Shadow Cell

An Insider Account of America's New Spy War

De: Andrew Bustamante, Jihi Bustamante

Narrado por: Andrew Bustamante, Jihi Bustamante

A thrilling firsthand account by husband-and-wife CIA operatives who, against all odds, triumphed in a deadly cat-and-mouse game against a mole within the agency—an unprecedented insider account of 21st-century spycraft in the tradition of Argo and Black Ops.

Andrew and Jihi Bustamante were a “tandem couple”: married spies who’d dedicated their lives to the CIA. They met as trainees at Langley, and got married while hunting terrorists across the globe. Then, suddenly, they were assigned to a mission so sensitive and explosive that the CIA still has never acknowledged it. The CIA’s source network in a country code-named "Falcon"—one of America’s most formidable rivals—had been compromised by a mole, and the agency needed a new way to collect intelligence there. Young newlyweds, the Bustamantes were considered safe choices for this daunting task precisely because they had no experience in Falcon. They were also loyal, forgettable, and completely disposable—operatives who could help to strengthen the CIA’s position in Falcon while simultaneously serving as bait for the mole.

But although their superiors at the CIA didn’t realize it, the Bustamantes also brought another advantage to the table: a granular understanding of how terrorist cells operate, and how the agency could exploit those same tactics to keep America safe. Assembling a rag-tag team of fellow operatives and recruiting new sources from Falcon, the Bustamantes pioneered a new way of spying by building a cell of their own—right at the heart of the CIA.

The propulsive, untold tale of one of history’s greatest intelligence crises and the unlikely band of agents who were sent in to clean up the mess, Shadow Cell allows us to peer behind the curtain to see how today’s spy wars are being fought—and won.

©2024 Andrew Bustamante and Jihi Bustamante (P)2024 Little, Brown & Company

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Shadow Cell rips the curtain off the modern spy game with the kind of insider access only two former CIA operatives could provide. It’s a rare glimpse into the shadow war of the 21st century, where loyalty is tested, trust is weaponized, and victory comes at a personal cost."—Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Sky Mourning

“The ‘Shadow Cell’ operation is arguably one of the most esoteric, innovative and successful by CIA to date. It is also proof of how important fresh blood is to any organization. As you will read, the selection of these two young officers was a gamble that not only paid off but also exceeded everyone's expectations. Reads like a novel, educates like a thesis. I truly enjoyed the read and even learned a trick or two."—Ric Prado, New York Times bestselling author of Black Ops, and former Chief of Operations at CIA's Counterterrorism Center

Engaging story

I saw an interview with the authors on A Diary of a CEO and decided to buy the book. It was an excellent choice. I really enjoyed the story, and both of the authors are excellent narrators.

A gripping spy story that reads like the best espionage thriller, except it actually happened.

Shadow Cell is a rare look inside a real undercover CIA operation, told by a married “tandem couple” of intelligence officers who lived it. Having followed Andrew Bustamante’s work for years, this book brings his lessons to life in a story of real risk, danger, and consequence. Your training either works or you don’t come home. Essential reading for fans of espionage fiction who want to know what the life of a spy actually looks like.

Thank you to the authors for the advance manuscript, generously provided as a gift for preordering. Check out EveryDay Spy for more info on how to learn these skills and mindsets to improve your own lives.

Wow! Better than a movie.

Great book! I knocked it out in one shot. I wish they could go more into detail. But, its understandable. Thank you for your service! Much respect.

Fully Entertaining

With books like these, you never really know where the truth lies amidst all the metaphors and code names. That said, taken for what it is, it's a fully entertaining story and narrated perfectly by Andrew and his wife Jihi.... (I recently saw a podcast with Andrew where he said he wanted people to guess what "Falcon" represents. My guess; Falcon is North Korea, and Wolf is South Korea)

Great performance interesting story

Great performance and an interesting story. I would have liked the story more if it was a bit longer. The most interesting part of the story was the arcade scene. Then the departure at the airport.

During an interview with Stephen Bartlett, from diary of a CEO, they mentioned the agency pushed back on the release of this book but later approved it after fighting legally. Andrew mentioned that this book contained information which has never been released before which is why the agency decline the release initially. For this reason, I was expecting something more exciting, dramatic, and secretive, which I didn’t find.

Overall, it’s a good book.