Shadow Cell

A pacy and fascinating read. I suspect the closest an outsider will get to sitting in on CIA training in agent-running.

Shadow Cell rips the curtain off the modern spy game with the kind of insider access only two former CIA operatives could provide. It's a rare glimpse into the shadow war of the 21st century, where loyalty is tested, trust is weaponized, and victory comes at a personal cost.

The "Shadow Cell" operation is arguably one of the most esoteric, innovative, and successful by CIA to date. It is also proof of how important fresh blood is to any organization. As you will read, the selection of these two young officers was a gamble that not only paid off but also exceeded everyone's expectations. Reads like a novel, educates like a thesis. I truly enjoyed the read and even learned a trick or two.

On one level, this is an important story of how two CIA officers fell in love, married and set up a rogue spy agency in the heart of an enemy state. Their unorthodox methods, borrowed from the playbook of Al Qaida, are now standard practice in US counter-intelligence. But the book is also a tense thriller in which Andrew and Jihi Bustamante are both the hunters and the hunted in a cat and mouse game with a dangerous double agent working in the heart of the CIA. Every page is more gripping than the last, propelling the reader to its exciting finale.

This is a uniquely compelling spy memoir. Two former CIA field operatives take turns to recount clandestine life in the world's hot spots. Together they reveal the latest CIA techniques, including building their own look-alike terrorist cell. It is a behind-the-scenes story of a secret war that blends love, mystery and betrayal.

Nail-biting . . . An unusual window into the normally closed world of spies' private lives . . . Part autobiography, part true crime - or rather, true espionage - their tale of the hunt for a highly placed mole, which is also partly an expose of the sometimes-dubious practices of CIA corporate culture, is a page-turning read. - Telegraph

The Bustamantes write with a frank, conversational tone that is easy to follow and welcomes the reader into their world . . . an excellent account of real-world spy games and an entertaining and informative look at the logistics of modern intelligence work. - Booklist

Hair-raising . . . an alluring crash-course on spycraft . . . the authors pack in plenty of suspense, providing the cliffhangers and paranoid atmosphere of a John le Carre novel. - Publishers Weekly