It was interesting, but her constant need to remind us how blond and attractive she is (while also complain about being “bullied” for having zits and being FORCED to be in the homecoming court) was pretty obnoxious.

"I'm a Delta Gamma girl who joined the CIA, hunted down terrorists, and stopped WMD plots before they could kill. I am a California girl who joined the FBI and helped catch foreign spies on American soil. I am a teacher at an all-girls school who is daring to try to change the world."

The largest portion of the book explores Walder's work in counterterrorism as a CIA operative immediately following September 11th. Her insights into the Bush administration and Weapons of Mass Destruction were fascinating. Her allegations of sexism and harassment inside the FBI were incredibly frustrating. Her work teaching and inspiring young girls is so admirable.

This book shares the bird's eye view of some remarkable opportunities Walder has experienced in her career. It doesn't reveal a lot of specifics (and some portions are redacted) but it was an intriguing read nonetheless. It's encouraging to know that there are women and men of this caliber working behind the scenes. So glad I had the chance to read this one!

I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to #NetGalley and the author and publisher for this opportunity. #TheUnexpectedSpy

I enjoyed this book immensely. Not sure what I expected, mostly I was just curious to read a spy memoir of a woman who was in the CIA fairly recently. It did not disappoint. It was a fairly easy, fast read although early on I was annoyed by the redacted sections. Despite my annoyance I did think it added to the storytelling by gesturing towards stories that still can't be shared. It was an interesting memoir that provided very human insights into the CIA (and also the FBI) rather than providing lots of intrigue. I appreciated that about the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this review copy!

This is the story of how a sorority girl who was bullied at school found her calling working for the CIA. At a job fair at college, the author filled out a job application on a whim…and the rest is history. She started her job immediately after she graduated.

Shortly after starting work, Walder was promoted to The Vault, under kindly Director Tenet, who made her feel like a part of the team. She was respected by the other team members and everyone worked together well, thanks to Tenet. He was always doing thoughtful things, such as bringing Thanksgiving dinner to the Vault’s hardworking members.

A few months later, she was moved to Counterterrorism to work under Graham Andersson. This continued to bolster her confidence and erase the “loser” mindset she had, because she constantly received compliments and encouragement from her superiors. Some of the missions she worked on dealt with poison and other weapons of mass destruction. Despite being an introvert, she gave apresentation on a poisoning plot she and two other coworkers discovered. Due to their hard work, the people of interest were captured, and the poisoning plot was exposed and neutralized. The book continues with more stories like this, including some that highlight intelligence operatives that don’t work on Sunday, despite the terrorists that lurk nearby.

Walder remains positive, despite being minimalized by the men in other cultures. About 60% of the way through she meets some male counterparts after a bombing in Africa, and they are less than thrilled to be working with her. She remains professional and focused on the task at hand. This strength is one of her main characteristics – it shines through on almost every page. Her writing is full of her eagerness to fight the terrorists before they get a chance to perform their insidious tasks. She also writes about her feelings of personal failure regarding the March 11, 2004 bombing in Madrid. She wondered what scrap of information she had missed and felt personally responsible for all those dead and wounded. It was this final straw that cause her to fill out an application for the FBI and send it in. They accepted her immediately, and so Walder embarked on a new career. However, for the first time in her professional career she felt bullied during her training at Quantico. She kept moving forward and never let the constant criticism get her down – another display of her incredible mental strength.

Unfortunately, the FBI’s mentality was to pair her up with a more experienced partner and marginalize her, never making her the lead when they picked up criminals. She learned that she wasn’t the only female being discriminated against, but she kept going, hoping things would change. It didn’t, and she quit the FBI after working there only 15 months. Currently she is a history teacher at an all-girls school, her mission empowering and educating girls against the bullies and terrorists of the world. Walder puts as much determination into her teaching as she did in her career, and that is refreshing. She is a role model who still cares about eliminating hatred, embracing all walks of life, and giving girls their voice. I am glad that she chose to write her story to illuminate these causes! Her voice is clear and strong, the writing style will pull you in and make you laugh at times, while other times you will be incredulous, such as when you read about the mistreatment the FBI puts forth. It is also very interesting to be “behind the scenes” at the CIA, as much as they would allow. This unforgettable book would be great for any college age girl to read, for it may spark interest in a career such as Walder’s. Her experiences are powerful and empowering.

3.5

This was an interesting and also infuriating read about a young woman’s journey into the CIA, and then the FBI, and then as a teacher.
She did a great job with the common thread, ending with how empowering women is her revolution. Her story of being a woman in an intensely man’s industry (and all the abuse she had to put up with to survive) is maddening...as far as women have come, there is still a ceiling.

I didn’t rate it higher simply because it was putdownable and required a library renewal to finish.

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This is a fantastic book! So interesting to read about the life as an Agent in both the CIA and the FBI and I look forward to seeing in on the tv screen :)

The Unexpected Spy by Tracy Walder tells of a USC sorority girl's first job out of college with the CIA and later with the FBI. It is a fast-moving, riveting memoir giving some behind the scenes glimpses into two of our most famous security agencies. The redacted sections were not disruptive, though I'm most curious about what was redacted in the section just after her fight about USC with a colleague overseas!

It was very frustrating to hear of Ms. Walder's treatment during her time at the FBI; I can't even imagine how awful it would have been to actually live it. It is a shame that neither agency could offer Ms. Walder a way to continue to use her valuable skills and analytical mind while offering a little more stability state-side. However, her post-agency life teaching young women about global politics and foreign affairs sounds equally fascinating. I hope that this book helps push forward those efforts and I wish Ms. Walder a lot of success. Perhaps a partnership with Girl Scouts, too, on foreign affairs?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.