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Night in Tehran
Based on historic events, and frighteningly relevant to today's headlines -- a taut thriller about one American diplomat’s year of living dangerously in Tehran in the days leading up to the Iranian Revolution …
In the style of Alan Furst, this suspenseful thriller -- based on real events -- places an idealistic American diplomat in a turbulent, US-hating Tehran in the days leading up to the Iranian Revolution. Backed by the CIA, and trailed by a beautiful and engaging French journalist he suspects is a spy, David Weiseman's mission is to ease the Shah of Iran out of power and find the best alternative between the military, religious extremists, and the political ruling class -- many of whom are simultaneously trying to kill him.
In the style of Alan Furst, this suspenseful thriller -- based on real events -- places an idealistic American diplomat in a turbulent, US-hating Tehran in the days leading up to the Iranian Revolution. Backed by the CIA, and trailed by a beautiful and engaging French journalist he suspects is a spy, David Weiseman's mission is to ease the Shah of Iran out of power and find the best alternative between the military, religious extremists, and the political ruling class -- many of whom are simultaneously trying to kill him.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 24, 2020
129 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 24, 2020
I’m not entirely sure why I didn’t care for this book because I especially love spy thrillers.
This is very unlike any other spy thriller I have read.
Possibly because I am not well acquainted with the region and found the unfamiliar names and titles hard to keep track of.
Halfway through I skipped to the end only to find I liked it even less.
Political shenanigans often referred to as ‘diplomacy’ is, to me, somewhat distasteful.
Others, I’m sure, who are more familiar with the places and the politics involved will like it more.
This is very unlike any other spy thriller I have read.
Possibly because I am not well acquainted with the region and found the unfamiliar names and titles hard to keep track of.
Halfway through I skipped to the end only to find I liked it even less.
Political shenanigans often referred to as ‘diplomacy’ is, to me, somewhat distasteful.
Others, I’m sure, who are more familiar with the places and the politics involved will like it more.
December 7, 2021
Philip Kaplan weaves a fascinating and tense backstory for what became the Iran Hostage Crisis during the end of US President Carter's Administration. Overall an interesting listen and enjoyable "read." There were parts of the story that seemed to be missing, where the reader was expected to connect some fairly unrelated dots to carry the narrative. Then at other times there was inordinate amounts of time spent covering what seemed to be irrelevant scenes and background. I'm not sure if this is the author's style or a heavy handed editor. Although noticeable this issue with the flow of the story was not much of a detractor.
I listened to the audiobook version of Night in Tehran. As happens frequently with audio versions of a book the editor didn't alter the text for an audio audience. Natural breaks which occur intra-chapter easily observable by one reading the book weren't audibly conveyed in this audio version leaving the listener sometimes jolted from the narrative or at other times lost as to what was happening before it is realized that the setting has abruptly changed. This happened frequently within this book and for a spy novel can lead to some very confusing corners which the listener must back out of to regain the storyline.
I listened to the audiobook version of Night in Tehran. As happens frequently with audio versions of a book the editor didn't alter the text for an audio audience. Natural breaks which occur intra-chapter easily observable by one reading the book weren't audibly conveyed in this audio version leaving the listener sometimes jolted from the narrative or at other times lost as to what was happening before it is realized that the setting has abruptly changed. This happened frequently within this book and for a spy novel can lead to some very confusing corners which the listener must back out of to regain the storyline.
December 7, 2020
It is 1978 and David Weiseman, an American diplomat, is caught up in the intrigue and manipulations of the last days of the Shah of Iran, the struggle among competing forces as to who will next rule the country, and the race to free the American hostages, as well as safeguard those who have been of assistance to him.
Although I am not a particular fan of “spy” novels, I really enjoyed this book but don’t see it as a “thriller”. It read more like an historical account of the fall of the shah, rise of Khomeni, and the taking of American hostages. I’m not sure how much was fact and how much fiction, but I felt I learned a lot about this situation.
Although there were many names to keep track of, the story was tightly woven and engrossing. The author is an experienced diplomat, and his knowledge of Iran and the word of espionage is evident.
It is said that we should learn from history and I felt there were a lot of lessons for our times in this novel….as well as warnings….beware the ascent of religious zealots and authoritarians. In the author’s notes, he mentions the importance of “decent moderates of civil society to survive and safeguard American interests”. While he applies this to the mideast, it is oh so important for our country as well.
Although I am not a particular fan of “spy” novels, I really enjoyed this book but don’t see it as a “thriller”. It read more like an historical account of the fall of the shah, rise of Khomeni, and the taking of American hostages. I’m not sure how much was fact and how much fiction, but I felt I learned a lot about this situation.
Although there were many names to keep track of, the story was tightly woven and engrossing. The author is an experienced diplomat, and his knowledge of Iran and the word of espionage is evident.
It is said that we should learn from history and I felt there were a lot of lessons for our times in this novel….as well as warnings….beware the ascent of religious zealots and authoritarians. In the author’s notes, he mentions the importance of “decent moderates of civil society to survive and safeguard American interests”. While he applies this to the mideast, it is oh so important for our country as well.
February 1, 2021
This is the first espionage novel I've read in a long time. It was very different than many of my recent reads, but I still enjoyed it. It was dry, detailed, and full of historical info about the events leading up to the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
It was fully written from the perspective of a US diplomat/ spy and I found myself curious about what a book from the perspective of an Iranian student, or Iranian professor who was forced to flee, for example, would have been like.
The author did a good job of showing all aspects of the political drama, including serious trust issues and backstabbing amongst all the players. It made me feel disillusioned about "foreign policy" and very disturbed to think about all the ways that the US has meddled in other countries, with the excuse of providing support, or stabilization, or even just straight up for preserving US interests.
It's not a thriller, but it is an in depth, historical fiction spy/ politics novel.
It was fully written from the perspective of a US diplomat/ spy and I found myself curious about what a book from the perspective of an Iranian student, or Iranian professor who was forced to flee, for example, would have been like.
The author did a good job of showing all aspects of the political drama, including serious trust issues and backstabbing amongst all the players. It made me feel disillusioned about "foreign policy" and very disturbed to think about all the ways that the US has meddled in other countries, with the excuse of providing support, or stabilization, or even just straight up for preserving US interests.
It's not a thriller, but it is an in depth, historical fiction spy/ politics novel.
February 1, 2021
If I were rating this book as an historical novel, I’d give it four stars. If I were rating it as a spy thriller, I’d give it three. It’s an enjoyable read but doesn’t keep you on the edge of your seat. Interesting to wonder how much of the plot is fictionalized and how much actually happened that we were never made aware of, while these events were happening during the Carter administration.
September 16, 2020
Whatever I was hoping for, this book didn't deliver. A bit dry and rather bland for my personal taste. It is a great book for some, just not for me. I rarely feel bored by an international espionage novel with claims to being a thriller, so I don't know what else to say.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Melville House Publishing via NetGalley.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Melville House Publishing via NetGalley.
April 6, 2022
The strength of this debut novel by career diplomat Philip Kaplan is that the author knows his history and understands how things work: in government, the intelligence services, and in the the chaotic world. There were times when I forgot for a while I was reading a novel and found myself treating the book as a factual account of the events surrounding the Iranian revolution. The novel follows the actual events closely and tells a most fascinating tale. I am a political history junkie whose preferred literary genres tend to circle around froth fiction and non-fiction on the theme.
I can see that for this very same reason some of the readers, as evident from other reviews, have been disappointed with the book. Its marketing as a spy thriller is accurate only about half of the time. If you are not thrilled by highly nuanced political intrigue (I am!), and crave for violent action, then you may find this book is not for you.
On a critical note, I found the romantic side story between the two spy protagonists to be both less than credible and unnecessary. Also, I thought that Kaplan does a bit of whitewashing regarding the US role in Iran and the broader Middle East, even casting doubt on the country’s role in the 1953 ouster of Mohammad Mossadegh, suggesting that he was genuinely unpopular in the country, when it is quite well established that all the unrest and demonstrations against the prime minister were orchestrated by the CIA with British backing. There is also a large amount of hindsight, which I am not sure that even the smartest actors in the government would have known so presciently in the late-1970s.
Overall, however, Kaplan well describes the moral ambiguity of Real politics. Towards the end of the book, the protagonist David Weiseman asks the director of CIA whose side is he on actually, given the latter’s dealings with various, often unsavory actors. To which the director responds: “David, on the American side, as always. But you see, the other sides keep changing.”
I can see that for this very same reason some of the readers, as evident from other reviews, have been disappointed with the book. Its marketing as a spy thriller is accurate only about half of the time. If you are not thrilled by highly nuanced political intrigue (I am!), and crave for violent action, then you may find this book is not for you.
On a critical note, I found the romantic side story between the two spy protagonists to be both less than credible and unnecessary. Also, I thought that Kaplan does a bit of whitewashing regarding the US role in Iran and the broader Middle East, even casting doubt on the country’s role in the 1953 ouster of Mohammad Mossadegh, suggesting that he was genuinely unpopular in the country, when it is quite well established that all the unrest and demonstrations against the prime minister were orchestrated by the CIA with British backing. There is also a large amount of hindsight, which I am not sure that even the smartest actors in the government would have known so presciently in the late-1970s.
Overall, however, Kaplan well describes the moral ambiguity of Real politics. Towards the end of the book, the protagonist David Weiseman asks the director of CIA whose side is he on actually, given the latter’s dealings with various, often unsavory actors. To which the director responds: “David, on the American side, as always. But you see, the other sides keep changing.”
January 25, 2021
I don’t read many “thrillers” and I probably would have given Philip Kaplan’s Night in Tehran a miss, except that I read the author’s biography and got intrigued. It turns out Kaplan spent 27 years in the US Foreign Service, rising to the rank of Ambassador, so it seemed to me that he should know the high-level/high-stakes diplomatic world that forms the background for his book. And then I noticed that the book’s webpage had recommendations from both Alan Furst and Admiral James Stavridis – kind of a mismatched pair! So in the end, I figured that any book that had been recommended by both of those two would be worth a try, and I’m really glad I did.
It turns out that, although Night in Tehran has been advertised as a thriller, to me it’s more of a political/spy novel. Think less James Bond, and more a cross between Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising and Erskine Childers’ Riddle of the Sands - two books I like a lot. It has occasional thriller-ish moments, but mostly it’s just a gripping narrative of the US/Iran relationship during the time leading up to and after the overthrow of the Shah. And there’s a very nice fictional storyline woven in and around the historical people and events that keeps it from being just a history book. The writing is sharp and enjoyable and the characters are believable. And even though I knew how it had to end (who doesn’t), I still couldn’t put it down.
I don’t give many five-star ratings, maybe one in thirty or forty books that I read. So I debated long and hard about my ranking for Night in Tehran. It isn’t the sort of book I usually like that much, but I did. And after a lot of thought, and after wishing I could give it a four-and-a-half, still I couldn’t think of anything that would push it down to a four, so I went with five!
And my thanks to Melville House and Edelweiss for the review copy!
It turns out that, although Night in Tehran has been advertised as a thriller, to me it’s more of a political/spy novel. Think less James Bond, and more a cross between Tom Clancy’s Red Storm Rising and Erskine Childers’ Riddle of the Sands - two books I like a lot. It has occasional thriller-ish moments, but mostly it’s just a gripping narrative of the US/Iran relationship during the time leading up to and after the overthrow of the Shah. And there’s a very nice fictional storyline woven in and around the historical people and events that keeps it from being just a history book. The writing is sharp and enjoyable and the characters are believable. And even though I knew how it had to end (who doesn’t), I still couldn’t put it down.
I don’t give many five-star ratings, maybe one in thirty or forty books that I read. So I debated long and hard about my ranking for Night in Tehran. It isn’t the sort of book I usually like that much, but I did. And after a lot of thought, and after wishing I could give it a four-and-a-half, still I couldn’t think of anything that would push it down to a four, so I went with five!
And my thanks to Melville House and Edelweiss for the review copy!
June 18, 2021
Philip Kaplan's "Night in Tehran" is neither taut nor fast-paced, despite the uber-respected Alan Furst's blurb on the cover. It's serviceable as historical fiction and brought back memories (mostly bad) of a rough time for American diplomacy in the Middle East.
The story is that of David Weiseman, a young American diplomat assigned to be a sort of special operator inside of Iran as the hated Shah is on the verge of being deposed. Weiseman's charge is to protect America's interests by either figuring out a way to keep the Shah in power, even as cancer is eating away at his body, or find someone other than a religious zealot (remember Khomeini?) to replace him. There's a lot of intrigue as France, Israeli, and Iraq are likewise all vying for power and influence in that oil-rich part of the world. Mostly, though, there's an abundance of thrashing around without much being accomplished, with the end result being what those of us of a certain age vividly recall.
Kaplan's writing is sort of Furst-like, taking its time to create atmosphere for the reader. The descriptions of the communications between all of the characters involved were believable but not all that intriguing. I've read a few historical novels in my time and the best ones add layers and details to the tale that make what might be well known information richer. Night in Tehran had the opposite effect for me, adding too much non-value-added detail and not enhancing areas that might be more interesting. For example, the attempted hostage rescue by helicopter that failed spectacularly was handled very matter-of-factly in the narrative when there was an opportunity to expand on what we already know about it.
Kaplan's background pretty much guaranteed he'd be rock solid on the diplomatic side of this story, which was the only strength of this effort.
The story is that of David Weiseman, a young American diplomat assigned to be a sort of special operator inside of Iran as the hated Shah is on the verge of being deposed. Weiseman's charge is to protect America's interests by either figuring out a way to keep the Shah in power, even as cancer is eating away at his body, or find someone other than a religious zealot (remember Khomeini?) to replace him. There's a lot of intrigue as France, Israeli, and Iraq are likewise all vying for power and influence in that oil-rich part of the world. Mostly, though, there's an abundance of thrashing around without much being accomplished, with the end result being what those of us of a certain age vividly recall.
Kaplan's writing is sort of Furst-like, taking its time to create atmosphere for the reader. The descriptions of the communications between all of the characters involved were believable but not all that intriguing. I've read a few historical novels in my time and the best ones add layers and details to the tale that make what might be well known information richer. Night in Tehran had the opposite effect for me, adding too much non-value-added detail and not enhancing areas that might be more interesting. For example, the attempted hostage rescue by helicopter that failed spectacularly was handled very matter-of-factly in the narrative when there was an opportunity to expand on what we already know about it.
Kaplan's background pretty much guaranteed he'd be rock solid on the diplomatic side of this story, which was the only strength of this effort.
December 15, 2023
I was all over the map on this one. Started by liking it, then it got to be a drag, and then finally ended up really liking it. Basically, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 as told through an American CIA agent's eyes on the ground. I am relatively familiar with the history of the conflict, having read other books on Ajax and Iran (All the Shah's Men by Kinzer and Overthrow by Kinzer) and studied the Iranian Revolution with history lessons and military strategic studies during Air War College/Air Command and Staff College, as well as having worked with individuals that were "unwelcome guests of the Ayatollah," and also spent over a year of my life in Iraq and other areas of the middle east. I can empathize with other readers comments of too many unfamiliar names and difficulty keeping up, but I would also argue that this is your chance to learn and read up on the history in parallel with your reading of the story. The middle east is a difficult area for western minds to fathom, and each region within has a deep culture mixed in with their history and religion that is unique and unlike their neighbor. The history is important for us to understand and I think the author did a splendid job of utilizing their first hand knowledge of the events, the region, the blend of diplomacy/spycraft/power politics. and the major players to create a wonderful historical reconstruction with a fictional character. Well done.
December 12, 2020
“Diplomacy often worked this way. You make all the preparations' take risks, political and physical, and then what ? Nothing . It was an exercise in constructive ambiguity, passing smoke signals across a chasm of distrust. But it usually was better than war.” That’s what author Philip Kaplan tells us in his compelling new work of historical fiction, #” Night In Tehran”. Ambassador Kaplan should know - he served 27 years as a diplomat in the foreign service of the United States, most notably Charge d’Affaires to the U.S. Embassy in Manila during the overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos. His expertise is apparent on every page of #Night In Tehran as we follow David Weiseman on his assignment to find a suitable successor to the Shah of Iran when he is forcibly removed from power or dies.Taking place in 1979/80, the beauty of this book lies in its brevity. Kaplan chooses to not bog down the reader with the details of numerous subplots and extraneous characters; he cuts straight to the chase turning two very volatile years into three hundred pages. The narrative never lapses in this cautionary tale that beautifully mixes diplomacy with deception and what the two, when brought together, can create. As Ambassador Kaplan reminds us : “ People never believe the worst, even when it’s happening “. #Night In Tehran is a very exciting way to learn that lesson.
December 28, 2020
Night in Tehran by Philip Kaplan is all you can hope for in a spy novel that isn’t written by Alan Furst: intrigue, excitement, and just enough twists that your stomach drops at regular intervals.
David Weisman, an American diplomat, is supposed to get the Shah of Iran out of power. This is already difficult and complex. It feels like one part game of chess and two parts high school intrigue wrapped up in the bow of idealism that’s diplomacy. But things aren’t going to be as straightforward as that. His life is continually in danger and you have a nasty game of wack-a-mole.
I read the book twice; the first time was to get through it since it was hard to follow for the first 50 pages. It’s densely packed with information and you need to take notes or you’ll be lost. The second time reading was much more enjoyable and easy-to-follow.
This is definitely a cool thriller, though probably not for everyone. Fans of spy novels will love this but I’d definitely recommend pushing through those first 50 pages.
David Weisman, an American diplomat, is supposed to get the Shah of Iran out of power. This is already difficult and complex. It feels like one part game of chess and two parts high school intrigue wrapped up in the bow of idealism that’s diplomacy. But things aren’t going to be as straightforward as that. His life is continually in danger and you have a nasty game of wack-a-mole.
I read the book twice; the first time was to get through it since it was hard to follow for the first 50 pages. It’s densely packed with information and you need to take notes or you’ll be lost. The second time reading was much more enjoyable and easy-to-follow.
This is definitely a cool thriller, though probably not for everyone. Fans of spy novels will love this but I’d definitely recommend pushing through those first 50 pages.
November 19, 2020
Know this is less a thriller than well done historical fiction using real events in a time and place that still impact the International political situation. David Wiseman finds himself at the tip of the spear when he's sent to Iran to find a candidate to replace the Shah. It's 1978 and the Shah is clearly no longer a tenable leader for Iran. Wiseman, a diplomat, is not really equipped to deal with some of the challenges but he copes as best he can with the wild swings in the political environment in the region. This isn't the most propulsive read but it captures the dynamics of the period. Those who remember the dark days of the late 1970s and what happened in Iran will enjoy this trip down memory lane while those who do not will learn a great deal. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Interesting and informative AND it sent me back to track down more info on various people and events.
February 1, 2021
This is the first espionage novel I've read in a long time. It was very different than many of my recent reads, but I still enjoyed it. It was dry, detailed, and full of historical info about the events leading up to the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
It was fully written from the perspective of a US diplomat/ spy and I found myself curious about what a book from the perspective of an Iranian student, or Iranian professor who was forced to flee, for example, would have been like.
The author did a good job of showing all aspects of the political drama, including serious trust issues and backstabbing amongst all the players. It made me feel disillusioned about "foreign policy" and very disturbed to think about all the ways that the US has meddled in other countries, with the excuse of providing support, or stabilization, or even just straight up for preserving US interests.
It's not a thriller, but it is an in depth, historical fiction spy/ politics novel.
It was fully written from the perspective of a US diplomat/ spy and I found myself curious about what a book from the perspective of an Iranian student, or Iranian professor who was forced to flee, for example, would have been like.
The author did a good job of showing all aspects of the political drama, including serious trust issues and backstabbing amongst all the players. It made me feel disillusioned about "foreign policy" and very disturbed to think about all the ways that the US has meddled in other countries, with the excuse of providing support, or stabilization, or even just straight up for preserving US interests.
It's not a thriller, but it is an in depth, historical fiction spy/ politics novel.
December 30, 2020
Night in Tehran is a very, very good historical novel, full of keen insights and insider observations. It's not a thriller, as the publishers' hype would have it. That didn't diminish my pleasure in reading it, but other reviewers were disappointed.
That era -- the transition between the Carter and Reagan administrations in the U.S., and between the Shah's and the Ayatollahs' rule in Iran -- was a critical turning point for both countries, sending out sonic booms we're still feeling and hearing today. Night in Tehran gave a delicious fly-on-the-wall charge, filling in myriad blanks in the public record of that time.
It may have been 40 years ago, but somethings don't change: Kaplan describes "White House types" as "inflated, self-aggrandizing, completely dedicated to the president as their channel to power, no matter their private views." There's still a lot of that going around.
Thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for an advance readers copy.
That era -- the transition between the Carter and Reagan administrations in the U.S., and between the Shah's and the Ayatollahs' rule in Iran -- was a critical turning point for both countries, sending out sonic booms we're still feeling and hearing today. Night in Tehran gave a delicious fly-on-the-wall charge, filling in myriad blanks in the public record of that time.
It may have been 40 years ago, but somethings don't change: Kaplan describes "White House types" as "inflated, self-aggrandizing, completely dedicated to the president as their channel to power, no matter their private views." There's still a lot of that going around.
Thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for an advance readers copy.
January 1, 2026
A unique look at a complex period in contemporary history. Extending beyond the lead-up and initial switch of power after the Iranian Revolution of '79 I was impressed at how it didn't simply tie up events as if it was one swift shift of power. The extended time where there is as much just back and forth and conversations might not be the action some crave, but speaks to the deep complicated networks and concerns.
While there's no doubt as it's from the perspective of a CIA agent it's a generous look at the USA, I really appreciated how the author stressed how very complicated the entanglements of the time and place were from my own understanding derived from other historical accounts. It made me wonder if the no-good-choices and nearly omniscient look at how events would later unfold was common knowledge among those actually involved on this end at the time.
While there's no doubt as it's from the perspective of a CIA agent it's a generous look at the USA, I really appreciated how the author stressed how very complicated the entanglements of the time and place were from my own understanding derived from other historical accounts. It made me wonder if the no-good-choices and nearly omniscient look at how events would later unfold was common knowledge among those actually involved on this end at the time.
January 6, 2022
I like historical fiction and having a novel based in the tumultuous period of time when Iran was trying to escape the rule of the Shah, and America’s involvement with that time and place, made for an interesting intrigue. I wouldn’t recommend this as a spy novel per se, because it is more complex than it needed to be and it would be easy to give up trying to keep track of people and events. But I enjoyed having my memory refreshed about what led up to the hostage crisis that was such a traumatic event in our history.
July 31, 2022
Philip Kaplan has written an excellent piece of historical fiction centered on the fall of the Shah of Iran and the subsequent storming of the American embassy and the ensuing hostage crisis. But, Kaplan does a masterful job of placing the reader inside the world of an American operative working to finesse the transfer of power. From the Peacock Throne to the ugliness of Evin Prison to the dusty streets of Tehran to the capitols of Europe Kaplan takes the reader on an amazing journey. Great spy thriller!
January 1, 2021
This book was marketed as spy thriller....it's not. It is more of historical fiction or a diplomacy procedural. If it had been marketed as the latter, maybe I would have enjoyed it but my expectations going in were marred.
It is about a young diplomat tasked with finding a replacement for the Shah of Iran. Interesting, not much action. Lots of people to remember. The first 1/3 of the book is almost totally just the protagonist going to different meetings. It got more interesting after that.
It is about a young diplomat tasked with finding a replacement for the Shah of Iran. Interesting, not much action. Lots of people to remember. The first 1/3 of the book is almost totally just the protagonist going to different meetings. It got more interesting after that.
January 12, 2021
Routine treatment of recent history
I had hopes for this spy story and it was a quick read. But the protagonist was one of those straight arrows, who always makes the right move, everyone else is venal and cunning, and he wins in the end. Based on the Iranian hostage crisis of 1980-81, the author l took an approach of "three I was at 35 thousand feet" asks hipper the Reader would go along. I didn't.
I had hopes for this spy story and it was a quick read. But the protagonist was one of those straight arrows, who always makes the right move, everyone else is venal and cunning, and he wins in the end. Based on the Iranian hostage crisis of 1980-81, the author l took an approach of "three I was at 35 thousand feet" asks hipper the Reader would go along. I didn't.
January 23, 2021
Starts well... ends okay. Liked the old style spy novel feel. Some typos; which I was expecting when I read this (copied from the eBook):
“A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Philip Kaplan spent twenty-seven years as a diplomat in the US Foreign Service. Now retired from the State Department, he is currently practices law in Washington, D.C. This is his first novel.”
Overall decent; wouldn’t call it a must read.
“A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Philip Kaplan spent twenty-seven years as a diplomat in the US Foreign Service. Now retired from the State Department, he is currently practices law in Washington, D.C. This is his first novel.”
Overall decent; wouldn’t call it a must read.
July 7, 2021
This was a top notch story that took in the last days of the Shah and the first of the new Islamic State. All the main historical figures from all sides were brought back in great detail, leaving out none of the intrigue, violence and politics involved. This would have been a great thriller even if the story were complete fiction, but because it was based on historical events, it was fantastic reading, 4.5 stars.
August 27, 2021
As other reviewers have noted, this book is described as a thriller - which it is not, especially for anyone who knows anything of the US involvement in the Shah abdicating his throne. The book is a fictional account of the background of the abdication, the imprisoning of US Embassy staff and the influence of this on the Carter-Reagan election - a good reminder of the intricacies, dishonesty and complications of "diplomacy." But a good work of fiction? Barely.
November 27, 2022
People keep saying this book is a bad spy thriller. But I don't think it wanted to be a spy thriller. Sure its about a man deceiving people into doing his country bidding, but not illegally through espionage, but through diplomacy. Which makes it all the more interesting for me. Knowing the only thing the main character had to get by with was his tongue and not Garrote wire was a suspenseful blast and I loved it.
October 12, 2020
This book is descried as a thriller. Not sure that's how I would categorize it. It's a top notch spy novel set in a time that is not often the subject of spy novels--Iran just before the revolution in the 70s. Even though we all know who "won" the revolution, the author does a great job building suspense and increasing the tension to the last page.
May 24, 2021
Most other reviews of this book are disappointed that it is not a "spy thriller." I think it is a well-written book that gives a good summary of what it was like during that time period in Tehran. This is a great read for those who are interested in reading more history and learning some context written from a diplomat's perspective.
December 20, 2021
If you ever thought being a spy was something you might like to be, make certain to read NIGHT IN TEHRAN, by Philip Kaplan.
As I was reading this fast-moving tale of the build-up behind the Iranian Revolution, it made me so aware that there are power-hungry people in every country who want to lead and will do what is necessary to make it happen.
As I was reading this fast-moving tale of the build-up behind the Iranian Revolution, it made me so aware that there are power-hungry people in every country who want to lead and will do what is necessary to make it happen.
February 8, 2022
When I started this book I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. Sometimes it's hard to go from a historical romance set in the 1800s to one involving diplomacy in 1970s Iran. This one starts near the end of the reign of the Shah and ends as Reagan takes office and the hostages are finally set free. However, as I read I found it very interesting and suspenseful and I enjoyed it.
November 20, 2022
Ever wonder what happened to the Shah of Iran, and the revolution and how a nobody cleric ended up making America look a scared child?
Read this book.
Yes I know it is fiction but it isn’t. It reads like a nonfiction book- after all it was written by a career diplomat, he just chose to write it as fiction with some interesting characters thrown in.
Excellent book.
Read this book.
Yes I know it is fiction but it isn’t. It reads like a nonfiction book- after all it was written by a career diplomat, he just chose to write it as fiction with some interesting characters thrown in.
Excellent book.
May 1, 2023
One of my favorite narrators on audible. The story was incredibly fascinating and confusing. I think if I knew more about Iran pre 1980 I would have understood it better. Locations change mid chapter with no notice. Maybe when reading the book you would see a space or something that would indicate a change.
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