THE FAITHFUL SPY: ALEX BERENSON

I read about Berenson in last week's New York Times.  He had written an essay wondering when it was time to put to bed a series of spy novels, in this case, his successful John Wells thrillers.  I had never read one, in fact, never heard of former New York Times journalist Berenson, so I found his first novel, THE FAITHFUL SPY in paperback and finished it last night.

Wells, as the novel starts, is in Afghanistan, living with Al Qaeda, in the mountains near Pakistan.  He's been undercover for a couple of years, distrusted by both Al Qaeda, who wonder despite his conversion to Islam if he's a spy, and by the CIA, who have not heard a word from Wells in a couple of years.  He proves himself, however, in a skirmish with the Special Forces, killing his fellow terrorists, but making it seem as if they were killed by the Special Forces.  He then meets with the  upper echelon of Al Qaeda, convinces them of his loyalty and is sent back to the US, to await instructions, as they are planning another act comparable 9/11.

Once in the States, he travels to Montana, to see his ex wife and son, neither of whom seem interested in him since he's been away for years.  He hangs out, makes contact with the CIA, and his main squeeze, Jennifer Exley, who just happens to be his CIA contact.  Unsure of his loyalty, the CIA puts him in a safe house, which he escapes from in frustration because he knows an attack is on the way. An Al Qaeda cell makes contact with him, sending him to Montreal to pick up a package.  He returns with the package, to New York, and realizes the package contains the plague virus, and he's been contaminated, becoming a virtual suicide bomber.  Somehow he connects with Exley, and she storms the apartment where he's located, and between the two of them, all the terrorists are killed with the exception of Khadri, the head.  Khadri realizes all his plans are destroyed, and he decides to detonate the bomb with the plague virus himself, in Times Square.  Wells, weakening by the minute because of the plague virus, figures out Khadri's plan, goes to Times Square, finds Khadri's yellow van and shoots him just as he's about to detonate the bomb.  Whew!  The novel ends with both Exley and Wells in the hospital, recovering from the plague virus and wounds, to live another day, frustrating the plans of terrorists.  We assume Wells and Exley become a couple, working together either for the CIA or as rogues.  Time will tell.