Breaking Cover

Author: Michele Rigby Assad

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A remarkable firsthand account of a woman’s role in the CIA in the Middle East post 9/11.

Michele Rigby Assad didn’t grow up with plans to join the CIA or have an interest in the middle east. In fact, she never considered even going to the middle east until she met the man who would be her husband.  Her husband, Joseph, is an Egyptian national who came to the United States after his family was persecuted for their faith and he couldn’t enter a university because of being a Christian.  At a career fair while attending Georgetown, she decides to go to a CIA career fair.  What happens as a result of that meeting puts a plan into motion that sends them over to extremely conservative Arab countries that aren’t women friendly.  But the challenges she faces continually prepare her for the next stage of her life.  Not only does she work as a clandestine operative, but after leaving the agency, she finds work as  a security consultant that ultimately leads to helping persecuted Christians out of Iraq.

This book was very exciting and fast paced. The story is told progressively and educational at the same time.  The concept of the CIA is fascinating, so when you have the chance the hear a firsthand account, it is always worth reading about.  Further, it was very educational to understand more about middle eastern culture and how both the United States is perceived as well as foreign woman.  This is going to be one of my top nonfiction picks for the year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.