John Wells may have left the CIA, but he hasn’t left the high-stakes world of espionage, where hidden battles determine the fate of nations. In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah is losing his hold. A series of terrorist attacks has put the Kingdom on edge, and even Abdullah’s own secret police cannot be trusted. With nowhere to turn, the King asks for Wells’s help. Reluctantly, and with the secret blessing of his former CIA boss, Wells agrees. But as he begins to unravel the conspiracy, it takes an unexpected twist, becoming more dangerous than Wells ever imagined. The plotters want more than the fall of a monarch. They want to start the final battle between America and Islam—with only themselves as the victor… “Positively raging with Tarantino-style carnage.”— The New York Times “Wells is a fine character who will likely propel Berenson’s thrillers to success for some time to come.”— Chicago Sun-Times “Top-flight…The authenticity Berenson brings to his ripped-from-the-headlines stories makes them seem as vividly real and scary as nonfiction or the nightly news.”— Booklist “Wells is a refreshing thriller hero, sort of the anti-Jack Bauer.”— The Houston Chronicle As a reporter for The New York Times , Alex Berenson has covered topics ranging from the occupation of Iraq to the flooding of New Orleans to the financial crimes of Bernie Madoff. His previous novels include The Faithful Spy , winner of a 2007 Edgar® Award, The Ghost War , The Silent Man , The Midnight House, and The Counterfeit Agent . He lives in New York City. Praise for THE SECRET SOLDIER “ The Secret Soldier luxuriates in violence, positively raging with Tarantino-style carnage.” — The New York Times “Terrific at creating tension…Top-flight.” — Booklist THE MIDNIGHT HOUSE “Berenson combines his thorough knowledge of the Middle East with an acquired sense of corporate intrigue in this bullet-paced, psychologically engaging tale of torture and espionage.” — The New York Times “Berenson tells a fast-paced and riveting tale.” — Booklist “Ingeniously plotted and fast-paced…Arguably Berenson’s best thriller yet, this outstanding novel stands on the top rung of commercial spy fiction.” — Library Journal “John Wells is back, lean and just mean enough…Wells is a refreshing thriller hero, sort of the anti–Jack Bauer.” — St. Petersburg Times “A superbly crafted spy thriller that doubles as a gripping mystery; the reader has no idea who the killer is until Wells figures it out.” — Kirkus Reviews THE SILENT MAN “ The Silent Man succeeds in seizing the [reader’s] attention from the start and never letting go.” — The New York Times “John Wells saves the world for the third time in as many books, but we wouldn’t have it any other way…Keeps the reader caring, and guessing, until the end.” — Booklist “A remarkable novel of espionage based on real-world threats and a chillingly plausible scenario.” — The Calgary Sun “It’s an exciting story and a timely one…Superior entertainment.” — The Washington Post “Well-plotted and thoughtful…Fast and furious when it needs to be, this is a welcome addition to an excellent series.” — Publishers Weekly “A swift and gripping read reminiscent of David Stone’s thrillers.” — Library Journal “Action-packed, thrilling, and just credible enough.” — Kirkus Reviews THE GHOST WAR “The authenticity Berenson brings to his ripped-from-the-headlines stories makes them seem as vividly real and scary as nonfiction or the nightly news.” — Booklist “Heart-pumping adventure.” — USA Today “Mesmerizing…an extraordinary achievement.” — The (Raleigh, NC) News & Observer “An engaging story that will have readers captivated…A fast-paced story of international intrigue and espionage…Wells is a fine character who will likely propel Berenson’s thrillers to success for some time to come.” — Chicago Sun-Times “A very sophisticated vision…Geopolitically savvy.” — The New York Times “A novel that offers a thrill a page and delivers a terrific story.” — The (Toronto) Globe and Mail THE FAITHFUL SPY Winner of the Edgar® Award “A well-crafted page-turner that addresses the most important issue of our time. It will keep you reading well into the night.” —Vince Flynn “One of the best espionage books of all time.” —William Stevenson, author of Spymistress “An intriguing thriller studded with alarming possibilities.” — New York Daily News “The best spy thriller in a long, long while.” — The Kansas City Star “Berenson offers a very American story—a sort of terrorist High Noon …Exciting.” — The New York Times “A hold-your-breath thriller…a grabber.” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch TITLES BY ALEX BERENSON THE SECRET SOLDIER THE MIDNIGHT HOUSE THE SILENT MAN THE GHOST WAR THE FAITHFULSPY THE NUMBER (nonfiction) THE SECRET SOLDIER ALEX BERENSON JOVE BOOKS, NEW YORK FOR MY WIFE Table of Contents PROLOGUE MANAMA,  BAHRAIN JJ’s HAD COLD CARLSBERG ON TAP AND A DOZEN flat-screen televisions on its dark wooden walls. It was an above-average bar, generic Irish, an