In the Shadow of the Kingmakers
In this historical thriller inspired by true events, a British espionage plot spirals out of control—with devastating consequences.
It’s the aftermath of WWI and imperialist powers jostle for influence in Tehran, capital of Persia and heart of the Middle East. James Malcolm is a ruthless British spy set on undermining his American and Russian rivals, but when an act of sabotage escalates into an international incident, the kingmaker becomes the pawn.
Rose Pearce works in the English Consulate with her friend Ali, a sweet boy of fourteen. Their simple existence is shattered the day Ali shares the details of a troubling conversation he’s overheard. Rose encourages him to stick to what he knows best: serving tea and trimming roses in the consulate gardens, but Ali is filled with a sense of duty and takes matters into his own hands, changing their lives forever.
Caught in the shifting sands of shadowy espionage, international agendas, and a lust for Western dominance at all costs, James, Rose, and Ali must fight for what they believe in—if they manage to survive at all.
In the Shadow of the Kingmakers is a vivid, heart-stopping exploration of a moment in history that shaped the world we know today.
It’s the aftermath of WWI and imperialist powers jostle for influence in Tehran, capital of Persia and heart of the Middle East. James Malcolm is a ruthless British spy set on undermining his American and Russian rivals, but when an act of sabotage escalates into an international incident, the kingmaker becomes the pawn.
Rose Pearce works in the English Consulate with her friend Ali, a sweet boy of fourteen. Their simple existence is shattered the day Ali shares the details of a troubling conversation he’s overheard. Rose encourages him to stick to what he knows best: serving tea and trimming roses in the consulate gardens, but Ali is filled with a sense of duty and takes matters into his own hands, changing their lives forever.
Caught in the shifting sands of shadowy espionage, international agendas, and a lust for Western dominance at all costs, James, Rose, and Ali must fight for what they believe in—if they manage to survive at all.
In the Shadow of the Kingmakers is a vivid, heart-stopping exploration of a moment in history that shaped the world we know today.
This book was awarded the AudioBookReviewers Choice Award as it is believed to deserve a higher than the standard 5-star rating. This book comes highly recommended. AudioBookReviewers
Imani shows a great depth of research as he describes the warring plots of the British, American and Russian spies who fight a hidden war in 1920s Persia, bringing these men alive and making our hearts pound at their scheming.
— Gerald DiPego, author of several novels, including Cheevey, and screenplays for many feature films including Phenomenon, Message in a Bottle, The Forgotten, Instinct, and Words and Pictures.
This blood-curdling thriller kept me turning pages late into the night.
- Gerald Powers, professor emeritus, Boston University college of communication.
Plot: This book is a richly written historical and political study of Iran in 1924. The book presents a remarkable struggle for justice in the midst of political maneuvering by countries competing to control oil rights.
Prose/Style: This is a well written book and the author keeps a lot of action and characters organized. The language is succinct and the dialogue exceptionally authentic and strong.
Originality: The book explores vicious culture clashes with a light touch, deftly avoiding any tendency to preach.
Character Development: The characters are authentic and explored in great detail. They are also surprisingly complex; the author avoids painting characters with a broad brush, bringing great humanity to them all.
-Publishers weekly’s Critic’s Report BookLife
The historical novel, In the Shadow of the Kingmakers, is one of those books you can imagine being made into a great film. I’ve found myself thinking about it long after I finished reading it, and still find myself in tears when I remember certain passages. It is a forceful, informative, and gripping work that left me impatient to finish it, interrupted as I was by daily life. The author takes the reader back in time, to the early decades of the 20th century, and the nascent beginnings of the greed, power, and economic need that would drive the intrigue, espionage, and covert actions taken by various governments to be the first, or at least most powerful, in obtaining the oil fields of Persia (Iran) for the fuel of a new century; and the lives, political machinations, and collateral damage left behind in the wreckage of such policies.
– C M Powers
Imani shows a great depth of research as he describes the warring plots of the British, American and Russian spies who fight a hidden war in 1920s Persia, bringing these men alive and making our hearts pound at their scheming.
— Gerald DiPego, author of several novels, including Cheevey, and screenplays for many feature films including Phenomenon, Message in a Bottle, The Forgotten, Instinct, and Words and Pictures.
This blood-curdling thriller kept me turning pages late into the night.
- Gerald Powers, professor emeritus, Boston University college of communication.
Plot: This book is a richly written historical and political study of Iran in 1924. The book presents a remarkable struggle for justice in the midst of political maneuvering by countries competing to control oil rights.
Prose/Style: This is a well written book and the author keeps a lot of action and characters organized. The language is succinct and the dialogue exceptionally authentic and strong.
Originality: The book explores vicious culture clashes with a light touch, deftly avoiding any tendency to preach.
Character Development: The characters are authentic and explored in great detail. They are also surprisingly complex; the author avoids painting characters with a broad brush, bringing great humanity to them all.
-Publishers weekly’s Critic’s Report BookLife
The historical novel, In the Shadow of the Kingmakers, is one of those books you can imagine being made into a great film. I’ve found myself thinking about it long after I finished reading it, and still find myself in tears when I remember certain passages. It is a forceful, informative, and gripping work that left me impatient to finish it, interrupted as I was by daily life. The author takes the reader back in time, to the early decades of the 20th century, and the nascent beginnings of the greed, power, and economic need that would drive the intrigue, espionage, and covert actions taken by various governments to be the first, or at least most powerful, in obtaining the oil fields of Persia (Iran) for the fuel of a new century; and the lives, political machinations, and collateral damage left behind in the wreckage of such policies.
– C M Powers
