A renegade CIA officer must infiltrate an extremist group in the heart of Europe…

Ari Falk has just blown the lid off a massive conspiracy at the highest level within the CIA. While some hail him as a hero for exposing government corruption, others brand him as a dangerous traitor to his country. His quiet exile in the Republic of Georgia is shattered when a new mission arises—one perfectly suited for someone as jaded and unpredictable as him.

A hot war in Europe and shadowy political schemes set the stage for danger at every turn. Enter Asha Tamaskar, a brilliant, neurodivergent CIA officer with her own secrets, and Felix Burnham, a chilling antagonist with radical alliances that could change the global balance of power. From Tbilisi to Prague and Andorra to Bethesda, Falk’s quest for justice takes him on a high-stakes journey around the world.

The Cormorant Hunt explores geopolitics with grit and authenticity, weaving together a narrative that is both urgent and unforgettable. Razor-sharp dialogue, heart-pounding twists, and complex characters abound—blending suspense, wit, and brilliant storytelling, this is a must-read for fans of political intrigue, espionage, and thrillers that don’t play by the rules.

This is Michael Idov’s second, fast-paced and gripping spy novel starring Ari Falk. It picks up soon after the end of the first book in the series, and offers another contemporary, well-written story, populated by engaging characters. After enjoying the first novel in the series (with just a few minor reservations), I’m pleased to say that I enjoyed this as well, and it does mark an improvement in Idov’s writing.

Idov’s The Collaborators was an excellent introduction to Idov’s writing and his protagonist Ari Falk. In Cormorant Hunt, Falk returns, more jaded than before, and feeling quite burned by his employer. Given the events of the first book (recommend you read it if you haven’t already — it’s also entertaining and very fast-paced), Falk has been keeping a very low profile. Nevertheless, he is reluctantly brought into a CIA investigation into a rising force in right-wing, online, manosphere-adjacent character, whose firebrand rhetoric is making the European situation worse, and who may be in league with The Cormorant. The novel initially features a few story threads, all of which readers should be able to predict will come together — and they do rather nicely, building to an explosive and pretty satisfying conclusion.

As was the case in book one, Idov’s prose moves at a high clip. Despite this, the plot never felt rushed, although there were times when I thought it might be nice if the story slowed down just a little bit. The Collaborators had some structural issues, in my opinion, but in this second novel Idov has done a better job with the structure and overall flow of the story, which is a nice development (and, hopefully, bodes well for future books).

The characters are mostly well-drawn and realistic, and we come to care for those we’re supposed to  (don’t get too attached, though). The antagonists are well-written, too, and Idov avoids turning them into cartoon baddies. All of the issues are ripped-from-the-headlines fresh, and feel quite grounded in reality. I liked that Falk is not a superhuman agent: he gets battered and beaten, he gets worn down, and he is not always at the centre of all the action (just mostly — it is, after all, his story). His globe-trotting investigation is interesting, and Idov does a very good job of bringing each location to life on the page; I haven’t been to all of them, but with familiarity with some of the countries, it felt very well done.

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, engaging spy thriller, then I think Idov’s series might be just what you need. Unlike some of the other popular new espionage series and authors, Idov’s is very much a thriller: there is plenty of spy craft, but the propulsive story is the point — it’s less about slow-burn investigations and cat-and-mouse mole-/spy-hunting. More James Bond than George Smiley.

I haven’t seen anything to suggest that there will be a third in the series, but I certainly hope there will be. If not, I’ll still keep my eyes open for whatever Idov writes next. Recommended.

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Michael Idov’s The Cormorant Hunt is out now, published by Scribner in North America and in the UK.

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Review copy received via Edelweiss