“A truly sensational read! In fact, Damascus Station is the best spy novel I have ever read. David McCloskey experienced Syria firsthand as a CIA analyst, and he delivers a thrilling, graphic, gripping, and realistic - albeit fictional - portrayal of the CIA and the bloody, tragic Syrian uprising. I lived this extraordinarily frustrating episode in Agency history, and I could not put this book down.”

“From an exfiltration gone awry to a stunning endgame, Damascus Station takes the reader on a breathtaking journey in war-torn Syria. McCloskey delivers a thrilling page turner that is marked by his exceptional understanding of the country and matched by his sophistication in the ways of CIA tradecraft.

“Damascus Station tells the tragic story of Syria’s descent into chaos and the price paid by its people during the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown. The power of this book is that it tells this devastating story through the eyes of those who suffered and survived because of love, the human relationship, and the power of what makes life worth living.”

“The nightmare of the Syrian civil war is vividly portrayed by David McCloskey in Damascus Station. He captures the places and people - and most of all, the sickening feeling in the gut - of this war that shattered poor Syria while America mostly watched. As a former CIA officer, McCloskey gets the details right - not just the little ones about mistimed clocks on the wall at headquarters but the big ones about trying to keep the faith with people in a faithless business. This isn’t just a realistic spy novel, it’s real life.”

“For an authentic representation of what it’s like to work in intelligence, look no further than Damascus Station. McCloskey has captured it all: the breathtaking close calls, the hand in glove of tech and ops, the heartbreaking disappointment, the thrill of hard-won victory.”

“The most realistic and authentic depiction of modern-day tradecraft in nonpermissive and hostile environments you will find in print. I am hocked the CIA’s Publication Review Board allowed David McCloskey’s Damascus Station to see the light of day. Read it now, before it is banned!”

“Damascus Station is simply intoxicating. A vortex of love, loyalty, murder,and damn good espionage.”

“Damascus Station is one of the purest spy novels I’ve read this year. A volatile mix of traditional espionage plotlines intertwined with a modern level of action and violence that had me flipping pages until the early morning hours. If you are a fan of le Carre or Jason Matthews…David McCloskey’s books are going to become must reads.”

“McCloskey brilliantly captures the adrenaline-fueled highs and catastrophic lows of working in foreign intelligence, where innocent lives hang in the balance of every decision. We were impressed by his empathy for his characters—extending even to his sadistic villains—and the depth of his understanding of Syria’s chaotic, violent history. We won’t spoil any of the story’s shocking double crosses. Suffice to say, you’ll finish Damascus Station with your jaw on the floor.”

“An exhilarating debut . . . McCloskey portrays the brutal inner functioning of the Assad regime, as well as the CIA’s occasional ineptitude, while detailing such elements of spy craft as avoiding tails, maximizing dead drops, and operating safe houses. Refreshingly, as shown in the relationship between Sam and Mariam, he dares to be sentimental. Espionage fans will eagerly await his next.”

“A sweeping spy thriller packed with true to life tradecraft. There’s no doubt that McCloskey is a CIA veteran.”

“Damascus Station, by ex-CIA man David McCloskey, is an impressive debut. Damascus Station is a breathless ride; the best laid plans sometimes come tumbling down and brinkmanship can lead to miscalculations on both sides. It is easy to identify good and evil here, but McCloskey also mines the nuances of people on both sides fighting to survive. Therein, perhaps, lies the high praise delivered by the likes of retired Gen. David Petraeus, who served as CIA director, and who gushes in a pre-publication blurb that Damascus Station is ‘the best spy novel I have ever read.’”