Praise for The Traitor’s Tale:

Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, former Director of CIA’s WMD Department in the Counterterrorist Center, former Director of Intelligence and Counterintelligence at U.S. Department of Energy, author of A State of Mind

“Mad Dog Lawler takes us on a magical journey deep into the dark forest of espionage, where loyalty and betrayal reside, and treachery reigns. The CIA’s top soulcatcher offers the reader a master class in the dark magic of recruiting spies, laying bare the mystical craft as it really is, and as it ought to be. Long live The Guild!”

Michael Morell, former CIA Deputy Director

“Jim Lawler has done it again. The Traitor’s Tale is a masterpiece of espionage fiction, authored by the best CIA operations officers of his generation. Jim tells a story so realistic that it could have been pulled from CIA case files. Once you pick it, you won’t put it down. A must read for anyone interested in espionage fiction or nonfiction. I could not recommend it more highly.”

I.S. Berry, former CIA case officer, author of Edgar Award-winning novel The Peacock and the Sparrow

“Exactly what you’d expect from veteran CIA case officer James Lawler: a story filled with clever tradecraft, real-world dynamics, and grab-you-by-the-shoulders characters. Brimming with action, mile-a-minute, The Traitor’s Tale will leave you breathless.”

Tim Weiner, Pultizer Prize winner and author of Legacy of Ashes, The Mission

“Jim Lawler, one of the great CIA officers of his generation, is becoming one of the great spy novelists as well. The Traitor’s Tale is a gripping story grounded in the realities of one of the most devastating counterintelligence cases of the late Cold War. John le Carré would have loved it. You will too.”

Marc Cameron, New York Times Bestselling Author of Power & Empire, Chain of Command, Shadow of the Dragon, Code of Honor, and Oath of Office

“The Traitor’s Tale offers a deep dive into the life and work of spies and spy hunters from one who actually lived it. James Lawler provides a wide array of fascinating details and emotions that only an insider would know. Le Carré readers will love it. Great stuff.”

Daniel Hoffman, former Senior CIA Officer & Chief of Station/Moscow

“The Traitor’s Tale is a brilliant post Cold War cloak and dagger espionage thriller where Russian and American undercover operatives face off against one another using state of the art high technology and old school spy tradecraft. Legendary CIA veteran Jim Lawler masterfully lifts the veil on how motivation drives human behavior in a wilderness of mirrors replete with double agents, a steamy CIA love story, and a shockingly unexpected conclusion, which will leave the reader pining for a sequel.”

James Grady, author of Six Days of the Condor & American Sky

“Former CIA officer James Lawler’s The Traitor’s Tale is another smashing success of an espionage thriller that confirms he’s the real deal and high in the ranks of savvy and revered espionage authors. Lawler’s of course totally fictional ticking-clock saga lets readers see and feel the shadows of espionage that shape the world where we all must live. Or die.»

James Olson, former CIA Chief of Counterintelligence and author of To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence.

“Jim Lawler has done it again. His newest book The Traitor’s Tale dives deeply into the world of counterintelligence, where I spent most of my CIA career. Only a pro like Jim could recreate so brilliantly the murky counterintelligence world of deception and betrayal. I felt like I was there. The realism is enhanced by interweaving actual CI cases, personalities, and tradecraft. So much of today’s spy fiction is unreadable for us veterans because it strays so far from the truth. This is the real deal. It makes me want to get back into the game.”

Jeff Stein, former U.S. Army intelligence officer, Editor-in-Chief of SpyTalk on Substack, author of A Murder in Wartime.

“This is spy fiction at its riveting best—because it’s authentic, based on real, stomach churning events that will make you wonder what the hell goes on in the CIA’s executive suites when it suspects one of its own is a mole. That’s because James Lawler is the real deal, a top former CIA officer who for decades battled with America’s most ruthless adversaries around the world. The Traitor’s Tale is a masterpiece of intrigue and double dealing at the highest levels of the American government.”

Bob Wallace, former Senior CIA officer, author of Spycraft , The Official CIA Manuel of Trickery and Deception, and the Spy Sites series (Washington, Philadephia & New York)

“Don’t start reading The Traitor’s Tale at bedtime—unless you are prepared to spend the night running through a maze of deceit and deception. Within the first ten pages pages Jim Lawler will have recruited you into the hunt for Hydra and the Viper. If you survive, you may discover one or maybe more spies operating in a world where trusted friends or lovers can be secretly a deadly traitor. Lawler, with an admittedly sociopathic mind and possibly drawing from personal experiences, creates an espionage labyrinth twisting through the halls of the KGB, the corridors of CIA and the cubicles of the FBI. That The Traitor’s Tale concludes in suspense rather than resolution is surprisingly satisfying. Suspense is, afterall, in the DNA of spies.”

Bruce E. Pease, former CIA senior executive

“James Lawler displays here his profound understanding of the real CIA, its abilities, its nature, its multiple cultures and their drivers. He gets both the humanity and deep commitment of its officers. Combine this with his ability to tell a compelling story and you have a book that belongs with the very best of espionage literature.”

Mark Lowenthal, former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis

“Jim Lawler is a legendary Clandestine Service officer whose writing packs a wallop. His latest novel, The Traitor’s Tale, is a fitting reminder of the advice that Richard Helms gave Robert Gates: “Never stop looking for the spy.”

Robert Dannenburg, former Senior CIA officer, Chief/CE Division and Chief of Station/Moscow

“This is a fast-paced espionage thriller written by an expert in the business of espionage. For anyone familiar with the seminal espionage cases of the past couple of decades, this is a useful read, especially if you miss the wilderness of mirrors.”

Jake Needham, Barry Award winner of Best Paperback Original Mystery Novel of 2024 for Who the Hell is Harry Black?

“At last, a contemporary American spy novel that’s not just a bunch of run-and-gun. The Traitor’s Tale is espionage fiction of the first rank. Not since Charles McCarry has any American author written spy fiction that probed so deeply into the psyches of the men and women we send out into the world to do our dirty work. How can Lawler manage that? He can manage it because he was one of those people.”

Jack Barsky, former Russian KGB illegal

“With The Traitor’s Tale, James Lawler has created a masterpiece by combining his talents as a writer with his deep experience and great successes in the intelligence arena. The Traitor’s Tale is pure fiction, but every character and every scene could have been plucked from the real world of espionage.”

Robin Dreeke, former FBI Special Agent Chief of FBI Counterintelligence Behavior Analysis, author of Unbreakable Alliances and It’s Not All About Me.

“In The Traitor’s Tale, Lawler —a highly decorated CIA Operations veteran—masterfully blends his extensive experience with compelling storytelling to deliver a gripping tale of espionage. Follow Ambrose Knight, a once-decorated CIA officer turned pariah, as he navigates a treacherous world of deception and betrayal. With the relentless “Red Queen” in pursuit, Knight’s journey showcases the intricate dance of spy recruiting and the high stakes of loyalty in the shadows of the CIA. This captivating narrative will keep you on the edge of your seat, revealing the true cost of living a double life.”

James Stejskal, former U.S. Special Forces and CIA operations officer, author of the Snake Eater...