"Istanbul Crossing" is not just a thriller but a powerful exploration of identity, courage, and the human spirit. Smith's ability to weave a narrative that is both thrilling and deeply humane makes this novel a standout read.
? Alan Warren, bestselling author and host of House of Mystery and Inside Writing radio shows.In this coming-of-age literary thriller, Ahdaf, a gay Syrian refugee, after watching his cousin executed by ISIS for being homosexual, flees to Istanbul for safety. Ahdaf's reputation as a people smuggler has put him in danger once more. A Syrian refugee himself, Ahdaf earns a meager living in Istanbul helping others make the crossing to Greece ? a perilous line of work, but no less so than what he would face if the truth of his sexuality were discovered by ISIS. Yet when the CIA and ISIS approach him about transporting high-profile individuals and serving as a double agent for their causes, Ahdaf 's life is thrown into turmoil. And when his feelings for one of his clients come to light and as another possible relationship grows, the decision is taken out of his hands. Now a new choice lies before him, between two men and two different futures ? if Ahdaf will live to see either of them. Istanbul Crossing is a story of adversity, love, and the courage of an ordinary man who must brave impossible situations in order to survive.Autorentext
Timothy Jay Smith was raised traveling across America in a small trailer, sparking a lifelong wanderlust that has taken him around the world and inspired the vivid, international characters in his work. His extraordinary career includes smuggling banned plays from behind the Iron Curtain, navigating occupied territories, representing the United States at high diplomatic levels, and even stowing away on a ?devil's barge? to Africa ? experiences that inform his award-winning writing. Smith has earned top honors across novels, screenplays, and stage plays, including the Gold Medal in the 2017 Faulkner-Wisdom Competition for Fire on the Island, the 2023 Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize for Istanbul Crossing, and the Paris Prize for Fiction for A Vision of Angels. His novel Cooper's Promise was named one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2012, and he was nominated for the 2018 Pushcart Prize. A dedicated playwright and theater enthusiast, his play How High the Moon won the Stanley Drama Award, and he founded the Smith Prize for Political Theater. Timothy lives in Nice, France.