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An Accidental American
Forced out of a self-imposed exile, one woman faces a lifetime’s worth of secrets and betrayal–all in the name of staying alive.
Nicole Blake had planned to leave her criminal life in the past. She had done her time in a dank prison in Marseille and relinquished the world of forgery and counterfeiting for an unassuming career as a freelance consultant. Now her world is a small farm in the French Pyrenees, with daily fresh eggs and the companionship of her devoted dog.
But when U.S. intelligence operative John Valsamis shows up at her door, Nicole is reminded that she’ll always be an ex-con. Valsamis is after Nicole’s former lover, Rahim Ali, and soon Nicole finds herself back in Lisbon, tracking down Rahim in all their old haunts. Except now Rahim isn’t just a document forger–he’s a suspected terrorist.
Unwittingly drawn into an international web of fundamentalism, crime, and corruption, Nicole discovers that its threads stretch from the cobbled streets of Lisbon to the once-beautiful city of her birth, Beirut, and to the top levels of the government that sent Valsamis to find her. And as with any good web, the harder Nicole fights to free herself, the tighter it closes around her.
“Thought-provoking . . . The gritty atmosphere is perfectly drawn, and complex layers of lies and betrayal keep the reader happily guessing up to the end.”
– Publishers Weekly
“Chilling and utterly believable, An Accidental American hurls the reader into the dark and forbidding world of espionage. Not to be missed.”
–Gayle Lynds, author of The Last Spymaster
______________________________________________________________
THE MORTALIS DOSSIER- ALEX CARR’S NOTE ON THE BOMBING OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN BEIRUT
On April 18, 1983, at one o’clock in the afternoon, a van carrying two
thousand pounds of explosives blew up outside the American embassy
in Beirut, killing sixty-three people. Among the victims were
seventeen Americans, eight of whom represented the Central Intelligence
Agency’s entire Middle East contingent. In the years preceding
the bombing, an increasing number of attacks on Western and
Israeli interests had been carried out by Palestinian and Muslim extremists,
but the Beirut bombing was widely seen as a watershed
event for American policies in the region. With the exception of the
seizure of the American embassy in Tehran four years earlier, an act
that was carried out within the framework of Iran’s Islamic revolution,
the embassy bombing represented the first time America had
been so directly and bloodily targeted by Islamic terrorists for its military
involvement in the Middle East.
It’s impossible to see why the United States was such an unwelcome
force without an understanding of the history of Lebanon and
the surrounding region, and of American and Western involvement
in the politics of the Middle East in general. Though Lebanon has
existed in one form or another since the ninth century b.c., the modern
country of Lebanon was not established until 1920, when it was
granted to the French as part of a system of mandates established for
the administration of former Turkish and German territories following
World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In fact, almost
all of what we think of as the modern Middle East was shaped
by these mandates.
America’s first direct intervention in Lebanese politics came in
1946. During World War II, Lebanon had been declared a free state
in order to liberate it from Vichy control. But when, after the war,
Lebanon eventually moved toward full independence, the French
balked, and the United States, Britain, and several Arab governments
stepped in to support Lebanese independence. It was at this time
that Lebanon’s system of political power sharing was devised. Well
aware of the country’s shaky precolonial past and determined to keep
Lebanon intact, the fledgling nationalist government agreed to split
power along sectarian lines, based on the numbers of the 1932 census.
It was a well-intentioned plan, but one that inadvertently set the
stage for decades of strife and civil war.
The power-sharing government’s first major stumbling block came
with the partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine in the wake
of World War II, and the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed. The
ensuing influx of some 100,000 Palestinian refugees into Lebanon
proved a strain on the carefully crafted power-sharing system. Tensions
were further exacerbated in 1956, when Egyptian president
Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, provoking the
United States, along with Britain, France, and Israel, to respond with
military force. While Lebanese Muslims wanted the government to
back the newly created United Arab Republic, Christians fought to
keep the nation allied with the West. In 1958, with the country teetering
on the brink of civil war, the United States sent marines into
Lebanon to support the government of President Camille Chamoun,
thus inextricably linking itself with Christian for...
Nicole Blake had planned to leave her criminal life in the past. She had done her time in a dank prison in Marseille and relinquished the world of forgery and counterfeiting for an unassuming career as a freelance consultant. Now her world is a small farm in the French Pyrenees, with daily fresh eggs and the companionship of her devoted dog.
But when U.S. intelligence operative John Valsamis shows up at her door, Nicole is reminded that she’ll always be an ex-con. Valsamis is after Nicole’s former lover, Rahim Ali, and soon Nicole finds herself back in Lisbon, tracking down Rahim in all their old haunts. Except now Rahim isn’t just a document forger–he’s a suspected terrorist.
Unwittingly drawn into an international web of fundamentalism, crime, and corruption, Nicole discovers that its threads stretch from the cobbled streets of Lisbon to the once-beautiful city of her birth, Beirut, and to the top levels of the government that sent Valsamis to find her. And as with any good web, the harder Nicole fights to free herself, the tighter it closes around her.
“Thought-provoking . . . The gritty atmosphere is perfectly drawn, and complex layers of lies and betrayal keep the reader happily guessing up to the end.”
– Publishers Weekly
“Chilling and utterly believable, An Accidental American hurls the reader into the dark and forbidding world of espionage. Not to be missed.”
–Gayle Lynds, author of The Last Spymaster
______________________________________________________________
THE MORTALIS DOSSIER- ALEX CARR’S NOTE ON THE BOMBING OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN BEIRUT
On April 18, 1983, at one o’clock in the afternoon, a van carrying two
thousand pounds of explosives blew up outside the American embassy
in Beirut, killing sixty-three people. Among the victims were
seventeen Americans, eight of whom represented the Central Intelligence
Agency’s entire Middle East contingent. In the years preceding
the bombing, an increasing number of attacks on Western and
Israeli interests had been carried out by Palestinian and Muslim extremists,
but the Beirut bombing was widely seen as a watershed
event for American policies in the region. With the exception of the
seizure of the American embassy in Tehran four years earlier, an act
that was carried out within the framework of Iran’s Islamic revolution,
the embassy bombing represented the first time America had
been so directly and bloodily targeted by Islamic terrorists for its military
involvement in the Middle East.
It’s impossible to see why the United States was such an unwelcome
force without an understanding of the history of Lebanon and
the surrounding region, and of American and Western involvement
in the politics of the Middle East in general. Though Lebanon has
existed in one form or another since the ninth century b.c., the modern
country of Lebanon was not established until 1920, when it was
granted to the French as part of a system of mandates established for
the administration of former Turkish and German territories following
World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In fact, almost
all of what we think of as the modern Middle East was shaped
by these mandates.
America’s first direct intervention in Lebanese politics came in
1946. During World War II, Lebanon had been declared a free state
in order to liberate it from Vichy control. But when, after the war,
Lebanon eventually moved toward full independence, the French
balked, and the United States, Britain, and several Arab governments
stepped in to support Lebanese independence. It was at this time
that Lebanon’s system of political power sharing was devised. Well
aware of the country’s shaky precolonial past and determined to keep
Lebanon intact, the fledgling nationalist government agreed to split
power along sectarian lines, based on the numbers of the 1932 census.
It was a well-intentioned plan, but one that inadvertently set the
stage for decades of strife and civil war.
The power-sharing government’s first major stumbling block came
with the partitioning of the British Mandate of Palestine in the wake
of World War II, and the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed. The
ensuing influx of some 100,000 Palestinian refugees into Lebanon
proved a strain on the carefully crafted power-sharing system. Tensions
were further exacerbated in 1956, when Egyptian president
Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, provoking the
United States, along with Britain, France, and Israel, to respond with
military force. While Lebanese Muslims wanted the government to
back the newly created United Arab Republic, Christians fought to
keep the nation allied with the West. In 1958, with the country teetering
on the brink of civil war, the United States sent marines into
Lebanon to support the government of President Camille Chamoun,
thus inextricably linking itself with Christian for...
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
5 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Alex Carr
31 books5 followersAlex Carr is a pseudonym of writer Jenny Siler.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 18, 2017
Some genres are automatically associated with certain authors. If I say "tough private eye novel," several names might come to mind--Raymond Chandler, Robert Parker, Dashiell Hammett or Sara Paretsky, to name a few. If I say "Western," you might think of Zane Grey or Louis L'Amour. But if I say "spy novel," most people are bound to think of one author in particular--John LeCarre. (Ian Fleming doesn't count--he wrote adventure/fantasy novels with a spy protagonist, not the complex works infused with moral ambiguity that are modern spy novels.)
From now on, when I hear "spy novel," I'll also think of Alex Carr.
AN ACCIDENTAL AMERICAN is about Nicole Blake, who's trying to live a quiet life on a mountain farm in France after doing time for counterfeiting in a women's prison in Marseille. Her contented existence is disrupted by the appearance of John Valsamis, a U.S. intelligence operative who wants Nicole to find her former lover, Rahim Ali, because he's believed to be a terrorist. With a few photos of terrorist bombing victims (and one of Ali meeting with a known terrorist), Valsamis persuades Nicole to help him. But, of course, Valsamis is not telling her everything--and Nicole is going to find that out the hard way.
I've never been one for highly-descriptive prose, but this book gave me a new appreciation for good description and how it can be used to set a book's tone and create almost unbearable suspense at times. I also particularly liked the non-linear narrative, which shifted perspectives in a kaleidoscopic manner and moved back and forth in time (once or twice, I got confused--for the most part, it was smoothly executed).
From now on, when I hear "spy novel," I'll also think of Alex Carr.
AN ACCIDENTAL AMERICAN is about Nicole Blake, who's trying to live a quiet life on a mountain farm in France after doing time for counterfeiting in a women's prison in Marseille. Her contented existence is disrupted by the appearance of John Valsamis, a U.S. intelligence operative who wants Nicole to find her former lover, Rahim Ali, because he's believed to be a terrorist. With a few photos of terrorist bombing victims (and one of Ali meeting with a known terrorist), Valsamis persuades Nicole to help him. But, of course, Valsamis is not telling her everything--and Nicole is going to find that out the hard way.
I've never been one for highly-descriptive prose, but this book gave me a new appreciation for good description and how it can be used to set a book's tone and create almost unbearable suspense at times. I also particularly liked the non-linear narrative, which shifted perspectives in a kaleidoscopic manner and moved back and forth in time (once or twice, I got confused--for the most part, it was smoothly executed).
June 27, 2017
It has taken three and a half of 7 CDs for this story to be remotely interesting and just when it appeared to be getting interesting it wandered off in a different direction.
Listening to an affected European (French maybe) accent, while driving, did not help and even if this was not a problem I do not think the book would make my top ten for 2010.
Listening to an affected European (French maybe) accent, while driving, did not help and even if this was not a problem I do not think the book would make my top ten for 2010.
February 1, 2024
excellently plotted, serious, spy/thriller/mystery. Was looking for more light adventure/thriller/hero type read, but stayed with this book to the end because it was so compelling. I would say if you like John Le Carre, or other Cold War thrillers, this book is that genre , but moved forward into post-Soviet spy era.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2019
Hard to follow in audiobook format
October 11, 2007
alex carr is a nom de plume of jenny siler.
so far i like jenny siler better, but then i am less than a quarter through this book.
ok, i am finished. i wish there was something between 3 stars and 4. i wanted to really like this book. it has siler's trademark excellent and exhaustive research, there is not a wrong turn on a single street, if siler(carr) says there's a bar with a blue parrot on x street, there is. in this book, as in her others, she has captured the feel, the sights, even the smell of the cities she's in. (in this case mostly lisbon and beirut.)
this is more of a novel about espionage and politics than a true thriller, but i don't have a problem with that. my problem is i never really cared about any of the characters. although the characterizations were, as usual with siler, beautifully drawn, i just did not feel engaged with any of them. and if i don't care about the characters, i don't care what happens to them.
so close, but just not quite there.
so far i like jenny siler better, but then i am less than a quarter through this book.
ok, i am finished. i wish there was something between 3 stars and 4. i wanted to really like this book. it has siler's trademark excellent and exhaustive research, there is not a wrong turn on a single street, if siler(carr) says there's a bar with a blue parrot on x street, there is. in this book, as in her others, she has captured the feel, the sights, even the smell of the cities she's in. (in this case mostly lisbon and beirut.)
this is more of a novel about espionage and politics than a true thriller, but i don't have a problem with that. my problem is i never really cared about any of the characters. although the characterizations were, as usual with siler, beautifully drawn, i just did not feel engaged with any of them. and if i don't care about the characters, i don't care what happens to them.
so close, but just not quite there.
September 18, 2013
This was an unenjoyable book. Thin characters, rushed descriptions of locations that don't really set a tone or a mood. Constant flashbacks to a Lebanon she doesn't know and a family that seemed real but again distant or lifeless. Even the main characters were not clearly defined.
Add to that that the main drama of the story was one of a criminal blackmailing another criminal on a flimsy piece of "evidence" that was ultimately an inconsequential non-event into the build-up to the Iraq war and you have very little reason for the book in the first place.
And the supposed spycraft? Not worth discussing.
Sorry, just didn't work out.
Add to that that the main drama of the story was one of a criminal blackmailing another criminal on a flimsy piece of "evidence" that was ultimately an inconsequential non-event into the build-up to the Iraq war and you have very little reason for the book in the first place.
And the supposed spycraft? Not worth discussing.
Sorry, just didn't work out.
August 25, 2008
This thriller oodles of intrigue set in Lisbon, the gorgeous French Pyrenees & Beirut, but it's no ordinary mystery-adventure. THe protagonist is a beautiful, bitter and lonely ex-con who has sworn off a life of crime to raise chickens on a farm in southern France (yes, living my fantasty, except for the ex-con bit...). It's gritty, smart & razor sharp- taking surprising directions. I am full of admiration for writer Alex Carr and have set sights on her latest: THe Prince of Bagram Prison.
August 31, 2012
I wasn't a fan of this book. It was difficult to follow, with the changing locations and timeline and people - without really explaining who was talking at what point. It had a neat sort of plot line and was well thought out but it was a little boring. There was a lot of historical type background information but it wasn't very interesting because you don't know what is fabrication. Perhaps if you enjoy historical thrillers this book would suit you.
May 28, 2013
OK for a spy book if the author did not interject conspiracy laden personal views that may have validity, but appear as ill conceived musings by a disgruntled citizen. Character development is poor, appearing as an afterthought. After all the disconjointed background, the main character appeared just dumb, as opposed to representing even an anti-hero, let alone someone in whom you could empathize.
February 28, 2015
A stand-alone thriller peopled with unpleasant people and motives against an unpleasant time.
Thriller - Nicole Blake, ex-forger and ex-con, is convinced by an American agent to locate her ex-lover, suspected as a terrorist, in Lisbon. After accomplishing her mission, she is double-crossed and an attempt is made on her life. The story is set against a history of Beirut since before the bombing of the American Embassy as seen by Nicole's family.
Thriller - Nicole Blake, ex-forger and ex-con, is convinced by an American agent to locate her ex-lover, suspected as a terrorist, in Lisbon. After accomplishing her mission, she is double-crossed and an attempt is made on her life. The story is set against a history of Beirut since before the bombing of the American Embassy as seen by Nicole's family.
July 25, 2016
A quick light thriller revolving around the historical events, both from the 1980s up into the present day, concerning American activities in the Middle East, and the covering up of past transgressions. I'm not sure it was intended as an indictment, but it could easily be taken as such. Not much embellishment, of characters or locale, but it was generally an enjoyable short work. I will try her other novel sometime.
July 15, 2009
Met the author July 11 in Boothbay, Maine at the Books & Blooms event. She was nice. Alex Carr is her pen name. The book was a quick read. The book is a thriller, written with recent current events as a background. The novel takes place mostly in Lisbon, with flashbacks to Beirut. The 1983 bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut plays a major part of this novel.
September 27, 2009
This is an espionage thriller that is rich in description and characterization. We see cities such as Lisbon and Beirut vividly, and we get a few political lessons too. The protagonist must locate a former lover or give up her life of isolation in France. Her decisions and interactions with a number of intriguing characters, provide a tight plot that will keep you reading all the way through.
April 29, 2009
Good spy novel about America's involvement in the middle east, and the bombing of the American embassy in Beirut.
The one drawback is all the flashbacks -- it was sometimes hard to keep track of the time frame.
The one drawback is all the flashbacks -- it was sometimes hard to keep track of the time frame.
Read
July 30, 2011First novel I've read by this author. I wasn't satisfied with the resolution and I was put off by the maudlin sentimentality, but I'd take a chance and read something by her again, if it got good reviews.
January 5, 2013
The prose is what makes this story work. Carr does an amazing job of shifting the point of view around to give you angles on the story while keeping it from getting hopelessly confused. Nicole comes across as a believable and sympathetic character and the setting comes alive.
August 22, 2007
not as compelling as I thought it would be
August 29, 2007
I'm only half way through, so it's too early to write a review. I know that some reviewers only read the dust jacket when they write in the TIMES, but I can't call it. Give me a few more days....
January 14, 2010
(given to me by mama on 3/6/09)
September 14, 2009
Quick read, definitely held my interest but wouldn't say it had a huge wow factor.
July 11, 2010
Loved this! OK, not as good as the books published under her other name of Jenny Siler, but still a great story. Strong female lead, with such an unusual (and scary) setting.
August 24, 2010
An Accidental American: A Novel (Mortalis) by Alex Carr (2007)
February 11, 2011
This was a very good, very intersting espionage novel.
February 3, 2015
I liked the book. Different then the usual espionage novels. A forger is at the heart of this book.
Read
February 17, 2015Very good!!
January 28, 2025
Nothing of interest at all listening to first 30mins so gave up.
(Note to remind me what read and whether liked.)
(Note to remind me what read and whether liked.)
June 10, 2010
Stopped book
April 8, 2017
Can anyone tell me the ending? The last CD in the audiobook I was listening to was broken!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews