David McCloskey, a former CIA analyst from Texas, has transitioned from intelligence work to crafting intricate spy novels that explore the complexities and internal rivalries of modern espionage. Before embarking on his writing career, McCloskey spent time as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co., which provided him with insights into the behavior of powerful individuals. This experience influenced scenes in his latest novel, “London Station,” where he depicts a volatile, inexperienced CIA chief whose disruptive leadership exacerbates tensions between the CIA and its British counterpart, the MI6.
Set in a vaguely post-Trump future, “London Station” imagines a scenario in which the cooperation between the U.S. and British intelligence agencies deteriorates to the point of outright antagonism. McCloskey has said he avoided making the book an explicit critique of recent U.S. administrations, yet he saw an unqualified and abrasive leadership in American intelligence as key to the story’s dramatic tensions.
“London Station” is the fourth installment in a loosely connected series that began with “Damascus Station” in 2021, which focused on the Syrian civil war. A fifth novel, “The Persian,” is planned as a standalone story about a Mossad-recruited dentist caught in the covert Iran-Israel conflict. McCloskey’s work has earned growing recognition, bolstered by his co-hosting of the podcast “The Rest Is Classified” alongside former BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera.
McCloskey’s novels emphasize character-driven plots, featuring morally complex figures embroiled in internal agency disputes. Unlike many spy thrillers laden with action and high-tech weaponry, his books focus on intrigue, layered relationships, and occasional grim endings. The central figure in his series is Artemis Aphrodite Procter, a gifted yet troubled CIA officer whose sharp tongue and mistrust of authority steer the narratives.
Raised in Minnesota and educated at Wheaton College, a Christian institution near Chicago, McCloskey’s background includes a summer internship at the CIA, which led to a full-time role as a Syria analyst. His intelligence work involved briefing senior U.S. officials, delivering classified testimony to Congress, and living briefly in Damascus during the Arab Spring. After eight years, citing the grim nature of his work and a desire for change, he left the agency for private-sector consulting before returning to writing.
McCloskey’s debut novel faced initial editorial challenges, but eventually attracted the attention of Norton’s late editor in chief, Star Lawrence, who praised McCloskey as a potential “next John le Carré.” Since then, McCloskey has signed a three-book contract with Norton, and a television adaptation of his work is underway.
He continues to navigate the unique relationship between former intelligence officers and the agency, submitting his manuscripts for CIA review to ensure no classified information is disclosed. McCloskey is currently working on a sequel to “Damascus Station” set during the final days of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, incorporating elements of alternate history that reflect his speculative imagination.