I.S. Berry

I.S. Berry is an American author and former CIA officer whose espionage thriller *The Peacock and the Sparrow* (2023) draws on her decade of intelligence work in the Middle East. The novel, set during Bahrain's Arab Spring uprising, won the 2023 Edgar Award for Best First Novel and the 2024 Crime Writers' Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Berry's writing is distinguished by its authentic portrayal of intelligence operations and morally complex characters navigating geopolitical intrigue. Her insider knowledge brings uncommon depth to the spy thriller genre, exploring themes of betrayal, disillusionment, and the human cost of espionage. She writes literary spy fiction that combines procedural accuracy with psychological nuance.