If you want a modern spy story involving Syria and America then this book could be right up your street!

A great start to the book with Samuel Joseph working for the CIA in Damascus, and from there the book becomes fast paced but violent with torture - which may not be acceptable for the faint hearted. I struggled with some of this and also the rather complex plot.

Thanks to Net Galley and Swift Press for the chance to read and review.

A Very exciting, fact paced and well written thriller. The descriptions of life in Syria both as a national and visitor are detailed and interesting and the action scenes were gripping. Recommended.

Damascus Station is a very gritty spy thriller. It really got under my skin and I felt emotionally involved with the two main characters Sam Joseph and Mariam. The novel explored moral dilemmas and allegiances. Family tends to trump allegiances and a desire to make a difference can be easily thwarted by manipulating that factor. The Syrian regime depicted in the novel seemed to rule by coercive control so all encompassing that those caught up in it could see no way out, no means of escape. I thought Ali, whether or not a real detective in a more peaceful time, could have been a decent man had it not been for the war, certainly a different character to his brutish brother. For those who would prefer a spy thriller that is like the real thing, this one is for you. I enoyed reading it immensely. It has to be a five star review from me.

I am a fan of spy fiction but this book required a warning of the explicit and graphic accounts of torture which rendered it impossible for me to read.
I am reluctant to score it on that basis but the system insists on a score hence 2 stars

Modern spy story ,full of the high tech requirements needed to be successful in hostile environments.
A great uncomfortable novel that feels very real.
Samuel Joseph a C.I.A. operative working out of Damascus looses his work partner Val to the Syrian regime who dies under torture. The C.I.A. sets out to identify the person who kills Val and Sam gets the go ahead to do just that.
Sam identifies a Syrian working for the Palace who has access to sensitive material and tries to recruit her and run her against all odds.
The story is gruesome against a violent and merciless regime . Nobody can possibly come out of this well.

Exciting and fast moving book that feels right up to date.

Brilliantly written though a difficult read and not for the squeamish. From the horrors of supporting a regime you do not believe in to voluntarily becoming a spy is quite terrifying. The book captures it all and much more in a fast paced thriller.

Great storytelling and a thrilling and intelligent book (sadly a rare combination these days).

The author clearly knows his stuff and at times makes it difficult to follow all the nuances of the plot, but this doesn’t spoil the story, rather it makes you concentrate that bit harder.

I look forward to reading more of Mr McCloskey’s work.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

An absorbing book that rolls along nicely and one you can see being made into a film..
Has an edge that is missing in some books of a similar style, making it all the more enjoyable.

What an impressive debut novel.

I am always on the look-out for spy novels however there appear to be very few authors out there who have been able to capture the genre perfectly (other than Le Carre and Forsyth, for me).

However, what is clear from this novel is that McCloskey has been there, done it and a whole lot more. The intricacies of the story are there for all to see and in the hands of a lesser author they would not play out as well as they do here.

A huge recommendation to anyone like me who loves spy novels but struggles to find the right books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Swift Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Red Sparrow redux?

This was a superbly plotted and written spy thriller. One of the best that I have read in recent years.

Action packed but also full of geopolitical details of the relationship between Syria and the USA.

The tradecraft seemed authentic and the excitement never let up.

I hope that this is the first of a series.

Highly recommended.