Synopses & Reviews
Set in the treacherous mountains of Afghanistan and the equally hazardous headquarters of the CIA Operations Directorate in Washington, The Black Tulip is a fast-paced thriller, based on real events, by the legendary spy who masterminded the plot to arm Afghan freedom fighters in their holy war against the Soviets. A longtime veteran of the CIA, Bearden knows the tricks of the trade, the price of honor, the bonds of blood, and the enduring lure of retribution.
Review
"Clearly, Bearden knows whereof he speaks and can well follow the zigs and zags of geopolitical maneuvering....[A] better-than-average debut thriller from a writer who, next time out, may be willing to swap some technological complexity for the human kind." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Deft twists and battle scenes, crisply lucid technical details, hair-trigger tension and strong characters drive the plot, but the too-sparse dialogue slows the read. Still, the mechanics of Cold War espionage have seldom been so tangible." Publishers Weekly
Review
"The book starts slowly....But once the action switches to the intrigue in Afghanistan, The Black Tulip becomes an irresistible page-turner. The details are especially vivid because we know the author was a witness to events not merely a good researcher." David Asman, The Wall Street Journal
Review
"Milt Bearden really delivers. With thirty years in the CIA to back it up, he knows what he's talking about....A terrific book." Robert De Niro
Review
"A heart-stopping tale of espionage and betrayal. Forget Tom Clancy: this is the real thing." Richard Holbrooke
Review
"In this suspense-filled thriller, the man who ran the closing phases of the Afghan war for the Agency takes his readers on a stunning voyage of discovery through that clandestine world, from Kabul to Hong Kong and the Moscow of the Evil Empire." Larry Collins, co-author of Is Paris Burning?
Review
"A truly engrossing espionage read....Bearden explains how the CIA supplied Afghan guerrillas with the hardwarerockets, Stinger surface-to-air missiles, and night-vision equipment which enabled them to chew a vastly stronger Soviet force to bloody ribbons....Highly recommended." The Washington Times
Synopsis
A gripping espionage thriller for fans of Tom Clancy by the legendary CIA spymaster who ran covert operations in Afghanistan.
Based on the author's experience arming the Afghan freedom fighters in their holy war against the Soviets, The Black Tulip is a high-octane espionage thriller by one of America's top spies. Bearden tells the story of what it was like on the ground in this heart-stopping tale of conspiracy and retribution set in the treacherous mountains of Afghanistan.