Single in the CIA

by Shelly Mateer

Single in the CIA is a memoir about the author's experience as a single female working for the extremely male-dominated National Clandestine Service of the CIA. From romantic relationships with a high level Division Chief to a forbidden romance with an officer under cover on a perilous mission, the author's story covers various romantic entanglements and workplace mischief she witnessed or was involved in. Single in the CIA is an entertaining and sexy romp through an often ugly experience. This book has been reviewed for release by the CIA.

166 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2015

About the author

Shelly Mateer is a former CIA officer. Her first book, Single in the CIA, is a memoir about her experience working in the Directorate of Operations of the Central Intelligence Agency. Her series, Mingling in the CIA, takes readers on a disturbing yet comical journey into the daily lives of the officers in America's premier spy agency. Mission: Stand Down is a true to life spy thriller - her most controversial book yet. Mommy Thinks She's a Monster is a touching children's picture book about moms and motherhood written from the perspective of a young child, who only wants their mommy to be present in their life. The Lemon Seed is a children's picture book about thriving in adversity and flourishing, even in dismal circumstances and environments. The Adventures of Shelly Beach is an elementary-grade chapter book series. In the first installment, A Manatee Miracle, we join Shelly and her brother Sunny on their adventures in a magical paddle boat. In the second installment, A Hermit Crab's Home, young readers will continue on adventures in the Florida Keys, learning about hermit crabs, conchs, and Uncle Shrimpie, guided by a MerDog. In the third book, A Mangrove Mystery, Shelly and her brother Sunny stumble upon a few Florida Keys mysteries and solve a major problem while they are at it. Readers will be introduced to new magical creatures as well as be reunited with their familiar favorites. As a mother of two young children, Shelly has created the BurpMitt® product line for baby and home as well as developed the Cooking in the CIA app.

Reviews

[Ali Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having written most of my own works as either autobiographical adult fiction or memoir, I can relate to how difficult it is to open up and tell the whole world secrets about my personal life. One book review from another author stated that I write "...telling things ... that almost nobody I know would actually publish." This is in the same category. Shelly states that writing this was a release for her, and I can definitely understand this.

[Edna Foster · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. This mean spirited memoir only proves to me that the author became one of the CIA women she professed to dislike so much - her back-biting and general snarkiness were shameful. it was clear that the author was not hired for her writing skills and I asked myself the same question she kept bringing up in her book - how did this narcissist get through the psychological exams to be hired?

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Single in the CIA” sheds an unfavorable light on the CIA’s day-to-day world; at least in the headquarters. Somehow, I was expecting something better from an agency with the reputation that they present to the world. I guess I hoped it would rise above the kind of human pettiness that infests other large organizations (and small ones, too). Mateer, cast ashore like a shipwrecked sailor, finds a landscape filled with unsavory and incompetent characters. Unfortunately, as she works her way through a perplexing world—partly of her own design—in ill-fated attempts to find both a satisfying relationship and to further her career, she compounds her problems. By her own accounting, she seems unable to recognize that many of the people she turns to for help are only interested in pursuing their own agenda and fails to help her then or later when her career is on life support. This memoir is slightly Perils-of-Pauline-ish as Mateer moves from one danger to another in the dangerous realm of office politics.