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A Cesspool of Spies
The year is 1950. The world is in turmoil. The Chinese have invaded Korea, the Cold War is raging, and, at home, a senator accuses the State Department of being riddled with communists.
Under this backdrop, Simon Biggs, son of a coal miner and Navy veteran, is graduating from college on the GI bill. He has dreams of a future far away from the mines.
Bradley Hiram Sullivan, a major in the US Army and Euro Chief of the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency is looking for bright young men – men he can mold – men who are hungry — men who will do anything. Simon Biggs is one of these men, and he will be sent to the ultimate place of international intrigue – Istanbul.
A Cesspool of Spies is the story of Simon and Brad, whose fates, for good or for evil, are destined to be endlessly intertwined.
"An authentic post-war tale of finding purpose in the murkiest of waters. Unlike so many other slick spy thrillers, Watkins’ novel presents a more humanized and humble side of intelligence operatives, while also delivering sharp dialogue, bursts of action, and searing tension, for a multifaceted historical thriller that is both page-turning and emotionally complex." ~SPR, ★★★★½
Under this backdrop, Simon Biggs, son of a coal miner and Navy veteran, is graduating from college on the GI bill. He has dreams of a future far away from the mines.
Bradley Hiram Sullivan, a major in the US Army and Euro Chief of the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency is looking for bright young men – men he can mold – men who are hungry — men who will do anything. Simon Biggs is one of these men, and he will be sent to the ultimate place of international intrigue – Istanbul.
A Cesspool of Spies is the story of Simon and Brad, whose fates, for good or for evil, are destined to be endlessly intertwined.
"An authentic post-war tale of finding purpose in the murkiest of waters. Unlike so many other slick spy thrillers, Watkins’ novel presents a more humanized and humble side of intelligence operatives, while also delivering sharp dialogue, bursts of action, and searing tension, for a multifaceted historical thriller that is both page-turning and emotionally complex." ~SPR, ★★★★½
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About the author
Linda Watkins
18 books367 followersAward-winning, USA Today Bestselling Author, Linda Watkins, currently resides in Sedona, Arizona and, in another life, was a Senior Clinical Financial Analyst at Stanford University School of Medicine. Born on the east coast, she grew up in a suburb of Detroit. Upon graduation from college (Carnegie Mellon, '70), she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where she lived and worked for most of her adult life. In 2006, she packed up her belongings and, along with her 3 rescue dogs, took the plunge and moved to a remote island off the coast of Maine.
It was on this island that she wrote her first novel, MATEGUAS ISLAND and, since publication, the novel has garnered the following awards:
* 2014 Gold Medal, Supernatural Fiction, READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD COMPETITION
* 2014 First Place Award, Contemporary Gothic, CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEW, PARANORMAL AWARDS
* 2015 Outstanding Novel in Horror/Suspense, IAN BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS
RETURN TO MATEGUAS ISLAND, the sequel, was awarded the 1st Place Award in Contempory Gothic in the 2015 CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEW PARANORMAL AWARDS and was named 2016 Finalist in Horror by READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD COMPETITION.
In addition to the Mateguas Series, Linda is also the author of a stand-alone novel, SUMMER GIRL, A NOVEL which was named a Finalist in Fiction in the 2018 BEA Awards and a Silver Medalist in Novellas/Short Stories in the 2018 Readers Favorite International Book Award Competition. She is also the author of an award-winning novella, SARAH & ZOEY, A STORY ABOUT THE POWER OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Her entry into the multi-author box-set, LOVE UNDER FIRE, has secured her place as a USA Today Bestselling Author.
STORM ISLAND, A KATE POMEROY MYSTERY, the first book in a new Gothic series, will be published in late 2018.
Serious about dog welfare and rescue, all net proceeds from sales of THE MATEGUAS ISLAND SERIES are donated to Linda's charitable trust, The Raison d'Etre Fund for Dogs, Dedicated to Rescue and Research.
Linda is a member of the Horror Writers Association, The Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers, The International Association of Crime Writers, and the Authors Guild.
For more information, please visit her website www.lindawatkins-author.com.
It was on this island that she wrote her first novel, MATEGUAS ISLAND and, since publication, the novel has garnered the following awards:
* 2014 Gold Medal, Supernatural Fiction, READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD COMPETITION
* 2014 First Place Award, Contemporary Gothic, CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEW, PARANORMAL AWARDS
* 2015 Outstanding Novel in Horror/Suspense, IAN BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS
RETURN TO MATEGUAS ISLAND, the sequel, was awarded the 1st Place Award in Contempory Gothic in the 2015 CHANTICLEER BOOK REVIEW PARANORMAL AWARDS and was named 2016 Finalist in Horror by READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARD COMPETITION.
In addition to the Mateguas Series, Linda is also the author of a stand-alone novel, SUMMER GIRL, A NOVEL which was named a Finalist in Fiction in the 2018 BEA Awards and a Silver Medalist in Novellas/Short Stories in the 2018 Readers Favorite International Book Award Competition. She is also the author of an award-winning novella, SARAH & ZOEY, A STORY ABOUT THE POWER OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Her entry into the multi-author box-set, LOVE UNDER FIRE, has secured her place as a USA Today Bestselling Author.
STORM ISLAND, A KATE POMEROY MYSTERY, the first book in a new Gothic series, will be published in late 2018.
Serious about dog welfare and rescue, all net proceeds from sales of THE MATEGUAS ISLAND SERIES are donated to Linda's charitable trust, The Raison d'Etre Fund for Dogs, Dedicated to Rescue and Research.
Linda is a member of the Horror Writers Association, The Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers, The International Association of Crime Writers, and the Authors Guild.
For more information, please visit her website www.lindawatkins-author.com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 5, 2025
Spine-Chilling!
Author Linda Watkins’ ‘Cesspool of Spies’ is a spine-chilling novel. For the most part, taking place in Istanbul, post-World War II 1950, the reader gets a savory taste of history via the threat of Communism posed by the Russian and Chinese governments.
Indeed, a cesspool of conniving spies and double-crossing agents from all over the globe convene in Istanbul, propelling this story forward at breakneck speed. The reader follows in the stealthy footsteps of undercover agent, Simon Biggs, and CIA recruiter, Major Brad Sullivan, who highly endorses Biggs for the job. There are plenty of other characters raising suspicion and sending the reader down a blind alley.
While the dirty business of spying and secrecy is intriguing in its own right due to Watkins’ plot twists and turns, the chills have yet to be set in motion. There’s more than meets the eye regarding Biggs and Sullivan.
One of the best espionage thrillers around, I highly recommend booking passage to Istanbul.
Author Linda Watkins’ ‘Cesspool of Spies’ is a spine-chilling novel. For the most part, taking place in Istanbul, post-World War II 1950, the reader gets a savory taste of history via the threat of Communism posed by the Russian and Chinese governments.
Indeed, a cesspool of conniving spies and double-crossing agents from all over the globe convene in Istanbul, propelling this story forward at breakneck speed. The reader follows in the stealthy footsteps of undercover agent, Simon Biggs, and CIA recruiter, Major Brad Sullivan, who highly endorses Biggs for the job. There are plenty of other characters raising suspicion and sending the reader down a blind alley.
While the dirty business of spying and secrecy is intriguing in its own right due to Watkins’ plot twists and turns, the chills have yet to be set in motion. There’s more than meets the eye regarding Biggs and Sullivan.
One of the best espionage thrillers around, I highly recommend booking passage to Istanbul.
June 10, 2025
I am an ARC reader for Book Sirens and this is my honest opinion. This book is what I would classify as a kind of psychological suspense. The reasons being, there is a prologue that's quite shocking, then the story began about a young man and a recruitment drive by the newly formed CIA. The psychologist who examines him and his application rejects him but the man in charge of recruitment wants him, so he's in. As he goes about performing his duties, the author shows us a personality that I found quite disturbing. Although honest - relatively, and patriotic, wanting the truth to be told, he is cold. I couldn't like him or one of other characters he encounters in his new job, but that is the author's skill. The story is wrapped up at the end - mysteries solved - but I think this book could easily have been part one of a series, that I would have read
July 27, 2025
The prologue is a nightmare, but whose? Something doesn’t fit with Simon…
Set during the Cold War and ranging from the USA to Turkey, A Cess Pool of Spies is told mostly by Brad and Simon. Two men from different backgrounds, drawn together by the CIA, or is that all?
Full of fast-paced, often shocking action, this book held me gripped from beginning to end. Most definitely, Linda Watkins’ best to date, and her list takes some beating!
Set during the Cold War and ranging from the USA to Turkey, A Cess Pool of Spies is told mostly by Brad and Simon. Two men from different backgrounds, drawn together by the CIA, or is that all?
Full of fast-paced, often shocking action, this book held me gripped from beginning to end. Most definitely, Linda Watkins’ best to date, and her list takes some beating!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews