Where to Start with David McCloskey
If you are ready to dive into the high-stakes, authentic world of modern espionage, the best place to start is with David McCloskey’s debut novel, Damascus Station (2021). Starting here is essential because it establishes the tone, tradecraft, and key characters that form the backbone of the entire series. While the author design-builds each book to be enjoyed as a standalone mission, starting at the beginning introduces you to CIA case officer Sam Joseph and the profane, cynical, yet brilliant Station Chief Artemis “Art” Procter. Watching their relationships and professional careers develop across multiple assignments provides the narrative glue that makes this one of the most rewarding contemporary spy series on the market.
David McCloskey Books in Publication Order
Following the publication order is the most natural way to experience the escalation of global tradecraft, changing geopolitical battlegrounds, and character developments in McCloskey's universe. The publication history of the Damascus Station series flows as follows:
- Damascus Station (2021) – Set against the backdrop of the Syrian Civil War, this debut follows CIA officer Sam Joseph as he enters Damascus to recruit Syrian chemical weapons official Mariam Haddad. They navigate a forbidden romance and a deadly hunt for a killer within the regime.
- Moscow X (2023) – The action shifts to Russia, where CIA officers Sia Fox (an offshore asset lawyer) and Max Castillo (a horse breeder from a CIA-front farm) go undercover as a couple to target Vladimir Putin's private banker.
- The Seventh Floor (2025) – A classic mole-hunt thriller reminiscent of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. When a CIA operation in Singapore goes wrong, Sam Joseph is captured and Artemis Procter is forced out. They must team up on the outside to uncover a Russian mole embedded on the seventh floor of CIA headquarters.
- The Persian (Scheduled for September 30, 2025) – This installment focuses on Kamran “Kam” Esfahani, a Swedish-Jewish dentist of Iranian origin recruited by Mossad for a sabotage campaign, who ends up captured and writing his confession from a brutal prison.
- London Station (Scheduled for October 2026) – Artemis Procter returns as the London Chief of Station, navigating a dangerous intelligence war where the CIA and MI6 begin spying on each other amid shifting political leadership.
Chronological vs. Publication Order: Do You Need to Read in Order?
Because the timeline of the novels matches their publication order, the chronological order is identical to the publication order. While Moscow X introduces a brand-new set of primary field operatives (Sia and Max) and can technically be read out of sequence, Artemis Procter remains the orchestrator behind the scenes. Skipping directly to The Seventh Floor is not recommended, as it deals heavily with the emotional and professional aftermath of the events in Damascus Station for both Sam Joseph and Artemis Procter. To fully appreciate the shifting alliances, institutional betrayals, and Procter’s hilarious, profane evolution, readers should stick strictly to the publication timeline.
What to Know Before You Start
David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst who spent eight years with the Agency, writing for the President's Daily Brief and working in field stations across the Middle East during the Arab Spring. This first-hand experience is what sets his thrillers apart. Do not expect the stylized, clean-cut action of James Bond. McCloskey focuses on the slow, grinding reality of tradecraft: surveillance detection runs, dead drops, the psychological toll of recruiting sources, and the moral compromises inherent in espionage. His novels are praised by former intelligence officers and directors for their technical accuracy and raw, human portrayal of the CIA’s internal politics.