How to Read the Damascus Station Series in Order
David McCloskey’s espionage thrillers have quickly established themselves as modern classics in the spy genre. Written by a former CIA analyst who covered the Middle East, the series is widely celebrated for its clinical attention to authentic tradecraft, complex geopolitical backdrops, and morally gray characters. Unlike typical action-heavy thrillers, these books focus on the psychological toll of spying, the meticulous details of counter-surveillance, and the volatile human relationships at the center of intelligence operations.
The series features recurring characters—most notably the brilliant, foul-mouthed CIA operational chief Artemis Procter and officer Sam Joseph. Because the characters' personal arcs, professional rivalries, and institutional history carry over from one book to the next, reading the series in publication order is highly recommended.
The Recommended Reading Order
- Damascus Station (2021)
- Moscow X (2023)
- The Seventh Floor (2024)
- London Station (Upcoming — Scheduled for Late 2026)
A Closer Look at the Books
Damascus Station (2021)
The series debut kicks off in Paris, where CIA case officer Sam Joseph is tasked with recruiting Mariam Haddad, a well-connected Syrian palace official. A forbidden romance quickly develops between them, complicating an already high-stakes mission. When Sam is sent into the volatile streets of war-torn Damascus to assist Mariam, they find themselves hunting a killer and uncovering a devastating chemical weapons secret within the Assad regime. The book received critical acclaim from seasoned intelligence officers and journalists alike for its realistic portrayal of the Syrian Civil War and the mechanics of human intelligence recruitment.
Moscow X (2023)
Shifting focus to the hostile streets of Russia, this second entry introduces Sia, a CIA officer operating under deep cover as an agricultural venture capitalist. Alongside Sam Joseph and under the watchful eye of senior CIA officer Artemis Procter, Sia is tasked with exploiting the financial vulnerabilities of a prominent Russian oligarch. Moscow X explores the inner workings of Russia’s modern intelligence apparatus, the complexities of oligarchic wealth, and the dangerous lengths to which operatives must go to survive in a high-threat environment.
The Seventh Floor (2024)
This installment dives deep into the internal politics of Langley. When a meeting with a Russian source in Singapore goes disastrously wrong and Sam Joseph goes missing, Artemis Procter is scapegoated and forced out of the agency. Convinced there is a high-level Russian mole inside the CIA's executive suites (known as the "Seventh Floor"), Procter recruits her trusted inner circle—dubbed the "Bratva"—to launch an unauthorized, rogue investigation. This book relies heavily on the backstories and established relationships from the first two novels, bringing the internal CIA tensions to a dramatic head.
London Station (Upcoming — Scheduled for Late September/October 2026)
In this upcoming novel, Artemis Procter returns to the spotlight as the newly appointed Chief of London Station. Set against the backdrop of a brash and unpredictable new U.S. administration, the plot centers on a nightmare scenario: the CIA and Britain’s MI6 begin spying on each other. When intelligence officers on both sides begin dying, Procter must navigate a treacherous web of allied betrayal and modern surveillance to uncover the source of the deadly leaks.
The Standalone Novel: The Persian (2025)
In addition to the primary CIA series, David McCloskey authored The Persian (2025). While it shares the same gritty realism, complex plotting, and tradecraft expertise as his other works, it is a standalone novel and not part of the Damascus Station series. The plot follows Kamran Esfahani, an Iranian-born dentist living in Stockholm, who is recruited by Mossad to run spy operations in Tehran. A tragic failure leads to Kamran's imprisonment and torture, and the narrative unfolds through his written confessions from an interrogation room. Because it does not feature Sam Joseph or Artemis Procter, you can read this book at any point in your reading journey.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into McCloskey's universe, it helps to understand what makes his work unique:
- Insider Tradecraft: As a former CIA analyst, McCloskey avoids Hollywood-style shootouts. Instead, tension is built through "Surveillance Detection Runs" (SDRs), digital malware placement, dead drops, and the slow, psychological grind of recruiting assets.
- Recurring Characters: While each book has a self-contained mission, the character development of Sam Joseph and Artemis Procter is continuous. Procter, in particular, is a fan-favorite character known for her heavy swearing, intense loyalty, and sharp operational mind.
- Real-World Geopolitics: The books do not use fictionalized countries. They deal directly with the Syrian Civil War, U.S.-Russia cyber warfare, Mossad operations in Iran, and the diplomatic complexities of the U.S.-UK alliance.
- Podcast Companion: For fans who want to dive deeper into the real-world intelligence operations that inspire these stories, McCloskey co-hosts the podcast The Rest Is Classified, where he discusses espionage history and modern intelligence topics.