{"product_id":"pariah-isbn-9780593802236","title":"Pariah","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNEW YORKER \u003c\/i\u003eBEST BOOK OF 2025 • An adrenaline-fueled thriller about a disgraced comedian-turned-politician who takes on the role of a lifetime: infiltrating a corrupt Eastern European country to spy on their brutal dictator\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHal Knight, a comedian and movie star-turned politician, is no stranger to controversy. But after an embarrassing and humiliating encounter on set, Knight resigns from Congress, quits social media, and disappears to the tiny Caribbean island of Vieques to drink dirty martinis and nurse his wounds. Shortly after his arrival, he is approached by a trio of CIA operatives hoping to recruit him to infiltrate the power structure of Bolrovia—a hostile, Eastern European country whose despotic president, Nikolai Horvatz, happens to be a longtime fan of Knight’s adolescent male humor. Knowing that Horvatz plans to invite the disgraced star for an official visit, the CIA coaxes Knight to accept. Skeptical, but with little to lose, Knight accepts the challenge, sensing this might be his one chance to do something worthwhile, even if no one else ever finds out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUpon arrival as President Horvatz’s guest of honor, Knight confronts his ultimate acting challenge. What begins as an assignment to keep his eyes and ears open quickly turns into a life-or-death battle of wits, with consequences reaching all the way to Washington. With \u003ci\u003ePariah, \u003c\/i\u003eDan Fesperman has crafted a heart-pounding thriller about espionage, entertainment, and one man’s pursuit of redemption.“Deliciously fun. . . . Dan Fesperman, wielding a sharp eye for atmospheric detail and a finely tuned ear for comic relief, has proved to be one of the genre’s most exciting contemporary writers. . . . Hal and Pavel are irresistible creations, one man risking his celebrity and chances for redemption, the other his freedom and livelihood.” \u003cb\u003e—Christopher Bollen, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003ePariah\u003c\/i\u003e is a most unusual and entertaining espionage caper, one in which the protagonist’s serious flaws at last yield to the redeeming qualities of his better angels.\" \u003cb\u003e—Tom Nolan, \u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Dan Fesperman’s \u003ci\u003ePariah\u003c\/i\u003e is a masterful blend of espionage, political intrigue, and dark humor with a plot that is as entertaining as it is breathtakingly timely. Fesperman crafts a gripping narrative of a man—comedian, actor and politician—caught up in international intrigue that explores the allure of power, the sting of betrayal, and the cost of second chances too good to be true.” \u003cb\u003e—Kathleen Kent, author of \u003ci\u003eBlack Wolf\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“\u003ci\u003ePariah \u003c\/i\u003eis a penetrating political satire . . . Thrilling and hilarious.” \u003cb\u003e—Paul Vidich, author of \u003ci\u003eBeirut Station\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Fesperman wins again with this well-crafted tale of modern espionage—of Russian soft influence, changing social norms, conflict both internecine and international. At times laugh-out-loud funny, at times sobering and cautionary—and filled with flawed, human characters—\u003ci\u003ePariah\u003c\/i\u003e illuminates the thorniest geopolitical issues of our times bravely, wittily, and entertainingly.\" \u003cb\u003e—I.S. Berry, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Peacock and the Sparrow\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Twisty, topical, and often darkly comedic, \u003ci\u003ePariah \u003c\/i\u003eis Fesperman at his best, spinning a tale not just of suspense, double-dealing, and international intrigue, but a deeper story about love and redemption. This is essential spy reading for understanding the turbulence of our modern times.\" \u003cb\u003e—David McCloskey, former CIA analyst and internationally bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Seventh Floor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A zippy mashup of spy thriller and farce. . . . Fueled by adrenaline and the absurdities of contemporary politics and culture, this zeitgeisty thriller should be at the top of your list if you’re seeking a book that’s as intelligent as it is diverting. . . . With crisp, fearless humor that drips with topical, ripped-from-the-tabloids headlines and social media irony, \u003ci\u003ePariah\u003c\/i\u003e nails the political calculus.” \u003cb\u003e—Carole V. Bell, \u003ci\u003eBookPage \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"It should come as no surprise to Fesperman’s fans that this is a first-rate spy thriller; what might come as a surprise is the relative lightness of the proceedings. Pariah is something new for the author, and it’s a rousing success.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"An intriguing, entertaining and fast-paced plot, possibly mirroring events in the real world. Thoroughly satisfying. . . . Hal is human in every way, with improv training that often works in his favor and rashness that might carry him to the brink of disaster.\" \u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eDAN FESPERMAN served as a foreign correspondent for \u003ci\u003eThe Baltimore Sun\u003c\/i\u003e, based in Berlin. His coverage of the siege of Sarajevo led to his debut novel, \u003ci\u003eLie in the Dark\u003c\/i\u003e, which won Britain’s John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for best first crime novel. Subsequent books have won the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for best thriller, the Hammett Prize from the International Association of Crime Writers, the Barry Award for best thriller, and selection by \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e as the year’s best mystery\/thriller novel. He lives near Baltimore.","brand":"Knopf","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233464594661,"sku":"NP9780593802236","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593802236.jpg?v=1767734503","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/pariah-isbn-9780593802236","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}