Overview

One honest answer changed everything. Fresh out of medical school, a young doctor applies to the U.S. Army Medical Corps, expecting a safe posting and a chance to serve. On a routine form, he reveals he reads and speaks Russian. Within days, his life is changed forever. Flagged by military intelligence, he is invited to have dinner with two men who vaguely share they are ""with the Department of Defense."" What begins as an interview becomes recruitment. What begins on land, races toward open water and pulls him into a covert Cold War operation no one can know exists. From the shattered legacy of the Battle of Leningrad to the frozen dangers of the Bering Sea, the mission hurtles across borders and oceans, into enemy territory and the deepest shadows of the Iron Curtain. What begins as a rescue mission turns into a life and death pursuit where the doctor must rely on his medical training, his mastery of language, and his instincts to survive. Fast-moving and packed with suspense, this high-stakes spy thriller delivers a clandestine adventure on the high seas where secrets kill, loyalty is lethal, and one man's knowledge could tip the balance of the Cold War. PRAISE FOR THE SHATTERED CURTAIN: ""A sweeping Cold War drama that transports readers from the tense corridors of Agency headquarters to a spy ship in the icy Bering Sea, through perilous encounters with the Soviet Navy, and deep behind the Iron Curtain. The author's command of aeronautical and nautical detail, combined with an insider's grasp of Russian language, espionage tactics, and CIA-KGB maneuvering, infuses the novel with authenticity. The result is a fast-paced, atmospheric thriller that blends action, history, and intrigue in equal measure.""-Captain William Uberti, Captain USCG (Ret), Past Adjunct Professor of History, Central Texas College; Served aboard USCG Cutter, Decisive, participating in numerous hazardous weather rescues.""Conroy spins a rip-roaring Cold-War yarn in the best tradition of Graham Greene and John le Carré. Set in the frigid waters between Alaska and Eastern Siberia, the novel tells a deeply human story while also capturing a tense game of cat and mouse between the CIA and KGB.""⸺Andrew Wachtel, Ph.D. World-renowned specialist in the culture and history of Russian, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia; acclaimed academic administrator, currently creating the pilot campus for Vision University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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9781966323501

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Reviews

""A riveting book following the NSA's spy ship, the Polaris Champion, as it battles heavy seas and Russian forces. It is well written and very hard to put down. A must-read for all who enjoy intrigue and technological competition between the superpowers.""⸺Major General Jan A. Van Prooyen, US Army RetiredPast Deputy Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Past President, Bechtel Defense and Space.""An exciting novel that stands out for how Conroy has woven together a number of arousing subplots... I read this book very quickly, deeply absorbed in its characters' stories and psychology, and anxiously eager to learn how its suspense would resolve. This moving story ends beautifully ... leaving the reader deeply stirred in one's own internal world. The subplots wed and untangle themselves such that there is only a single remaining and burning question: How long will it be before we may re-engage ourselves with these compelling people in a much-desired sequel?""⸺Lorne Ruby, M.D., adult and child psychiatristFormer Assistant Director, Menninger School of Psychiatry.""Inside its beautiful cover, this book holds a credible story of the dark days of the Cold War and its Iron Curtain. Taut and fast-paced, it carries the reader along, experiencing fully Dr. Christopher Baranov's feelings as he is tossed from one perilous situation to another while seeking answers to his own lifelong mystery. Rough seas, bumpy roads, and bitter-cold temperatures contribute to the unease and suspense. But the author never loses the humanity of his characters even while seamlessly providing fascinating, well-researched detail in settings and conditions.""⸺Barbara Waterman-Peters Artist, writer, illustrator, and co-owner of Pen & Brush Press, LLC""A gripping tale of aviation espionage on the high seas during the height of the Cold War as seen from a unique perspective only Dr. Conroy can provide. A suspenseful read that leaves you wanting more.""-Lieutenant Colonel George Laliberte, USAF Retired One of the first Air Force exchange officers to be sent to a former East German fighter base after the collapse of the Soviet Union; Group Commander, Air National Guard, 139th Airlift Wing; Director of Aviation for the State of Kansas.

Author Information

Dr. Robert Warren Conroy, a diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, trained at Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, D.C., during the Vietnam era and before the demise of the Iron Curtain. His training and subsequent psychiatric experience with the military, Veteran's Administration, and the world-renowned Menninger Clinic, resulted in an exciting career filled with many surprises and adventures. He received his Bachelor of Science degree cum laude from the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Minnesota. While at Menninger, in addition to his clinical duties, Dr. Conroy directed the Menninger Leadership Center, a business and organizational consulting group. He is a writer and has numerous publications to his credit in both the scientific and lay press.

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