The Haze

In 2013, while the Muslim Brotherhood consolidates power over Egypt and the rest of the Middle East, a university professor and former CIA spy based in Cairo called "Hector Kane" receives an unlikely call from the Company. They need him back—and back quick. It's been two and a half years since Hector has heard anything from his former handlers. So why now, he wonders, when all his attempts to contact them have been in vain? They meet on a felucca, and the offer Hector receives boggles him. He will be reinstated into the CIA, and be promoted to deputy chief of the Cairo station, only if he will agree to this one last mission, for old times' sake: Go on summer vacation—they tell him—to this posh tropical island in the South China Sea. Take your university class with you. And your wife also; she's Asian and could be helpful there. But once in Asia, things get more mysterious with every passing day. First, Hector has to question the nature of his mission when the CIA asks him to infect one of his students with a deadly virus. Then, a Saudi prince calls him, and claims that Hector's wife—Yubi—is a secret Chinese agent who's not only cheated on him, but seduced and kidnapped the prince's very son. Torn between informing the CIA about his wife and disinforming them, between doing and undoing his mission, Hector feels like the proverbial man between a rock and a hard place. Join Hector on his emotional odyssey. He will dash through the misty corridors of espionage; travel across the world from Asia to the Middle East and beyond; and then unravel the many meanings of love, peace, and duty. "Engrossing... Hawkes keeps the twists coming... Fans of superior post–Cold War spy fiction will be satisfied." — Publishers Weekly "A knotty and satisfying tale of action, drama, and secrets." — Kirkus Reviews "With its relentless pace, smart plot, and top-notch writing, The Haze makes for a most appealing and compelling read... The Haze is a must-read for fans of Spy Stories and is recommended without reservation." — Book Viral "A thoroughly enjoyable contemporary spy novel recommended to fans of the well-known 'heavy hitter' espionage writers." — Reedsy Love, mystery, and intrigue erupt against the backdrop of a CIA operation in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. "A knotty and satisfying tale of action, drama, and secrets." ? Kirkus Reviews "Fans of superior post?Cold War spy fiction will be satisfied." ? Publishers Weekly When the CIA contacts Hector Kane after two years of tossing him out in the cold, Hector has to wonder why him of all the disgraced former employees of the Agency. Hector's life has never been the same since. His marriage to a smart and stunning Asian-Canadian nurse is near the end after the death of their only son. His teaching job at the American Institute for Middle Eastern Studies in Cairo is nowhere exciting as his intelligence career. Hector's heart and mind are still hung up on his exciting past as a spy. So when the CIA offers him one last chance, Hector doesn't hesitate. His mission is simple. As the Muslim Brotherhood consolidates power over Egypt and the rest of the Middle East, Hector will fly out of Egypt with his wife and a careful selection of five graduate students to an exotic island in the South China Sea. No questions Hector. More will be revealed in Asia. But in Asia, things get more mysterious by the day. First, Hector begins to question the nature of his mission when the CIA instructs him to infect one of his female students with a deadly Chinese virus. Second, Hector soon receives a call from a powerful Saudi prince who claims that Hector's wife is in fact a spy working for the Chinese government?a spy who has seduced and kidnapped the prince's son. Unable to tell the CIA, Hector must act alone. He has to contact Chinese intelligence, locate the prince's son, and relearn everything he thought about his marriage, his mission, and himself "Life has never been the same since Hector Kane was tossed out of the Company two years ago. His marriage to the smart and beautiful Yubi is falling apart after the death of their son. His teaching career at the American Institute of Middle Eastern Studies in Cairo has not fulfilled him as he thought it would. His heart and mind are still in the trade. So when the CIA offers him a chance to redeem himself, Hector doesn't hesitate. It's a 'one-man job', as the Cairo chief puts it; if successful, Hector is set up to become the next deputy chief of the CIA's Cairo station. Hector will take his wife and five students to a remote island in the South China Sea. No questions, Hector; you'll be briefed in Asia. But in Asia, things get weirder by the day. First, Hector questions the nature of his mission when the CIA instructs him to infect one of his students with a deadly virus. Second, Hector receives a call from the Saudi Prince Mohamed bin Hakam, who claims that Hector's wife is a Chinese spy who has seduced and abducted his son. Unable to tell the CIA, Hector must act alone. He has to contact the Chinese intelligence, locate the prince's son, and relearn everything he thought he knew about his marriage, his mission, and himself."--Provided by publisher