From Spy to Writer, with IS Berry - SpyMasters

What this episode covers

Antonia Senior talks to IS Berry about her debut novel The Peacock and the Sparrow. It has garnered rave reviews, and has won the Edgar Award for best first novel. It's set in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and follows the misadventures of disillusioned CIA officer Shane Collins. IS Berry was in the CIA for six years, and she writes with thrilling authenticity about life as a spy. we talk about her leap from spy to writer, about her influenced, and the toll that espionage can take on the soul. Buy the book here Follow IS Berry: https://isberry.net/ Follow IS Berry on X: @isberryauthor Follow spymasters on X: @spymasterspod Follow Antonia: @tonisenior Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

The Reporter and the China Trap

Jul 3, 2026 ·48m

War-Ender Weapons

Jun 26, 2026 ·60m

Trump's Hatchet Man Atop US Intelligence

Jun 20, 2026 ·50m

How Trump Broke the ODNI

Jun 12, 2026 ·60m

How a Terror Case Fizzled

Jun 5, 2026 ·55m

Pod Save Our National Security with Tommy Vietor

May 29, 2026 ·59m

Similar Podcasts

Into The Dirt Tortoise Media Listen to all six episodes today. Rob Moore had a successful career in television until one day he ran out of ideas. After a stint as a gardener, a more enticing door was opened for him. He was offered a job in the shadowy world of corporate intelligence - he became a spy.Tasked with working undercover to extract information from an environmental campaign group, Rob Moore says he eventually became sympathetic to the campaigners’ aims. He decided to turn on his employers and support the group he was meant to be infiltrating. Only it wasn’t that straightforward. He never told the campaigners who he really was and he never told his spymasters what he was really doing. Neither side knew the whole truth. That was until 2016, when after years of being in control of these two disparate worlds he was unexpectedly outed. Now, the campaigners see him as a traitor who betrayed their trust. He sees himself as a misunderstood whistleblower.From the tea SpyTalk SpyTalk, Jeff Stein SpyTalk lives at the intersection of intelligence operations, foreign policy, homeland security, and military strategy. Hosted by veteran national security journalists Jeff Stein, Michael Isikoff and Karen J. Greenberg, the podcast features exclusives by SpyTalk’s roster of longtime reporters, news and profiles of US and foreign spymasters, and interviews with policymakers and expert authors. There’s nothing quite like it—a place for experts and laypersons alike, who enjoy national security scoops and insights by SpyTalk's subject matter experts. For more SpyTalk go to: https://www.spytalk.co/ Out of the Shadows Project Podcast Luca Trenta The podcast interviews experts and authors in the field of intelligence studies, (Cold War) history, and international politics. From US spymasters to James Bond, we explore the secret world of intelligence and covert action, trying to make it accessible and to bring it to light. Started as British Academy Rising Star Engagement Award 2017 Project, now just for the fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of SpyMasters?

This episode is 44 minutes long.

When was this SpyMasters episode published?

This episode was published on October 24, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Antonia Senior talks to IS Berry about her debut novel The Peacock and the Sparrow. It has garnered rave reviews, and has won the Edgar Award for best first novel. It's set in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, and follows the misadventures of...

Can I download this SpyMasters episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.