I love a good mystery filled with suspense and intrigue. That’s why I wanted to read author Michele Rigby Assad’s new book Breaking Cover – My Secret Life In The CIA and What It Taught Me About What’s Worth Fighting For.
Have you ever wondered how in the world someone ends up working for the CIA as spy? It’s not like you take a class in school or get a degree in spying. What type of person is well suited to become a spy? As a Christian, how do you reconcile the deceptive practices that are necessary for spying with your Christian values? Those are just a few topics that Michele talks about in her book Breaking Cover.
It was sobering to learn about what Michele and her husband Joseph experienced when they were in field. They endured a lot, from the bureaucracy within the CIA, the transitory secretive life that being a spy necessitates and the ever-present perils that surrounded them. Not just once and a while, but every day their lives were on the line.
Reading about what Michele endured, because she is a woman, gave me a greater respect for the work that she did and the sacrifices she and Joseph made to help protect our Country from those who sought to do us harm. I couldn’t have done what she did, I would have quit! There was one scene in the book that left a lasting impression on me. Michele was driving to work in Iraq, not exactly a safe and friendly place for women. She was at a stop light when all of a sudden some very evil men took notice of her. Not good…not good at all. How in the world was she going to get out this situation alive, much less unharmed? That was just one of the many stories that gripped me and kept me up late at night to find out how things were going to turn out.
As intriguing as their ten-year careers were, it was interesting to see how they transitioned out of the CIA into regular life. It’s not like you can fill out a resume and list your jobs and give references. Michele shared that there is a high recidivism rate for CIA agents. They end up coming back to work for the CIA because the transition can be too hard.
What I appreciated most about Michele and Joseph Assad’s story was how God had gone before them and was using the incredibly trying and difficult circumstances they lived in for ten years to prepare them for a greater mission. They learned and honed their skills, talents, abilities and discernment. One day, they would be called upon to employ all they had learned and much more to help bring to 150 Christians from war torn Iraq to safety.
I came away from reading Breaking Cover more grateful for the Country we live in and freedoms we have. I have a greater appreciation for the work that people in the intelligence community do to keep our Country safe.
Breaking Cover by Michele Rigby Assad is fascinating, especially from the unique perspective of a woman being a CIA officer and a counterterrorism expert in the Middle East. I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned, you may be staying up late at night because it’s too intense to put down.
I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Breaking Cover in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.
I love a good mystery filled with suspense and intrigue. That’s why I wanted to read author Michele Rigby Assad’s new book Breaking Cover – My Secret Life In The CIA and What It Taught Me About What’s Worth Fighting For.
Have you ever wondered how in the world someone ends up working for the CIA as spy? It’s not like you take a class in school or get a degree in spying. What type of person is well suited to become a spy? As a Christian, how do you reconcile the deceptive practices that are necessary for spying with your Christian values? Those are just a few topics that Michele talks about in her book Breaking Cover.
It was sobering to learn about what Michele and her husband Joseph experienced when they were in field. They endured a lot, from the bureaucracy within the CIA, the transitory secretive life that being a spy necessitates and the ever-present perils that surrounded them. Not just once and a while, but every day their lives were on the line.
Reading about what Michele endured, because she is a woman, gave me a greater respect for the work that she did and the sacrifices she and Joseph made to help protect our Country from those who sought to do us harm. I couldn’t have done what she did, I would have quit! There was one scene in the book that left a lasting impression on me. Michele was driving to work in Iraq, not exactly a safe and friendly place for women. She was at a stop light when all of a sudden some very evil men took notice of her. Not good…not good at all. How in the world was she going to get out this situation alive, much less unharmed? That was just one of the many stories that gripped me and kept me up late at night to find out how things were going to turn out.
As intriguing as their ten-year careers were, it was interesting to see how they transitioned out of the CIA into regular life. It’s not like you can fill out a resume and list your jobs and give references. Michele shared that there is a high recidivism rate for CIA agents. They end up coming back to work for the CIA because the transition can be too hard.
What I appreciated most about Michele and Joseph Assad’s story was how God had gone before them and was using the incredibly trying and difficult circumstances they lived in for ten years to prepare them for a greater mission. They learned and honed their skills, talents, abilities and discernment. One day, they would be called upon to employ all they had learned and much more to help bring to 150 Christians from war torn Iraq to safety.
I came away from reading Breaking Cover more grateful for the Country we live in and freedoms we have. I have a greater appreciation for the work that people in the intelligence community do to keep our Country safe.
Breaking Cover by Michele Rigby Assad is fascinating, especially from the unique perspective of a woman being a CIA officer and a counterterrorism expert in the Middle East. I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned, you may be staying up late at night because it’s too intense to put down.
I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Breaking Cover in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.
March 20, 2024
“Breaking Cover” is a riveting and eye-opening account of Assad’s experiences working as a CIA operative in some of the most dangerous regions of the world. Assad provides readers with a unique perspective on the inner workings of the CIA and the challenges and dangers faced by those working in the field. Throughout the book, Assad shares her personal struggles, triumphs, and the difficult decisions she had to make in order to fulfill her duties as a CIA operative. From her initial training to her time spent working undercover in the Middle East, Assad’s story is both thrilling and inspiring. Her dedication to her work and her unwavering belief in the importance of fighting for what is right shines through in every chapter. With her husband, also a CIA undercover operative, the couple could be assigned together with each understanding the others’ challenges within the profession. One of the most compelling aspects of “Breaking Cover” is Assad’s candid portrayal of the complexities of working in intelligence and counterterrorism. She provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by those working to protect national security and the difficult moral decisions that are often required in the pursuit of justice. Overall, “Breaking Cover” is a must-read for anyone interested in espionage, counterterrorism, or the inner workings of the CIA. Assad’s story is a testament to the courage and dedication of those who serve in the intelligence community, and her insights into the importance of fighting for what is right are both enlightening and inspiring.
February 23, 2018
Michele Rigby Assad's book, Breaking Cover, is a can't put down read. She tells her story of her life in the CIA in a way that grips your interest and keeps you reading page after page. Her account of the adventures that take place overseas will open your eyes to the life of sacrifice and service that we often don't think about and definitely don't understand. Michele adds in doses of humor along the way, in the midst of tales that will leave you in disbelief of all that she encountered.
While the accounts of adventure and struggle are plentiful, it's the thread of a faithful trust in God that is inspiring. In her book, Asaad writes, "In the meantime, I trusted that God had a plan - he always does. It might not be as clear as day, but it's always there, preparing us for what's to come." There are lessons throughout Breaking Cover that remind me that God is in fact always there, always working, and always looking ahead. Many of her recounts show that while there is tragedy and evil in this world, there is also God, working to make all things good despite how hard the enemy is working.
While I was captured by the stories from her CIA days, I love that Assad doesn't end the book there, but instead lets her readers here the rest of the story. A story that God continues to write.
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
While the accounts of adventure and struggle are plentiful, it's the thread of a faithful trust in God that is inspiring. In her book, Asaad writes, "In the meantime, I trusted that God had a plan - he always does. It might not be as clear as day, but it's always there, preparing us for what's to come." There are lessons throughout Breaking Cover that remind me that God is in fact always there, always working, and always looking ahead. Many of her recounts show that while there is tragedy and evil in this world, there is also God, working to make all things good despite how hard the enemy is working.
While I was captured by the stories from her CIA days, I love that Assad doesn't end the book there, but instead lets her readers here the rest of the story. A story that God continues to write.
Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
May 24, 2018
I recently heard Michele Assad speak on a panel at Bookmania, held in Jensen Beach, Florida. She intrigued me; a former CIA secret agent! Who would choose this career? So I had our library purchase Breaking Cover and couldn't wait to read about her life and thoughts would want to. as well.
It reads like a novel, so don't let the non-fiction deter you. A woman in middle east is not respected, and one uncovered, without the head cover or burka, is looked on as only a sexual object. Captivating.
one time, she could not tell readers which country, I'm thinking Iran or Syria, ( she worked in numerous Middle Eastern, war zone countries, including Iraq) her car, at a stoplight was surrounded by angry men, banging on the car, yelling. Who is this unaçcompanied, uncovered female? A man in front of the car would not get out of the way. She was trained to act, not freeze up. She knew if they abducted her she would be a goner. She stepped on the gas and knocked the guy over. such audacity of this woman. They were stunned and she took the split second to speed away and through the next few red lights, shook up as she was.
Life as a CIA counterintelligence operative is one of sacrifice and isolation. You must basically disappear and only closest family can know what you do. You are away from family for years at a time. Fortunately Michele's husband was her CIA partner in most cases, both landing in the same department.
The training, detailed in the book, is extensive, grueling, and multi faceted. Michele became expert at reading a person, and determining if people were telling the truth and we're whom they said they were..
Her job was mostly to vett terrorists, who would give intelligence for money. When she walked into a room to interview a man, she needed to prove to him she was informed and experienced in the Arab world, otherwise he could not take her seriously. Read to find out her tactics.
She eventually, " breaks cover" and chooses to leave the CIA, knowing her future is unknown. What do you write on a resume for the last 15 years, which is a government secret?
The story was not over yet. She, and her now former CIA husband, both go on to help lead a rescue mission to help a large group of Christians out of Iraq, which was on the TV show 20/20.
A book worth reading to learn about the secret work done by some courageous, passionate Americans.
I would like to have given 4 stars, if Michele's own faith and the obvious power of prayer, was written less "telling" and more "experiencing" in the reader's hearts. As a faithful Christian myself, I wasn't moved, yet absolutely believed every instance of prayers giving strength and prayers being answered.
It reads like a novel, so don't let the non-fiction deter you. A woman in middle east is not respected, and one uncovered, without the head cover or burka, is looked on as only a sexual object. Captivating.
one time, she could not tell readers which country, I'm thinking Iran or Syria, ( she worked in numerous Middle Eastern, war zone countries, including Iraq) her car, at a stoplight was surrounded by angry men, banging on the car, yelling. Who is this unaçcompanied, uncovered female? A man in front of the car would not get out of the way. She was trained to act, not freeze up. She knew if they abducted her she would be a goner. She stepped on the gas and knocked the guy over. such audacity of this woman. They were stunned and she took the split second to speed away and through the next few red lights, shook up as she was.
Life as a CIA counterintelligence operative is one of sacrifice and isolation. You must basically disappear and only closest family can know what you do. You are away from family for years at a time. Fortunately Michele's husband was her CIA partner in most cases, both landing in the same department.
The training, detailed in the book, is extensive, grueling, and multi faceted. Michele became expert at reading a person, and determining if people were telling the truth and we're whom they said they were..
Her job was mostly to vett terrorists, who would give intelligence for money. When she walked into a room to interview a man, she needed to prove to him she was informed and experienced in the Arab world, otherwise he could not take her seriously. Read to find out her tactics.
She eventually, " breaks cover" and chooses to leave the CIA, knowing her future is unknown. What do you write on a resume for the last 15 years, which is a government secret?
The story was not over yet. She, and her now former CIA husband, both go on to help lead a rescue mission to help a large group of Christians out of Iraq, which was on the TV show 20/20.
A book worth reading to learn about the secret work done by some courageous, passionate Americans.
I would like to have given 4 stars, if Michele's own faith and the obvious power of prayer, was written less "telling" and more "experiencing" in the reader's hearts. As a faithful Christian myself, I wasn't moved, yet absolutely believed every instance of prayers giving strength and prayers being answered.
July 24, 2022
From the perspective of an empathetic person who is often overwhelmed by the feelings of others, I found this story particularly interesting. Michele emphasizes that her ability to tune into others feelings and pay attention to detail is largely what drew her into the CIA (along with having a large knowledge of the Middle East and their languages). It was neat to see that Michele didn’t come in with any special ‘spy skills’, but she still had an extremely successful career undercover.
As a note, this point seemed to be repeated almost to redundancy, along with the idea that she had to fight extra hard as a woman in the CIA (that’s really my only complaint).
I enjoyed hearing all the stories of Michele’s training and work on the field, and seeing how God was weaving it all together for a bigger purpose was especially beautiful.
As a note, this point seemed to be repeated almost to redundancy, along with the idea that she had to fight extra hard as a woman in the CIA (that’s really my only complaint).
I enjoyed hearing all the stories of Michele’s training and work on the field, and seeing how God was weaving it all together for a bigger purpose was especially beautiful.
February 25, 2018
Excellent book about spy's in today's world.
I chose this rating because the book was a true adventure into a spy's life in the world situation we live in. The author shared her own experiences with the reader with only covering up the most sensitive and risky areas that would expose others. It is a true cloak and dager story about her own life and hat of her husband.
After leaving the CIA after serving in the middle and far east for ten years, they now serve as consultants and with Christian groups helping refugees not only in finding new homes but also in adjusting to the needs of new lives. I think anyone interested in the CIA and their role in the world today would enjoy this book. Also Christians who think they can't have an exciting lifestyle would benefit from reading it.
I chose this rating because the book was a true adventure into a spy's life in the world situation we live in. The author shared her own experiences with the reader with only covering up the most sensitive and risky areas that would expose others. It is a true cloak and dager story about her own life and hat of her husband.
After leaving the CIA after serving in the middle and far east for ten years, they now serve as consultants and with Christian groups helping refugees not only in finding new homes but also in adjusting to the needs of new lives. I think anyone interested in the CIA and their role in the world today would enjoy this book. Also Christians who think they can't have an exciting lifestyle would benefit from reading it.
February 25, 2019
Wow, what an interesting book! Hearing Michele's account of how she went from an average Southern girl to a highly trained intelligence operative was both fascinating and inspiring. This book made me think about how God can take what we deem to be weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Learned a good bit from this book!
I'm giving this 4 1/2 stars instead of 5, due to minor theological issues.
I'm giving this 4 1/2 stars instead of 5, due to minor theological issues.
May 19, 2022
The idea of a CIA agent that was also Christian had me excited as I opened this book. From the start, I felt it hard to appreciate the author’s style of writing, but as the book went on I found it more forgivable. Definitely a good amount of melodramatic undertones are throughout. The stories of when she was in a war-zone are by far the most exciting parts. But what makes the book worth reading is the ending part when all her years of experience are used in a powerful way. It was overall a good book despite the lack of true excitement. I would say it’s worth reading, but don’t get your hopes up too much for thrills.
March 8, 2019
Fascinating first-person account of a woman undercover in the CIA. Reads like a chronicle of a Christian Sidney Bristow!
February 24, 2018
What an eye opening book.
June 18, 2018
Very eye-opening about the Middle East, serving in the CIA, and how our Christian religion overlaps with everything. I didn't love everything about the writing style, but I got used to it, and it was a very good read.
And she's a Christian?! How did I not find that out until I started reading it?
And she's a Christian?! How did I not find that out until I started reading it?
January 30, 2018
"Breaking Cover" by Michele Rigby Assad is the author's story of becoming a CIA agent and her life in and after being in the CIA. This was a very interesting book that once I picked it up I could not put it down. The author really does an excellent job on telling her story without giving away secrets or details that could hurt others. Her story is also about how our paths are not ours alone but how God wants them to go as she did things she never thought she would be able to do. It was interesting how God used her skills she learned from the CIA in her civilian life after she left the department. Also it was really good to read on how she seen the hand of God in her life. I highly recommend this book if you like memoir as I do.
I was given this book from Tyndale Publishers and was not required to give a positive review.
I was given this book from Tyndale Publishers and was not required to give a positive review.
September 19, 2018
This is a book club selection for October. I read it very quickly and found it intriguing but not great. The last few chapters about rescuing Christians from Iraq were the most interesting. This was a story that told concepts more than details. It gave good insights into the integration of faith and life, even in a job as an undercover agent.
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