The Friend A Novel

Joakim Zander delivers another "compelling, timely, and character-centered thriller" (Booklist) in this riveting story of international espionage. Jacob Seger arrives in Lebanon ready to embrace his future. He's landed his first job in the world of international diplomacy, and he's determined to make a difference. But when Jacob meets the handsome and mysterious Yassim at a glamorous party, he quickly becomes swept up into a passionate, obsessive affair that renders everything else in his life insignificant. Yassim is unpredictable and elusive. He claims it’s his work as a war photographer that takes him across the border into Syria, but when a Swedish intelligence office confronts Jacob with the claim that Yassim is wanted on terrorism charges, Jacob’s life is turned upside down. He doesn't know who to believe or who he can trust. He only knows that he needs to flee Beirut—and fast. At once a moving love story and a gripping adventure, The Friend is an intelligent, urgent thriller that casts light on the dark threats facing the world today.