Mimicking many nonfiction books about the CIA, Weisberg, a former CIA officer, has included a blizzard of redacted (blacked out) words and sentences in his second novel (after 10th Grade), as if the agency's publications review board had worked the manuscript over with a heavy hand. Did they? Or is it just a clever ploy for verisimilitude? Mark Ruttenberg, a newly minted agent, is on his first foreign assignment trying to persuade citizens of an unknown country (the location has been redacted) to spy for American interests. He's doing well until he starts sleeping with one of his contacts and his superiors eventually fire him. Back in America, Ruttenberg meets another cashiered spy, Bobby Goldstein, and the two men share their experiences.

SHORTLYAFTER JOINING the Central Intelligence Agency, operative Mark Ruttenberg is given the task of reviewing some old case files in prepa- ration for his upcoming field assignment. During the course of his research, he discovers an odd link between a former case officer, Bobby Goldstein, and one of his informants. Before he can get to the bottom of the case, however, theagency ships Mark off to his new post, where he quickly ingratiates himself with some of the country's most powerful people. Immersed in his new life of hobnobbing and high security,rubbing elbows with important generals and influential statesmen, Mark forgets about the strange case of Bobby Goldstein.

But then Mark falls for the wrong woman,and the agency, convinced his cover has been blown, quickly brings him home. Not sure how to integrate into his old life, Mark is in limbo until he receives a postcard with just an address on it. Who sent the postcard, and where is it sup-posed to lead him? Could this all be an ops test,with Mark's future hanging in the balance? Or is it more dangerous than that? Soon, Mark will have to decide if righting and old wrong is worth taking a terrible risk.