The Tehran Conviction
by Tom Gabbay
In
1953, Jack Teller goes to Tehran as a new recruit to the newly
organized
CIA. Under the cover of an influential oil executive, Jack
Teller's mission includes making contacts to serve the CIA's goal of
influence on the Iranian government during the height of the Cold
War. Jack makes contact with Yari Fatemi and his sister
Zahra. Yari Fatemi has high hopes that Prime Monister
Mohammed Mossadegh is a great man, a man able to bring to Iran a sense
of independence from colonialism to creating a society that will honor
the rich history of the country and bring human rights to its
people. The CIA's mission to overthrown Mossadegh, however, puts
Jack at odds with the friendship the two men share. Twenty-six
years later, Iran stands on the brink of a religious revolution.
Zahra approaches Jack, begging him to help her brother. In an
unofficial mission, much like those of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, in which if
discovered, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of the mission,
Jack enters a new Iran with the chaos of revolution in a bold, daring
attempt to save the very man he betrayed years earlier.
Tom Gabbay's THE TEHRAN CONVICTION is an exceptional historical spy
thriller! Tom Gabbay reaches into CIA history to create a
thriller that sheds light not only on past events but also one that
gives an excellent chilling background to recent events. Tom
Gabbay places his fictional characters within real historic events and
surrounds them with real historical figures. Tom Gabbay also does
an excellent job at balancing the particulars of Iranian history with
the overarching background of the Cold War. THE TEHRAN CONVICTION is fast-paced
spy fiction that alternates between the two main time periods.
As spy fiction, THE TEHRAN CONVICTION brings the reader right into the
heart of the story through the characters of Jack Teller and Yari
Fatemi. Yari is young, optimistic and idealistic. Jack Teller is
a man loyal to the mission but one who also questions those around
him. Despite his loyalty to his country and the CIA's mission, he
sees the dangers if not ridiculousness of some of CIA's aims.
Donaldson, a character Jack meets later in the book, is a perfect
complement to Jack, each bringing out the depth in each other.
The later daring mission keeps a reader on pins and needles with
several turns and twists. Tom Gabbay writes outstanding spy
fiction with all the ingredients to keep a reader locked in until the
last page. Fast, dangerous, bold action joins with a more
thoughtful insight into politics and indeed human nature itself through
the richness of character depth. Tom Gabbay's twists on idealism
and realism are exquisite! THE TEHRAN CONVICTION is a perfect
dance between subversion and betrayal, leaving a reader on edge, never
quite expecting the clever twists around the next corner. What an
ending --- it leaves a reader thinking with just the slightest chill to
send shivers throughout!
It's been a very long time since I have read spy fiction so thoroughly
satisfying or as awesome as Tom Gabbay's THE TEHRAN CONVICTION.
If like this reader, you tend to avoid recent spy novels set in the
Mideast having found so much television and recent thrillers too
realistic or not realistic enough, shallow and one-dimensional, a
reader need not have such qualms about Tom Gabbay's THE TEHRAN
CONVICTION. I received this book as a gift so I tried it.
Am I ever glad I did! The night I finished it, I immediately
ordered the author's two previous books. If you love rich spy
suspense, Tom Gabbay is a must read. Outstanding!
Publisher:
Harper (Reprint) (April 2010)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
