Reviewed by Sharon Marchisello
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
With the conflict raging in Iran right now, the timing of this book’s publication couldn’t have been more appropriate. Eyes to Deceit, by Gabriel Valjan, is a novel of espionage focused on the 1953 Operation Ajax, where the CIA and MI6 teamed up to orchestrate a coup in Iran.
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| Image Source Level Best Books |
Although the book is fiction, as are the main protagonists, Valjan weaves in plenty of historical facts and real-life personalities: Harry Truman, Allen Dulles, Kim Roosevelt, Clare Boothe Luce, Norman Darbyshire, Giulio Andreotti. There’s even a cameo by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on location to shoot Roman Holiday. I appreciated the information the author shared in the Afterword, detailing what was real and what was modified for the sake of the story.
Walker, the main character, is a writer and a World War II veteran, activated by “the Company” at the beginning of this tale. He’s assigned to work with Leslie, a polylingual, former MI6 agent, with whom he has a romantic history. It’s only natural for the two to rekindle their attraction under the stressful circumstances.
A subplot that alternates with the main action focuses on Sheldon, an asset cultivated by Walker and his boss, Jack. Sheldon, an Auschwitz survivor out for revenge against the Nazis, will infiltrate a resort in the Catskills catering to wealthy Jewish families. He brings along Tania, a precocious teen he rescued after Stalin killed her parents. At the resort, Tania, the lone gentile girl, struggles to fit in with the other girls.
As with any good spy novel, there are cryptic clues, innuendo, and backstabbing. Everyone has an agenda, and loyalty is always being tested. Especially recommended for fans of Cold War intrigue.
To enter to win an ebook copy of Eyes to Deceit, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "eyes,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen March 28, 2026. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!
You can click here to purchase this book.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.Sharon Marchisello is the author of the DeeLo Myer cat rescue mysteries published by Level Best Books, starting with Trap, Neuter, Die (2024). Her other mysteries were published by Sunbury Press: Going Home (2014), Secrets of the Galapagos (2019), and Murder at Leisure Dreams – Galapagos (2025). She has also written a nonfiction book (Live Well, Grow Wealth - 2018), travel articles, and short stories. She earned Master’s in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is active in Sisters in Crime. Sharon lives in Peachtree City, GA, where she does volunteer work for the Fayette Humane Society and the Fayette County Master Gardeners.
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