Traitor by Jonathan de Shalit

Imagine you are a young Israeli naval commander. 1983. You’ve seen strategic initiatives that outline Israel’s plans to control the eastern Mediterranean. And they are disturbing. You think the best chance to change those plans is to convince the Americans to exercise their influence over Israel. So you walk in cold to the US embassy in Rome asking to see an intelligence officer. Your convictions say you are doing the right thing.

But there are hoops to be jumped through and you pass with flying colors. Right upbringing, university degree, military rank, ambitious goals of rising within the halls that establish foreign policy. Your case is passed up the chain and a handler is assigned. Thus begins a fruitful relationship in terms of inside information about Israel and good money for your account.

You become a high valued asset. So high valued that all information about you is very tightly controlled. You are Cobra. Years later, Werner, your first handler and Marlene, his valued aide, head off to retirement. You are turned over to a new handler.

2012-Dresden. Marlene is dying of cancer and confesses her love for Werner to her priest. And some minor tidbits about the existence of Cobra. In a world where the ears for a country’s interest are everywhere, the priest has in the past given information to Israel. The existence of Cobra gets to Tel Aviv and the retired Mossad director, Aharon Levin. January 2013.

Who does he tell? There is a mole. Going on 30 years. Could be anywhere, even the very bureaus who would normally be charged with such investigations. But where is he? With 30 years in, he’s undoubtedly high up and well positioned. Levin approaches the President and a plan is put in place. Levin is to assemble a small team. Really small. Answer only to the President. Completely off the books. A leak about a mole would be devastating. If the word got out, who could then trust Israel? Friend or enemy. Levin’s team has one job: find Cobra. Bring him in. Quietly. Because once Cobra or his handler gets an inkling that his cover is near blown, an extraction will be put in play and Israel will never know the extent of Cobra's treason.

Seemingly insignificant clues are tracked. One in particular shows some promise. A middle-aged artist was carrying on a ‘same time next year’ romance with a Russian translator until she abruptly broke it off. Find her and maybe, just maybe, Cobra’s handler can be narrowed down. But why has the trail detoured to Russia? And an American handler?

This book, originally published in Hebrew in 2015 (and 2018 in English), was written by “a former high-ranking member of the Israeli intelligence community. His books must pass a rigid vetting process including the approval of the Governmental Ministers’ Committee.” Obviously de Shalit is a pseudonym for one with deep insight into espionage. I was checking out another book at the library when my eye drifted to the Recent Acquisitions shelf. I took the bait and the jacket liner set the hook. Four days later - done.

Despite the Mitch Rapps and the Scot Harvaths of the thriller genre, Traitor is probably a more realistic accounting of a serious mole hunt. For those who appreciate the intelligence of Le Carre’s Smiley’s People or Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, de Shalit’s story of manipulation, impersonation, deception, treachery, tradecraft, and dogged pursuit will keep you riveted for hours. De Shalit’s eloquent prose and rich delivery takes you through the minutae of espionage not often seen in modern day thrillers. I wouldn’t pretend to know who else writes so articulately, but de Shalit’s style does reminds me of Olen Steinhauer. 

And of course, of Le Carre. 

P.S. I've mentioned before that it's sometimes a good idea to check out the publisher. I've yet to be disappointed by any book published by Emily Bestler Books. Care to guess who published Traitor? 

-->