The Foreign Service Journal, November 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | NOVEMBER 2016 45 The Wolf of Sarajevo Matthew A. Palmer, Putnam Publishing Group, 2016, $28/hardcover, $13.95/Kindle, 390 pages. As this riveting new novel of interna- tional suspense from acclaimed author and diplomat Matthew Palmer opens, 20 years after the Srebrenica massacre that claimed the life of a friend and colleague, U.S. diplomat Eric Petrosian is back in Sarajevo, and the specter of war once again hangs over the Balkans. Dragged deeper into the political maelstrom, Eric uncovers a plot of blackmail and ruthless ambitions and faces an impossible choice: use the infor- mation he’s uncovered to achieve atonement for the past, or use it to shape the future. During his May 24 appearance in AFSA’s Book Notes series , Palmer described his novels as “a love letter to the Foreign Service,” a profession he feels is frequently misunderstood. His goal is to turn that misconception on its head, making FSOs the heroes and giving the public some insight into the varied roles U.S. diplomats take on, both at home and abroad. Matthew Palmer is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, who currently serves as the director for multilateral affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Among many other assignments, he was posted twice to Embassy Belgrade: initially as a first-tour officer at the height of the war in Bosnia and, more recently, as political counselor. His experi- ences in the region served as inspiration for The Wolf of Sarajevo . Mountains Never Meet Stephanie Smith Diamond, Amazon Digital Services LLC, 2015, $12.99/ paperback, $2.99/Kindle, 352 pages. When Maggie Flannigan is unsure if she is ready to marry Thomas, an all-American boy, she suggests the two hike Mount Kili- manjaro to bring them closer. However, Maggie’s adventurous spirit clashes with Thomas’ reluctance to step out of his comfort zone, and he ulti- mately backs out of the trip. Determined to climb the mountain on her own, Maggie embarks on a weeklong trip but finds herself in an unexpected situation. She hates to ask for help, but eventu- ally accepts it from an unlikely stranger. Diamond expertly develops their relationship as Maggie makes her own journey of self-discovery, questioning everything she’s ever thought about love and life, against the magnificent backdrop of the African savanna. The author employs rich, descriptive language and clever plot developments in this mod- ern romance that will keep the reader intrigued. Her debut novel explores the question of where is home when one is unsure of what she truly wants. Stephanie Smith Diamond, the wife of Diplomatic Security Special Agent Mike Diamond, is a writer, editor, runner, hiker and traveler who has lived in Burundi and India, and traveled throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. Having recently served in Bamako, the couple is now on assignment in the Washington, D.C., area. A Simple Game Kirk Wolcott, Victory Mansion Media, 2015, $11.99/paperback,$6.99/Kindle, 267 pages. Global terrorism and international sports collide in this riveting debut novel by Ameri- can diplomat and former sportswriter Kirk Wolcott. When three of the world’s top athletes are slaughtered on the same night in Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Beverly Hills, celebrated peace and conflict resolution expert Rory Crandall spots a golden opportunity. Lured by an insatiable ego and a $20 million reward, Crandall joins a global manhunt to catch the perpetrators behind the media-dubbed “Sporting Murders.” As the world shudders, a group of young terrorists gathers in the hills over Sarajevo to choose their next victim. Racing from the power centers of Europe and America to an African jungle and then to an Asian island on the brink of civil war, Crandall encounters mercenaries and warlords—and falls for a beguiling human rights activist with a curious interest in his mission. With each new murder, the terrorists raise the stakes. But who are these extremists? What do they want? And is it possible the end to their bloody game somehow justifies the means? From the opening chapter to the shocking final showdown, A Simple Game sizzles with suspense, taking the reader on a wild ride through some treacherous territory where nothing is as simple as it seems. Kirk Wolcott, a Foreign Service officer since 2000, currently serves in Istanbul. He has focused his career on areas in conflict. His previous assignments include the U.S. NATO Mission in Brussels, Kabul, Tunis, Sarajevo and Kuwait. Continued from page 39