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An adrenaline-fueled thriller about a disgraced comedian-turned-politician who takes on the role of a lifetime: infiltrating a corrupt Eastern European country to spy on their brutal dictator.
Hal Knight, a comedian and movie star-turned politician, is no stranger to controversy. But after a disastrous #MeToo encounter on set, Knight resigns from Congress, quits social media, and disappears to the tiny Caribbean island of Vieques to drink dirty martinis and nurse his wounds. Shortly after his arrival, he is approached by a trio of CIA operatives hoping to recruit him to infiltrate the power structure of Bolrovia—a hostile, Eastern European country whose despotic president, Nikolai Horvatz, happens to be a longtime fan of Knight's adolescent male humor. Knowing that Horvatz plans to invite the disgraced star for an official visit, the CIA coaxes Knight to accept. Skeptical, but with little to lose, Knight accepts the challenge, sensing this might be his one chance to do something worthwhile, even if no one else ever finds out.
Upon arrival as President Horvatz's guest of honor, Knight confronts his ultimate acting challenge What begins as an assignment to keep his eyes and ears open quickly turns into a life-or-death battle of wits, with consequences reaching all the way to Washington. With Pariah, Dan Fesperman has crafted a heart-pounding thriller about espionage, entertainment, and one man's pursuit of redemption.
A zippy mashup of spy thriller and farce... . Fueled by adrenaline and the absurdities of contemporary politics and culture, this zeitgeisty thriller should be at the top of your list if you're seeking a book that's as intelligent as it is diverting... . With crisp, fearless humor that drips with topical, ripped-from-the-tabloids headlines and social media irony, Pariah nails the political calculus." —BookPage (starred review)
"Fesperman is dexterous with plotting and character development, but less convincing when it comes to illustrating Hal's comedic talents (unless readers really love song parodies). Still, it's a minor quibble in an otherwise impressive effort." —Publishers Weekly
"A rare misfire by one of spy fiction's most consistent artists." —Kirkus Reviews
"It should come as no surprise to Fesperman's fans that this is a first-rate spy thriller; what might come as a surprise is the relative lightness of the proceedings. Pariah is something new for the author, and it's a rousing success." —Booklist
"An intriguing, entertaining and fast-paced plot, possibly mirroring events in the real world. Thoroughly satisfying...Hal is human in every way, with improv training that often works in his favor and rashness that might carry him to the brink of disaster." —Library Journal
"Dan Fesperman's Pariah is a masterful blend of espionage, political intrigue, and dark humor with a plot that is as entertaining as it is breathtakingly timely. Fesperman crafts a gripping narrative of a man—comedian, actor and politician—caught up in international intrigue that explores the allure of power, the sting of betrayal, and the cost of second chances too good to be true." —Kathleen Kent, author of Black Wolf
"Pariah is a penetrating political satire ... Thrilling and hilarious." —Paul Vidich, author of Beirut Station
This information about Pariah was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Dan Fesperman first began writing about dangerous and mysterious people and places as a journalist, a newspaper career that culminated in his years as a foreign correspondent for the Baltimore Sun. Reporting from Europe and the Middle East, he covered three wars while also finding the time to write his first three novels. He then quit the newspaper biz to write fiction fulltime, and now travels on his own dime.
He grew up in Charlotte, NC, and, as a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a diehard Tar Heel. He is married to the journalist Liz Bowie, and they live just north of Baltimore. Their two children have moved off to adventures of their own.
Dan's thirteen critically acclaimed novels of intrigue and suspense have won two Dagger Awards from the UK Crime...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Dan Fesperman's Website
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